Grand Desert, Dyke Rd., #7

Another day, andother Grand Desert. This time I took a picture I had started yesterday & reworked it.
Oil on canvasboard, 9x12


The fog was rolling in and out all afternoon, sometimes the sky seemed almost clear, and sometinmes more like this:



The light when the fog is heavy is wonderful for painting; unfortunately one can't see the motif.....

Grand Desert, Dyke Rd., #6

Today was foggy and warm out at Drand Desert, but with a good wind that left me pretty sticky woth salt after a long afternoon. I caught two paintings out there, one is still too wet to scan, and (right now) I like this one better. The fog and ground mist were actually quite interesting; looking north it moved from a brown tint through to an ochre to almost blue (much higher up)....

10x14, oil on canvasboard


There were plenty of distractions, particularly the birds...I think I surprised the hawk when I first arrived, he had been on the ground busily tearing at something, but flew of as the car approached. Then for the next half hour or so he hedgehopped - rarely more than 10 feet in the air, but never setting down. I think he wanted to make sure I didn't share his meal....

Grand Desert, Dyke Rd., #5

Spending time out there is getting addictive.
Oil on canvasboard, 10x14.


Now I'll put it away to dry for awhile, and then get back to it once the weather turns...

Grand Desert, Dyke Rd., #3

This was from my third trip out to Grand Desert:


There's still lots of work to do before I put it away, but it's a step up (I hope) from its plein air origins:


It was an interesting day; when I first arrived, this is what was tearing down from the north, enough to make one feel a little paranoid!



But then it veered east as it passed by. and started crumbling as it hit the water (to the south), and didn't make it far out to sea.

On the other hand, this bank pretty much held all afternoon to the south, moving in but then moving out again, never coming ashore:







While this came in from the northwest, looking positively mountainous:



and passed to the southwest, making for wonderful effects as it passed between me and the sun:





These opened up on the way home (diving west); torrential downpours and high winds followed by clear breaks while driving straight into the sun. Fun and games!

Oddly enough, I don't think I had a directly cloud overhead all day.

And when I got home, it had all gone away, leaving just a lovely sunset:

Life Drawing

Trying to get caught up here....This is from last Monday (Conte on Kraft paper, 24x36):



It feels good to be back at "work".

Grand Desert, Dyke Rd.

The day wsan't too bad to start, but towards the end the wind was strong enough that I had to hold the picture with one hand while I drew...it only fell over twice. Still lots of work to do, but tomorrow it's supposed to rain so I can play with it in the studio.

This is mostly Rembrandt and Sennelier pastels, 24x36, Kraft paper.

Some photos from today...

Another spectacular day, though a bit wet and windy...
Surfers at Lawrencetown:


Off Dyke Road, Grand Desert:

Dyke Road

Done at the end of Dyke Road, Grand Desert, Nova scotia. Quite a variable day:
Pastel on Kraft paper, about 18x24:

Golden Glow

It's a perennial member of the sunflower family that grows prety abundantly around here, at least when it doesn't get knocked down by hurricanes. It makes for lovely bouquets with goldenrod, nightshade, and wild asters...
Pastel, 12x16, on toned pastel paper.

Conrad's Beach, Dawn

taken yesterday up at Conrad's Beach. I had gone up to paint, but the mosquitos made that impossible....

Laneway (RIP)

Alas, the sad end to the trees I was drawing last week....

Maynard Lake (continued)

Cleaned it up a bit in the studio this morning, it's too wet to go out and draw....

Maynard Lake

Up behind the house. Spent about 2 hours on this this afternoon, it still needs a lot of work. But the late afternoon up there is wonderful, as the light rakes across the woods at the end of the lake.

MacDonald Point

I was up scouting for places to paint yesterday in the Lawrentown Beach area, and took this photo looking out to sea from the top of the cliffs. What was really striking was the color range of the sky, and the way the sea and sky merged over on the right horizon.

Tacky Romantic Photo of the Day

But I still like it :)
After the Hurricane: