Churchill Drive
oil
10.2 x 15.2 cm (4" x 6") ■


The photographic series of paintings continues.

This is a view looking across the Red River. The houses, the roofs of which can be seen, are on a plain below the level of the river bank. The bank has been artificially enlarged to act as a dyke to prevent spring flooding.

Telephone Pole
oil
10.2 x 15.2 cm (4" x 6") ■


A familiar winter sight in Winnipeg.

Not the best scan. The painting itself has more colour in it. The scan just didn't want to pick up some of the colour , particularly the reds.

Rowing Club
oil
10.2 x 15.2 cm (4" x 6") ■


The rowing club of the title is the small peaked roof building on the right side of the painting. The view is from the river.

The club is the Winnipeg Rowing Club, which has a long history in western Canada, and, despite a short season, has produced some decent rowers.

Bertolt Brecht
ink and charcoal
27.2 x 18.5 cm (10.7" x 7.5")

"Art does not rush to the barricades." - Bertolt Brecht.

No, I think that I've got that wrong. I think that James Thurber actually said that.

Wouldn't that have been the perfect collaboration, Brecht and Thurber?

Lyndale Drive No.3  
oil        
10.2 x 15.2 cm (4" x 6") ■



This is one of the first in the series of paintings done from photographs.
They have got better (or worse, depending upon your viewpoint) the more I've done.

The titles aren't too imaginative, although they could be worse.

The photograph from which the painting is taken is below.

Lyndale Drive No.3

Beautiful Girl
graphite, ink, and pastel
20.8 x 24.9 cm (8.2" x 9.8")

This rather casual drawing was done in about fifteen minutes. The subject was, well, a beautiful girl.

Today's painting is another in a series I've recently been doing from photographs. It is not my preferred way of working. It seems a rather second hand way of recording experience. If anything, the experience that you are recording is that of looking at a photograph.

My thoughts on this subject are still evolving. I'm sure that I'll have more to say on this subject in the future, and, who knows, if I manage to sell some of these paintings done from photographs, I may change my mind completely.

Little Building
oil
10.2 x 15.2 cm (4" x 6") ■

The little building is a City of Winnipeg maintenance building of some sort. I've never seen it being used.

The photograph for the painting is below.

Little Building

Lyndale Drive No.2
oil
10.2 x 15.2 cm (4" x 6") ■


Another view from Lyndale Drive in Winnipeg, looking south across the Red River.

The technique is the same as in yesterday's post: an ochre ground, the darks, and then the lights. And like yesterday's painting, this one was quick.

I've done one painting of the opposite bank of the river, Twilight, Riverview, posted on December 24, 2006. It was done from memory, not from a photograph. For me, it makes for an interesting comparison with today's work.

The photograph for this painting is posted below.

Lyndale Drive No.2

Lyndale Drive No.1
oil
4" x 6" (10.2 x 15.2 cm) ■


Another work from a photograph. The photograph from which it's taken is posted below.

I wasn't that concerned with reproducing the photograph exactly. I was more interested in producing an acceptable painting.

The painting took about forty-five minutes to paint. An ochre ground was laid on first, then the darks, and then the lights. Pretty basic.

Lyndale Drive runs along the Red River in Winnipeg. The view is looking south from Lyndale across the river.

Lyndale Drive No. 1

Back Lane, Winnipeg
oil
6" x 4" (15.2 x 10.2 cm) ■


Another painting done from a photograph. Yesterday's painting was also from a photograph.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be posting a number of paintings done from photographs. I'll try to post some of the photographs along with the paintings.

This painting was done on a brownish ground, as you can see. A mid-tone ground usually speeds up the painting, and it means that you can get away with less detail.

The back lane of the painting runs behind our street, and is pretty typical of Winnipeg back lanes in winter.

If you have illicit cultural property you're looking to sell, barter, or trade, here's the blog for you, Illicit Cultural Property.

St.Boniface Hospital
oil
4" x 6" (10.2 x 15.2 cm)

This painting was perhaps done a little too quickly. You get the idea though. It's winter and it's cold.

The view is looking up the Red River.

St. Boniface Hospital is one of two major hospitals in Winnipeg. It offers services in both French and English.

St. Boniface, now part of Winnipeg, was once a separate city. It's the heart of French culture in Manitoba.

There are a lot of good photography blogs around. Christian Patterson has another: See, Speak, Remember.

Self-Portrait No. 3
graphite, ink, and watercolour
7.2" x 4.9" (18.3 x 12.4 cm)

One is seldom encouraged by how one looks.

This is an older self-portrait. It's more or less accurate, for better or worse, and this is about as happy as I ever look.

You might compare it with two other self-portraits: one posted on Feb. 25, 2006, Portrait of the Artist, and the other posted on March 27, 2006, Self-Portrait.

Coronation Park
oil
6" x 7.75" (15.2 x 19.7 cm)

I seldom work from photographs, except perhaps when doing something like caricatures, where photographs are indispensable. Working from photographs just doesn't interest me a lot. However, every once in awhile I will do something using a photograph, if only to remind myself of how it's done. Here's the result: Coronation Park, along with the photograph from which it was taken.

Out of curiosity I deliberately did this painting as fast as I could. Forty minutes from start to finish, and I'm not impressed.

Coronation Park

Coronation Park is a small neighbourhood park at the beginning of our street. I don't know the history of the park, but I would think that its' name derives from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Edith Sitwell
ink
7.5" x 5.5" (19.1 x 14.0 cm)

"When you're reduced to making fun of the dead, you're probably not getting out enough." - Edith Sitwell

Orange Legs
graphite and gouache
8.1" x 11.2" (20.8 x 28.4 cm)

The orange seemed like a good idea at the time.

Orange Scarf
graphite and pastel
10.5" x 8.4" (26.7 x 21.3 cm)

A bit of an odd drawing, thanks to the heavy grey shading on the face. Many times you're stuck using whatever is at hand; if it's grey, black, and orange, then that's what you use.

Art & Perception is worth a look. It offers opinions on a range of art topics from a number of different contributors.

James
graphite and pastel
11.0" x 8.4" (21.3 x 17.9 cm)
James seldom smiles. This is one of the happier drawings I have of him. He doesn't laugh much either, but for all that he's a funny guy to be with. How does that work?

James Joyce
ink
8.9" x 7.0" (22.6 x 17.8 cm)

Who knew that James Joyce was so talented?

The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis has a good general art blog, Off Center, which is well worth following.

Neil
graphite
8.4" x 10" (21.3 x 25.4 cm)

Zoe Strauss is giving Philadelphia a good name. Check her out.

Young Goth
graphite, ink, and watercolour
7.0" x 8.2" (17.8 x 20.8 cm)

Are goths still in fashion? I must confess to being au courant in nothing, so I have no idea if this young man is still in fashion or is hopelessly passé.

I was reluctant to ask about the goth stuff. Instead we talked about a seemingly unlikely subject for a goth, entomology, something he is passionate about.

The streak down the side of the young man's face is black paint, something apparently becoming to a goth.

The Grammar.police offer everything from art, literature, and politics to Texas football, all courtesy of Kriston Capps.

Purple Wall
graphite,ink, and pastel
17" x 12" (43.2 x 30.5 cm)

Is the colour of the wall purple or violet? These are two colours which continually confuse me. Which is which?

I not sure that I know why the model is so far over to one side. It just seemed like a good idea at the time.

For some of the worst in design for 2006 check yesterday's post at Think In Pictures: Adventures In Visual Education, an excellent blog by Jeremiah McNichols.

Marcel Proust
ink
10" x 7.4" (25.4 x 18.8 cm)
Another caricature juste pour rire.

I had a hard time finding something for Marcel to say, which, when you think of it, is rather ironic for a man of so many words. "Merde!" was the best I could do. If anyone has a better suggestion the caption could easily be changed.

Girl Sitting
graphite, ink, and charcoal
13.38" x 11" (27.9 x 34.0 cm)

The lighting from below and in front of the model and a ledge just behind her head created the odd shadow running across the top of the drawing.

Happy New Year to everyone!