Paintings

1962-1972

Country Cottage - 1962 (11" x 14" Oil on canvas)

This is one of the paintings I did while in intermediate (junior high) -school. I used a picture on a calendar as the reference. I don't know if it was a painting or a photo of any particular place but the scene is typical of small cottages in rural Ireland up until the 1950's.

Dundrum Bay - 1962 (11" x 14" Oil on canvas)

Another painting from my intermediate school days. This one was also painted from a photo on a calendar but I recognize it as Dundrum Bay in County Down, Northern Ireland "... where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea" (Percy French)

Camlough Lake - c1972 (11" x 14" Oil on canvas)

There is no signature or date on this one but I recall painting it around 1972. Camlough Lake is located in south County Armagh, Northern Ireland, just a few miles from my family home.

2009-2010

Granada - 2009/11 (16" x 20" Oil on canvas)

This beautiful fountain is the Fuente de las Batallas in the city of Granada. We visited here in 2006 on our first of many visits to Spain. I started this painting in 2009 when I was living in Madrid. I had no woodworking shop or tools so I rekindled my interest in painting there. I finished it in 2011 -pretty slow progress by all counts. Oh well, I fitted a five and a half month European trip in during that time and a few months of retirement and woodworking back in Calgary!

Kaysersberg - 2010 (16" x 20" Oil on canvas)

This beautiful French village in the Alsace region, near Colmar, was the birthplace of Dr. Albert Switzer. Its quiet ambiance and beautiful coloured buildings were my inspiration. We visited this region in 2009.

2011

Biarritz Sunset - 2011 (16" x 20" Oil on canvas)

This was from a photo of the sunset at a beautiful little bay on the south side of Biarritz in Southwest France - Basque country! We visited this region in 2011 and this was the first painting I did while attending art class at Swinton's in Calgary.

Bulle - 2011 (16" x 20" Oil on canvas)

I liked the simple architectural elements of this beautiful little church in the village of Bulle, Switzerland and the colours of the buildings and the flowers and bushes nearby. We visited this region in 2009.

Frauenchiemsee - 2011 (12" x 16" Oil on canvas)

Fraueninsel is the smallest of two islands in Lake Chiemsee, Bavaria, Germany. It has a pathway around most of it and this little harbour caught my eye during our visit there in 2009.

Portofino - 2011 (16" x 20" Oil on Canvas)

The little harbour at Portofino, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy, as well as a mooring place for some really expensive looking yachts. We visited this region in 2009 and this painting is based on a section of a wider angle photo I took of the harbour. The brightly coloured buildings and the jumble of their designs makes this a popular photo location. Coffee was Euro 5.50 a cup! No gratzie.

Monterosso al Mare - 2011 (16" x 20" Oil on canvas)

Not far from Portofino is the region of Italy known as Cinque Terre (or Five Lands), now a World Heritage site. Five coastal villages in this region were accessible only by sea until the railway was tunneled through the steep rugged cliffs to connect them with each other and the outside world. Monterosso is the most northerly of the towns and if you look closely at the painting you can see the next village of Vernazza just to the left of the big rock in the distance. We visited here in 2009. The painting is based on a photo I took in late evening as the sun seemed to light the scene with a pinkish glow.

La Rhune, Basque Country - 2011 (20" x 16" Oil on canvas)

La Rhune (905 m) is a sacred mountain in Basque culture. It is situated at the western edge of the Pyrenees straddling the French and Spanish border and close to the ocean at the Bay of Biscay. This is one of the most beautiful regions we have ever visited and I like to describe this region as "Switzerland with beaches"! There is a "petit train" (rack driven) that transports tourists and hikers to the summit of La Rhune where the view into Spain and France and over the bay is spectacular, all while eagles circle overhead. We visited this area in 2009 and again in 2011. The inspiration for the painting was from a photo in a tourist brochure.

Fish Creek Park Aspens - 2011 (20" x 16" Oil on canvas)

Inspiration is often found right where you live. This painting is based on a photo I took during a walk with my dog in Fish Creek Park, about 1 km from my home.

Sudoku - 2011 (20" x 20" Acrylic on canvas)

What do you do when your family buys you acrylic paints for Christmas and you have never painted with them before? Mix up a few colours and experiment!

2012

Aspen Dance - 2012 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

This is the first landscape painting I did in acrylics. It is based on a photo of another painting, in an art magazine, that inspired me to give it a try.

Lavender Field - 2012 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

Another small acrylic painting inspired by a photo of a painting in an art magazine.

Dunluce Castle - 2012 (18" x 22" Acrylic on canvas)

This castle ruin perches precariously on the edge of a cliff in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, a few miles from the world famous "Giant's Causeway". The painting was a "commission" from my son and daughter-in-law who visited our home-land with us in 2005 and were inspired by this castle and its legends.

(OK, I'm doing acrylics now).

Sedona #1 - 2012 (16" x 24" Acrylic on canvas)

This painting is based on a photo taken in Sedona, Arizona during our visit there in January 2012. It was also a "commission", this time for my eldest daughter but I named it Sedona #1 as I expect there will be more paintings of Sedona to come, in the future.

Wayside Barn - 2012 (18" x 22" Acrylic on canvas)

This painting is loosely based on a photo that my youngest daughter supplied for her "commission" work. The old building is from her photo taken near Bowser, on Vancouver Island - British Columbia, and I added the pathway to the clearing in the distance.

Mountain Cascade - 2012 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

Another small acrylic painting inspired by a photo of a painting in an art magazine. I tried to add some texture to this one using a heavy medium but it was not as successful as I had hoped.

White Water - 2012 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

This small acrylic painting was also inspired by a photo of a painting in an art magazine. I tried using the same colour palette as the one above.

Cathedral Rock - 2012 (18" x 24" Acrylic on canvas)

I painted this Sedona, Arizona scene from a photograph, as a gift for a friend's special birthday.

Kinkaku-ji, (Kyoto) - 2012 (16" x 20" Acrylic on canvas)

I painted this interesting temple from a family photo as a gift for another friend's special birthday and as a memento of his visit to Kyoto, Japan.

Vineyard Walk - 2012 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

Another small acrylic painting inspired by a photo of a painting in an art magazine and with a few of my own memories thrown in.

Shiver! - 2012 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

I used a photo of this painting for my 2012 Christmas card. It was inspired by following artist and instructor Jerry Yarnell on his PBS TV show "Paint This" and by my memories and feelings of the Alberta foot-hills when it's -30 degrees C.

Navarra Naranja - 2012 (20" x 24" Acrylic on canvas)

Driving through Navarra in Spain, near Artajona, one spring evening in 2011, the orange glow in the sky and over the countryside captured my interest.

2013

Cooler Morning - 2013 (9 1/2" x 14" Acrylic on board)

A few of us at our art class painted this scene with the usual expert guidance of Sue. It is based on a photo in the reference material collection at Swinton's.

Summer Stroll - 2013 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

This painting is also based on one done by Jerry Yarnell on "Paint This". His was titled "Young Love" had two children walking and holding hands near the turn in the path but I decided to leave them out.

Golden Glow - 2013 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

Again, I followed Jerry Yarnell while he painted his version of this, titled "Autumn Bridge". It took me a lot longer though!

Back from my walk - 2013 (22" x 22" Acrylic on canvas)

I walk along this pathway in Fish Creek Park, Calgary, frequently with our dog and I took a photo to use as a reference for this painting, inspired by the light and shadows on the path and the glow of the sun on the bushes in the distance.

Early Snow - 2013 (6" x 24" Acrylic on canvas)

This painting was planned in my mind to suit the wide format of the canvas. I used some reference photos to lay out the mountains and hay bales. Could be anywhere in the Alberta foothills.

Take cover - 2013 (6" x 24" Acrylic on canvas)

This is the second painting done in the wide format. I used a reference photo of a stormy sky and added a typical prairie landscape with the Rockies on the horizon.

Ke'anae Point, Maui - 2013 (16" x 20" Acrylic on canvas)

This painting is based on a photo taken at Ke'anae Point while we were driving to Hana during our visit to Maui in February 2013.

Keegan - 2013 (20" x 16" Acrylic on canvas)

I thought I would try to paint something other than landscapes so I decided to paint our dog, Keegan, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It turned out better than I had expected and it was a lot of fun.

The life he loves.... - 2013 (10" x 8" Acrylic on canvas)

After painting our dog and being happy with the result, I decided to try a portrait. I thought I would choose an easily recognizable subject with lots of "character". Who better than Willie? (From Austin City Limits - Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel).

Rosas en la Casa de Sorolla - 2013 (20" x 16" Acrylic on canvas)

This painting is from a photo I took at the Museo de Sorolla, museum, former home and studio of the master Spanish impressionist artist, Joaquin Sorolla. It is located on Paseo General Martinez Campos in Madrid, Spain and I have visited this inspiring museum at least three times. Sorolla also painted many scenes from his garden here, including one of the climbing yellow rose-bush by the column. How I wish I could paint like him.

Reagan's Dream Pool - 2013 (20" x 16" Acrylic on canvas)

This was a "commission" from my grand-daughter who wanted a painting of mine to hang in her room. She provided a photo for reference and I added some ideas of my own.

Before the Salmon Run - 2013 (16" x 20" Acrylic on linen)

This was painted from a photo I took of the "Big Qualicum" river on Vancouver Island in the summer of 2013. This river has a large salmon hatchery downstream that is part of the efforts to restore the salmon population off the west coast of British Columbia.

Robin Returns - 2013 (12" x 9" Acrylic on canvas)

This friendly robin was photographed in an apple tree at our house and I painted a different background to make it brighter. I used a photo of this painting for my 2013 Christmas card.

No Fish Story - 2013 (12" x 9" Acrylic on canvas)

My good friend's wife caught this fine salmon and quite a few others on her fishing trip to the Queen Charlotte Islands off the coast of northern British Columbia. I offered to paint this for her recent birthday gift.

Serengeti Sunset - 2013 (9" x 12" Acrylic on canvas)

My friend's wife took some interesting photos during her trip to Kenya and I painted this one as a back-up in case the one of the fishing trip didn't work out. Now she has both!

2014

Hiding in plain sight - 2014 (9" x 12" Acrylic on canvas)

This painting is entirely a fabrication, but it contains many of the sights familiar to those of us that live in Western Canada, the sunsets, the mountains, the forests, the snow and those pesky mule deer.

Afternoon in Johnston Canyon - 2014 (20" x 16" Acrylic on linen)

The depths of this canyon provide some cool relief on a hot day in Banff National Park. I painted this from a photo reference taken during a visit in September 2013.

Below Shannon Falls - 2014 (8" x 10" Acrylic on board)

This is the first "exercise" from the instructional art book "Paint Red Hot Landscapes That Sell!" by well-known west-coast Canadian artist Mike Svob. Mike's style inspired me to try a different approach to painting and loosen up. There are two versions of this painting in Mike's book titled "Rapids" and "Shannon River". Shannon Falls is close to the town of Squamish, British Columbia (north of Vancouver) and we have visited it a few times.

Built to Last - 2014 (10" x 8" Acrylic on board)

This painting is based on a photo I took of Pont du Gard, an aqueduct built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago to cross the valley of the Gardon river and bring water to the town of Nîmes. We visited this area in 2007.

Cutie Catie - 2014 (10" x 8" Acrylic on board)

I painted this portrait of my grand-daughter Catie for her Mum's birthday. She was thrilled!

Tollymore morning - 2014 (10" x 8" Acrylic on board)

This painting is from a photo I took of the entrance to Tollymore Forest Park from the village of Bryansford, Co. Down, N. Ireland during our visit there in 2013.

Colour-ado River - 2014 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)
In the style of Mike Svob.

This is another painting from Mike Svob's book, based on his painting titled "Charlotte Estuary". It was a challenge to loosen up and try to emulate his style but I got a lot of positive feed-back on the result so I believe he's on to something!

Mike emphasizes the importance of design, tonal value, shapes and edges which allows colour to be pushed in any direction and still be believable.

I removed the colour from the photo of my painting and the values still describe the scene - he's right!

Towers of Power - 2014 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

This painting is from a photo I took while visiting the hill town of San Gimignano in Tuscany, Italy in 2009. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At one time this medieval town had 72 towers but today only 14 remain. The towers were built during the middle ages by rival factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, all trying to out-do each other to build the best, or tallest - just like our city centres today!

Fire and Ice - 2014 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

This is another painting inspired by Mike Svob's book and is a mirrored version of his painting titled "Frozen Vermilion". His concept of pushing colour shows through in the mauve sky, reddish purple trees and the red, orange and yellow of the fallen leaves, but the scene still looks believable.

Vermilion lakes are located just west of the Banff town-site in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.

Sydney Sunset - 2014 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

My grand-daughter sent me a reference photo to paint for her. I followed some of the techniques from Mike Svob's book and, coincidentally, it has a very similar colour palette to Colour-ado River above. Never been to Australia but hope to go there sometime soon.

In Fine Finger-style - 2014 (16" x 20" Acrylic on linen)

I did this painting for a friend for his 70th birthday. He is a master of finger-style guitar and owns some fine instruments. I did not have a good reference photo to work from so, as I wanted it to be a surprise, I had to improvise. It isn't a very good likeness but it captures some of the memories of our jam sessions.

Final Crash - 2014 (16" x 20" Oil over acrylic on board)

This painting marks my return to oil painting, although the under-painting is done in acrylic. I followed the artist and instructor Buck Paulson from his Prairie Public PBS TV series "Painting with Paulson". His free and loose style inspired me to give it a try but his painting, titled "Sea Power", is much looser than mine.

Golden Pond - 2014 (16" x 20" Oil over acrylic on board)

This is the second painting following Buck Paulson's instructional TV program. His painting is titled "Inness Landscape" which he mentioned was in the style of another artist - George Inness. Mr Paulson's painting has a lot of larger trees in the middle-ground with branches covering up some of the sky. I started to add these but felt that I could not achieve the looseness and feeling of his painting so I removed them again. My end result did get quite a few compliments so I am happy with it.

Power and Light - 2014 (16" x 20" Oil over acrylic on board)

Another painting inspired by Buck Paulson's "Power Surge" from his "Painting with Paulson" TV show. I like the movement in his paintings of the ocean and I try to capture that in my versions. He also pushes the colours used, especially in his skies, which adds an appeal. As always, his free and loose style produces a more painterly painting which I aspire to achieve with more practice.

Splash of Colour - 2014 (20" x 16" Oil on board)

Buck Paulson's instructional "Floral Splash" was the inspiration for this version painted with oil directly on a primed board. Again, his version is much looser than mine, especially the large flowers, but I did have fun jabbing on the paint for the smaller flowers and leaves.

Sun Dance - 2014 (12" x 16" Oil over acrylic on board)

Something different - This painting was inspired from a Globetrekker TV travel show that focused on artists and their various painting subjects from Provence in France. The sun, reflecting off the sea near Cap Ferat, created a striking visual effect on the TV so I photographed it and used it as my reference. Starting with black gesso and a mid-tone glaze, learned from my earlier paintings in the style of Mike Svob, I then added the colour in short brush strokes and some bright highlights for interest.

Winter Coat - 2014 (12" x 16" Oil over acrylic on board)

This painting was inspired by a photo in "Arabella" magazine of a painting by local Calgary artist Robert E. Wood titled "Winter Dawn". Mine is a much smaller mirrored version of his 36" x 48" original. Again, I followed the procedure used by Mike Svob - placing in the dark's first in black gesso, then adding a couple of acrylic glazes for warm and cool mid-tones before finishing up with oil. A photo of this painting was used for my 2014 Christmas Greeting card.

2015

Morning in Antibes - 2015 (16" x 20" Oil over acrylic on board)

The town of Antibes lies across the bay from Nice, France and the bold ramparts and towers have been the inspiration of many famous French artists. My version is based on a photo I took during our visit here in 2007.

Moraine Lake - 2015 (16" x 20" Acrylic on board)

Another experiment, this time a "graphic art" interpretation of Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, Alberta (near Lake Louise). It is based on a photo I took of the scene during a visit in 2013. When I sketched it out I noticed a number of interesting individual shapes that gave me the idea to try a more graphic and less realistic painting. My biggest challenge was getting a uniform colour for each shape as the acrylic paint dries so quickly.

Deep in the Forest - 2015 (16" x 12" Acrylic on board)

This painting is from my imagination and was painted without any reference to a photo or real place. Could be anywhere in a high mountain forest. I donated it to a local charity.

Spring Break-up - 2015 (10" x 8" Acrylic on board)

Another painting inspired by a photo in "Arabella" magazine of a painting by Ontario artist Donna Andreychuk titled "Canadian Made". Mine is a much smaller version using only the left half of her 48" x 72" original. I was attracted to her very abstract style of expressing landscape as well as her use of wet paint sprayed with water to cause runs and drips that become part of the finished painting - very cool. Although I did this to start this painting, unfortunately my years in engineering seem to have over-ruled my desire to loosen up and become more abstract, so..... maybe one day.

Down by the river - 2015 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

This painting is based on a photo I took along the wonderful "River Walk" in San Antonio, Texas during a recent visit. The reflections of the brightly coloured umbrellas in the water and the dark shadows under the Commerce Street bridge were the inspiration to paint this "winter" scene. (It was early February).

Autumn Sun and Shadows - 2015 (18" x 20" Acrylic on linen)

This painting was inspired by a photo of a painting by New York State artist Brian Keeler in his book titled "Dramatic Color in the Landscape - Painting Land and Light in Oil and Pastel". (Publisher - North Light Books)
His 36" x 40" oil painting is titled "October Landscape With One Cow" and has a single cow grazing in the foreground field. My quarter-size version is a mirror image representation. I left out the cow and made a few other changes but tried to capture his dramatic use of colour.

Distant Thunder - 2015 (24" x 30" Acrylic on linen)

This is my largest painting so far and is the second one inspired by a photo of a painting by New York State artist Brian Keeler in his book titled "Dramatic Color in the Landscape - Painting Land and Light in Oil and Pastel". (Publisher - North Light Books)
His slightly larger 30" x 36"oil painting is titled "Light on Bales" My smaller version is an approximate mirror image with an adjustment for the different aspect ratio.

Crater Lake - 2015 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

This was based on a photo taken during a road trip east of the Cascades range through Oregon in 2010.

I can see you! - 2015 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

I was experimenting with ways to create interesting backgrounds and this one reminded me of tadpoles, so I added a frog.

The Farm Lane - 2015 (8" x 10" Acrylic on canvas)

This simple rural scene was inspired by the PBS TV series Painting and Travel with Roger and Sarah Bansemer and is a mirror image of the demonstration painting done by Roger titled “The Long Driveway”.

Le Matin en Sarlat - 2015 (20" x 16" Acrylic on linen)

This was based on a photo I took one morning in the beautiful French town of Sarlat-la-Canéda in the Dordogne valley region during our visit there in 2015. I liked the shadows crossing the path which I have used in previous paintings.

Mountain Run-off - 2015 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

Another painting inspired by the PBS TV series Painting and Travel with Roger and Sarah Bansemer. Roger’s demonstration painting titled “Cascade Falls” was done on location in Grand Marais, Minnesota, painting this scene along with another artist.

2016

Aurora’s Dance - 2016 (16" x 12" Acrylic on board)

This painting was inspired by a similar subject painted by Jerry Yarnell on his “Paint This” series on PBS and some of my own memories of observing the Aurora borealis display on many occasions.

Quiet Beach - 2016 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

My acrylic version of a much larger 30” x 40” oil painting by Robert E. Wood titled “Pacific Horizon”, featured in Arabella magazine.

Mountain Meadow - 2016 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

Another mirror image and simplified version of a larger 20” x 30” oil painting by Ron Hedrick titled “Mission Valley”, featured in Arabella magazine.

By the Lake - 2016 (16" x 12" Acrylic on board)

This painting is my mirror image version of the beautiful oil painting by an artist named Kathleen Douglas titled “Before the Sun”, featured in the book titled Landscape Painting – Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plein Air and Studio Practice, by Mitchell Albala.

Floral Bouquet - 2016 (16" x 12" Acrylic on board)

This painting was inspired by following a master floral painter Gary Jenkins from the PBS series The Beauty of Oil Painting. At least I may have got the background right?

Fall in the Foothills - 2016 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

Another mirror image version of a much larger 36” x 48” acrylic painting by Mike Svob titled “Aspen to Alpine, Foothills, Alberta”, featured in Arabella magazine.

Morning Shadows - 2016 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

Another mirror image version of an oil painting by artist Tim Horn titled “New Day” featured in Mitchell Albala’s instructional book.

Warmth of Tuscany - 2016 (12" x 16" Acrylic on board)

My adjusted format version of a 15” x 15” oil painting by artist Jim Lamb titled “Tuscan Hill Farm” featured in Mitchell Albala’s instructional book.

Setting Sail - 2016 (16" x 16" Acrylic on board)

My mirror image version of a larger 29” x 29” oil painting by famous California Impressionist painter Edgar Payne titled “Anchored at Concarneau” featured in Mitchell Albala’s instructional book.

Elbow Falls before the flood - 2017 (11” x 14” Oil on board)

From a photo taken many years ago of Elbow Falls on the Elbow River west of Calgary. The falls and surrounding area were dramatically changed during the flood of 2013.

Fish Creek Flair - 2017 (16” x 20” Oil on board)

The vivid colours of early fall in Fish Creek Park last only a short time before the leaves fall.

Foothills Vista - 2017 (16” x 20” Oil on board)

An entirely fictional scene representing what you might see on a typical west-bound road in the foothills of Southern Alberta.

Highway 762 Sunset - 2017 (12” x 16” Oil on board)

From a photo taken on Highway 762 between the hamlets of Bragg Creek and Millarville, Alberta. This road is a favourite of motor-cyclists as it winds its way through some stunning foothills scenery.

Into the Back Country - 2017 (20” x 16” Oil on board)

This typical alpine scene was painted from a reference photo sent to me by a friend.

Lonely Barns - 2017 (14” x 11” Oil on board)

These typical farm structures from reference photos were painted against a fictional background.

African Violets - 2018 (6” x 6” Oil on canvas panel)

My version of the demonstration “Practicing a Secondary Color Scheme” in Margaret Kessler’s book “Color Harmony in Your Paintings”.

Alpine Loop Vista - 2018 (12” x 16” Oil on canvas panel)

Painted using a reference photo of the Alpine Loop Scenic Drive, near Park City, Utah, in a travel magazine article.

Tweeters - 2018 (5” x 7” Oil on board)

My mirror image version of the demonstration “Placing Discords in a Complementary Color Scheme” in Margaret Kessler’s book “Color Harmony in Your Paintings”.

Warmth of Fall - 2018 (12” x 16” Oil on canvas panel)

My mirror image version of the demonstration painting titled “Barns and Bales” in Margaret Kessler’s book “Color Harmony in Your Paintings”.

Red Rock Point - 2018 (24" x 18" Acrylic on canvas)

I did this painting for some friends who sent me a reference photo of Red Rock Point on McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park, Montana. I used it with a couple of other reference photos of this scene, taken at different times of year, and some of my own experiences to try to capture the appearance of early fall with the aspens starting to change colour.

As a special surprise I hid a number of things in the painting, not really visible in this photo, and challenged my friends to find them.

Blokweer Polder Windmill at Kinderdijk - 2019 (15" x 15" Acrylic on board)

I painted this from a reference photo I took during our visit to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Netherlands, in 2018. This windmill design is different from all the others at Kinderdijk and has a pyramid shaped base structure with a box top that rotates to face the wind direction. The sails drive a water wheel pump which raises water 1 metre from the Blokweer polder to the river, keeping the land dry enough for crops and livestock.

Rosebud's Retired Farm Workers - 2019 (12” x 16” Acrylic on canvas panel)

These old tractors were painted from a reference photo I took in the small village of Rosebud, Alberta during a road trip in 2018. I can't say for sure, but I believe the John Deere Model D is from the 1940's and the Massey Harris Model 101 is from the early 1950's.

Sun and Shadows at Dunluce - 2019 (16" x 20" Acrylic on board)

I painted this for my sister using a reference photo she sent me. Dunluce Castle is sited on a rocky headland on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland and has an interesting history. In recent times it featured in the HBO Series "Game of Thrones" as the House of Greyjoy. Dunluce is close to the town of Bushmills, famous for Irish Whiskey since 1608, and my sister's retirement home.

This painting is from my imagination although inspired by my visit to the Tuscany region of Italy in 2009.

This was my first attempt at a "plein-air" painting done in 2019 with a few colleagues and my instructor from my art class. It was painted outdoors at Lloyd Park at the south end of Calgary bordering on Red Deer Lake. It was fun to try something different.

Another plein-air painting done while sitting under the tailgate of my vehicle in the area of Hartell in the southern Alberta foothills. It was early fall (autumn) and the colours of the grasses were fading to their winter browns after a long hot summer.

The third plein-air painting I did in 2019. Again it was in early fall and we had been under the haze of smoke from forest fires in British Columbia for weeks. When the skies finally cleared it was a great opportunity to paint this scene from the grounds of the Leighton Art Centre, overlooking the Alberta foothills and the Canadian Rockies.

Brothers in Arms - 2019 (16" x 16" Acrylic on canvas)

This painting was inspired by an old black and white photo of the Kennedy brothers, JFK and Robert. I can't remember where the photo came from but the siloutted pose against the light background was unmistakenly the Kennedys and I did my best to capture their mood, as though carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders.

This painting is from a photograph taken along the pathway leading from the neighbourhood of Woodbine toward Shannon Terrace in Fish Creek Park, Calgary. It was a bright summer morning and the cloudless sky is quite typical of many summer days in Calgary.

This painting is from a photograph taken in Lloyd Park on the southern edge of the city of Calgary in the MD of Foothills. The Park borders on Red Deer Lake and it features some fine walking trails as well as a frisbie-golf course, popular during the warmer days.