Life as we know it...is BUSY.

I have been busy with art classes and applying what I have learned to my painting. Here is the last few paintings fresh of the easel.

 Alberta Wildrose
12*12inches
on Canvas
Sold
In this painting I was applying the color theory I learned in an art class with Tammy Taylor. And I think it worked well. It has enough tonal and hue value to make it interesting.

Brown-Eyed Susan
1*2 Feet
Oil on Canvas

In the Brown-Eyed Susan I applied the color theory I learned from Sharon Hazen. I was also introduced to complex composition called the Golden Means.I had fun with it.
These paintings were painted with a brush in stead of a painting knife. I figured out a way to keep my brushes useful without spending a lot of time cleaning them. Cleaning brushes are my nemesis.

I also signed up for The Whyte Ave Art Walk again this year. Can not wait!

Untitled African Landscape

(Untitled)
24*48"
Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas



So how long does it take to paint a landscape?

Well, very, very long if you decide to attempt a more realistic landscape painting for the first time. And to make it even more of challenge, paint it on a 2*4 feet canvas. So, I started this painting last spring (May/June) and after quite a bit of repainting and some more layers. Some technique building such as painting clouds, trees and grass. It is done.

But I do not know what title to give it? If you look at the landscape, it is a picture of Wildebeest migrating at sunset. When you look at the clouds, you will notice that they look like clouds that hang around after a thunder storm. So imagine that there was a late afternoon thunderstorm. The wildebeest waited it out and now that it has cleared, they are moving on in the last few minutes of sunlight. The sun is very low. It is reflecting yellow on the bottom of the clouds and shiny reflections of the side of the trees and wildebeest. Now you know the setting and maybe you can help me to title it by leaving a comment.

Thank you so much for looking at my art and if you leave a comment thank you again. This painting is done. What a relief!

Chickadee and Willow

Chickadee and Willow
Oil on Wrapped Canvas
63" by 23"



As we are all eagerly waiting for spring, the first clue that it is coming, is the color change in the willows. It turns from a bland grey, to blazing red and sometimes yellow. To me it is just the prettiest sight! It promises that spring is on its way! But do not be fooled. These willows can bloom in temperatures as low as -25C. It is almost as if they are saying: " I have been waiting long enough for spring. It is - 25C, I do not care! I am blooming!" So even if they are promising spring it can still get pretty cold. I think that is pretty amazing.

Another thing that is really cool about nature in Central Alberta is the fact that the Chickadees stick around summer and winter. It can be -30C and these little birds will be flying around outside, when most other birds have left. Their little chirps are heard through the cold snowy days to remind us that all is well.

So here is my tribute to the Willow and the Chickadee. May the willow tease our visual senses soon!
And may the Chickadee, keep on chirping to bring life to our ears!

Happy New Year (by the way)

:)

Wrap-Up Whyte

So the Whyte Ave Art Walk was this past weekend. Like I said before, there were over 300 Artists, the event ran for three days and one basically need all three days to check out all the artists. In the picture above you can see my display of art. I was on a corner of a street just off of Whyte Ave. This means that people could check out my art all the way from across the intersection. And my "Blue Berry Painting" as almost everybody called it was drawing a lot of attention.

On Saturday every 20 minutes was heard something like "Wow! Look at those Blue Berries!" More about this amazing painting later... 

My Black and White Photographic prints drew some attention as well.. Every body that I discussed them with agreed that there are something mysterious about hand printed Black and Whites. The subject matter of my Prints were not necessarily something the patrons identified with (South African Landscape) but they appreciated them.

In short I think that Art Walk was great experience. I got to meet more artists, learn more about what kind of art interests people. And got a lot of exposure. I think you will see me at the Art Walk again next year. But in a more shady spot.

Thank you to all of those who organized this event it was very well organized. I am impressed. And thank you to all of those who came out to appreciate art. And naturally a big thanks to my support system of lovely family and fabulous friends!

Marika

Abstract Birch Trees

Abstract Birch Trees
39*41"
Oil On Canvas



Here I have used the same trees that I have used in the Ndebele Inspired Birch Trees, I was trying to bring in more true Ndebele forms. So what I did was I added the diagonal lines on the left side and painted a black border around the painting, I also added more white lines as seen in Ndebele paintings.

So the result: to me it looks more like a cartoon forest with a barber shop on the side. ;) What I do like about it, is the energetic colours and the fact that this time my trees unmistakeably look like trees. Unlike here where someone had said that it almost looked like somebody's spine.
I also love to play with warm and cool colours. As we all know cool colours seem to pull deeper into the painting where as warm colours seem to pop out in to the forefront. Here you can see how I joked with it and painted the tree that is furthest away red and the tree closer blue. You can see, if you can find more examples of my colour temperature goofiness in other paintings.

I believe that my exploration of Ndebele painting is done for now.  Next I am working on a special commission and then for more....you will have to wait and see!

Ndebele Inspired Birch Trees

Oil on Canvas
20*30"



This is a painting of Birch trees. What I really like about Birch Trees are the knobs, old branches and scars that turns black on the smooth whitish bark and the lines that develop around these "marks of age". As you can see I have moved away from my traditional style of almost realistic florals but is now moving more towards abstract and geometric forms inspired by the Ndebele paintings.
I have always found their paintings very appealing due to the bright colour use. If you have not noticed, I thrive on vibrant colour!

So why use Ndebele paintings as inspiration?
See every artist is influenced by everything they see, I wish to call this my visual vocabulary. The Ndebele tribe lives in the Pretoria region where I used to live and I use to see ladies wear blankets and beads with bright coloured geometric forms. Thus, it is part of my visual vocabulary.
Currently I am residing in Alberta where I see plenty of Birch and Aspen trees. Birch trees happens to be my favourite :). So now I have combined my visual vocabulary on one painting.
Birch trees through African eyes.

If you are intersted in Ndebele Paintings aswell here is a very informative link.

http://academic.evergreen.edu/projects/wallpainting/ndebele.htm

Here is a picture of a birch tree forest. It is not the picture  I used as reference in the painting, but here you can see the light color bark and the black spots and lines. You can also see that they grow in "waves" sometimes.

Rose Arrangement

Rose Arrangement
Oil on Canvas
16*20"

Birch Tree

Birch Tree
16*20"
Oil on Canvas (Framed)

Landscape Abstract

Landscape Abstract
16*20"
$150

 Who said an artist can't interpret the object? Who said colors  have to be realistic? This landscape painting is about the paint, the push and pull of warm vs cold colors and texture. Inspired by Henry Matisse a painter of the Fauvist Group in the early 1900's.  

Here is a description of Matisse's painting style in the Open window, Collioure 

 Matisse
Open Window, Collioure
1905


" In Open Widow, Collioure behind the free, spontaneous expression, one feels the invisible organic reality of nature, balanced against the demands of pictorial science"

Protea

Protea
11*14"
Oil on Canvas
$100 

The Protea is the National flower of South Africa. Here is a little extract from Wikipedia:

 

Etymology

The genus Protea was named in 1735 by Carl Linnaeus after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his form at will, because proteas have such a wide variety of forms.

 

Taxonomy

The Proteaceae family to which proteas belong is an ancient one. Its ancestors grew in Gondwanaland, 300 million years ago. Proteaceae is divided into two subfamilies: the Proteoideae, best represented in southern Africa, and the Grevilleoideae, concentrated in Australia and South America and the other smaller segments of Gondwanaland that are now part of eastern Asia. Africa shares only one genus with Madagascar, whereas South America and Australia share many common genera — this indicates they separated from Africa before they separated from each other.

 

Distribution

Most protea occur south of the Limpopo River. However, Protea kilimanjaro is found in the chaparral zone of Mount Kenya National Park. 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mountainous coastal land from Clanwilliam to Grahamstown, South Africa. The extraordinary richness and diversity of species characteristic of the Cape Flora is thought to be caused in part by the diverse landscape where populations can become isolated from each other and in time develop into separate species.

Black and White Photography

King Protea: The National Flower of South Africa

8*10" Print on Silver Gelatin Paper

For sale for $20.

Click on my "Buy Now" PayPal button and I will mail it to you.

Little Switzerland in the Drakensberge

8*10" Print on Silver Gelatin Paper

For sale for $20  

These prints are printed by hand from a 35mm negative. Yes, Old School. There is something mysterious about waiting for a print to appear in the developer, and then to patiently wait for the Stop Bath and Fixer before you can take it out in the light .... and really look at it. I can still smell the smells of a darkroom when I close my eyes.

In die Karoo: Sleutelfontein

16*20
Oil on Canvas
$150

While in South Africa last year we visited my uncles' farm Sleutel fontein. The beauty of the Karoo is so simple. It almost resembles the Prairies, but with cooler looking trees, like the one in the painting. I believe it is a Bloekom Boom.

Full Swing

18*24"
$200

3-B Flowers

Oil on Gallery Profile Canvas
16*16"
$150

According to the "Stats" on my website this picture draws a lot of attention. This painting can be seen in at the Alberta Beach Public Library. Go check it out!

Roses

16*20"
$150