Pround and grateful to be Canadian past1: Kemptville, Ontario to Quebec city

Usually, I post about leading trips to amazing places to paint around the world with a groups of students. This trip was conceptualized when I found out about the Pastel Society of Eastern Canadas' plans to host a very large pastel exhibition in Quebec city. 

During covid, I had time to think about what I'd accomplished in terms of my painting trips, and realized I'd been to many very cool places all over the world, while not really investigating fully, the many very cool places and amazing beauty of my very own country, of which I am very proud and grateful. I had always wanted to discover more of the eastern side of Quebec. Here's my chance!   

Driving partner arrives night before, and early the next morning, we are off on our adventure. I met Carol as a student in Haliburton many years ago. Multi-talented, Carol works in pastel, but also paints in several other mediums, and  is majorly, a photographer.  

        

Having planned this trip many months in advance, I was antsy to get painting, but needed to putmany hours of driving in to get to our destination first. So, stopping for photo opps was one way to stretch the legs,  entertain new ideas for paintings, and practisos, every time I took a photo. As many of you know, I love repeat pattern. 

       

Needs some editing, but a good composition, with good split up of picture plane, something I always look for. Eastern Ontario means swamps to me. 

Our first destination, the home of my friend and fellow artist, Jennifer Gow. Jenn treated us like royalty and we had a quick but good catch up. Thank you Jenn! 

We continued our way through what was left of Eastern Ontario and into Quebec, still stopping for stretches and photo opps. 

If you are reading this and are an artist, you will know what I mean about having thousands of photos to glean new paintings from. Ideas happen in a flash, paintings take a little while longer. Documenting ideas. 

If we had time, I would have liked to paint here, Spencerville. and it's mill. But no, we had to make our way to Laurier Station, just outside of Quebec city. Yes, a 2 day drive for an oldie like me. 

Ste. Antoine-de-Tilly

A small village on the St. Lawrence, just before Quebec City was a wonderful discovery. I am an architecture junky, especially old buildings, with so much charm. 

and barns too. 

This building is entirely shingles with the most beautiful tile. Gorgeous. Lovingly cared for. 

And in this little town, a quay, as the sun came down low in the sky, and gave us some contrast and warmth in an otherwise lackluster day. My first 2 paintings done here! 

My first piece, cold, tired, but did it anyways. just glad to be out of the car and into a new atmosphere. 

More charm from St. Antoine de Tilly. 

Just outside the provincial legislature, Quebec city! Always finding composition, statues, architecture, mountians, skies. Composition, Everywhere!

Unique views up on the ramparts. 

A famous street with restaurants going down a steep set of stairs in old town. Love different perspectives. 

Love green. Here's my interpreatation:

I call it, Sortie. 

Magical musical interludes 

Charm everywhere you look

And, a little romance? 

Stay tuned for the next phase of the trip and getting into some very exciting dynamic images, thanks to good old mother nature. Waterfalls, canyons, mountains and vivid fall colours. 

 

Sunshine Pallette Mexico Part 3 Process and Teachers work.

Before my class arrived in Mexico this past March,  I was lucky enough to have some time to myself at a friends place. This allowed me to draw a lot. I could go through my whole process, but I think drawing is the one thing I need to keep the creative juices flowing.  I've learned over the years painting on location that what really matters is composition, creating a mood, and getting things down loosely, not being precious about anything. 

Colour comes very easily to me. What I really need before teaching, is a period of time to explore ideas, shapes, composition. In this series I'm showing how I see the initial shapes, choose the proportions of my picture plane, composing, then add the smallest amount of detail, and value sketch. Lots of people don't love this phase, but it's actually the most important part of creating a painting. Concept, visualizing, and seeing if it works. 

                                                

I like to give many examples of what I'm drawing, and then the value study. You can go back and forth and note the details in the photo that didn't make it into the value sketch. I'm a bit strict about identifying your darks, mediums and lights at this phase. that's really how you'll see if it works. It's too bad there are many terrible examples of "thumbnails, which more represent the mess in soemones' mind, rather than how the painting will look. 

                                                

You can also tell how succesful the painting might be from yoru initial response to seeing each value study, know as a notan, or a thumbnail. I like to call it a value study because that is what your thumbnail should be. A drawing that tells you where your darks, mediums, and lights should go.  The viewer should  be able to see and figure out what the painting is about in a split second. 

I loved the two tones on this stucco exterior, so typical of many Mexican homes to be painted in a lively intense colour,  the subtle shadows, and placement of leaves and petals. I loved the drawing. The colour version is also small, I consider that a "field sketch" meaning a small piece in colour to see how the composition in colour would work in a painting. If it doesn't work out at this stage, I've only used up a small amount of time trying it out. By working small, you can try out more ideas. Creative people are swimming in ideas for paintings all the time.  This piece doesn't represent  the colours accurately. One of the things that happens when travelling and painting. You must "make do" with the selection at hand. And not fuss too much over being too particular. 

In my teaching life these days, I'm teaching more about creativity, working through ideas, and how to maintain your creative motivation. To stay in love with art.  That's why, on this recent painting trip to Mexico, we spent time talking about ideas, organizing them. Which ideas are best painted on location, and which ones come back home by way of sketch and photo? We only have so much time on these trips, so photo opps with no painting does happen. Here are some ideas that worked, got done, or may be in the future. 

Not only does honing your photography skills take the pressure off of painting everything while there, it is also a visual journal of sorts, a memoir to look back on and remember all the amazing things you saw while travelling. There are amazing things to paint everywhere, you never have to go far from home, if you know how to compose. What you do get from my trips is some guidance, the pleasure of travelling with many other like minded people, and the sharing of our creative spirit. It's just something you can't top, coming together under the umbrella of our love of art. 

Stay tuned for an announcement about my next trip, exotic, exciting, with a distinct culture.

Cheers, Margaret  

 

Sunshine Palette Mexico Part 2: The actual artwork on our trip

Barb, from Ottawa, captures the deep rich jungle background, with light interspersed, prayer flags keeping it playful, along with the purples and yellows on the ground. 

 I want to say a word or two about plein air painting. In this current art world, where many people are tracing photos, and many of us are even using photo reference, my hat goes off to the brave men and women who go outside on location, and paint what is in front of them. It's the most challenging thing any artist can do. Not only does it challenge your drawing skills in ways that studio work can't, my students are also learning to employ good compositonal skills at the same time. Lots of process work, while many subjects are experimented with. This ensures that even beginners make paintings with solid compositions. 

                                           

                Gail, from Angus, Ont., paints ocean views, with fence and the fullness of the gardens. 

There's nothing like several days of just waking up, having a lovely breakfast you did not make, having no excuse, no distractions, just time to paint, satisfy ones' curiousity on many ideas. 

                                                   

Miriam, from Ottawa defies the rules of composition with interesting split of the picture plane, and expresses herself with wild colour. 

As the teacher, what was really nice for me, was knowing where everyone was, with not too much distance between. It made it easy for me to keep on top of what everyone was doing, when they'd need my help.

Barb, from Shanty Bay, Ont. worked an a dark ochre pastel paper, and played with values, and how to create depth through values. The flower is more detailed, the back varies between some leaves and some soft vagueness. 

Another great thing about being a group, was sharing ideas, seeing different interpretations of the same subject material, appreciating unique viewpoints. As a teacher it is amazing to see so many different ideas culminating in many paintings. 

           Judy, from Clinton Ont., expresses depth, light, and subtle colour change in the ocean and sky. 

Many people who ask about my trips think you have to be an expert to go on a painting trip. Not on my trips! This trip to Mexico had some people who had taken my basic intro to pastel class, but had other art classes, knew how to draw and use other mediums. One person came from B.C. who had never studied with me before but had pastel experience. Many had several years of pastel work, and some had been on many of my trips. So the students level runs the gammet from beginner to advanced.

                                                   

                             Lynn, from Vancouver Island captures a delicate light on this Welcome plant. 

My job, is to guide everyone to start off simple, challenge yourself with realistic goals, build your portfolio of works, be on top of who needs lessons on whatever, and to have in depth discussions on confidence, future ideas, developing your voice and anythign under the sun. 

Bev from Toronto brings a solid drawing, bold colour and a unique idea of what constitutes a solid composition. 

Time is spent on photo management, and making in the moment decisions about what can be painted plein air, and what may be painted in the future from a photo. After all, even if 10 days seems like a lot of painting time, there's no way you can try out all your ideas while there. How to make the most of all the images you see?

Margo from Newmarket knew to isolate herself and sink into a delicious drawing that will remind her of our wonderful trip together. 

The thing to do, is to write a journal, take photos, and let the most exciting ideas rise naturally to the surface. Trust that process. In this way, the trip can last a lot longer than 10 days or two weeks!

Koreen, from Langley B.C., started off the trip with a solid painting of sky, ocean and the gorgeous Bougainvilleas that abounded.

On a painting trip where you are not spending tons of time on the road, one sinks in, warms up, gets a few pieces done, and falls into a groove. Things start to flow, compositions improve with every painting, ease replaces angst, and you remember why you love art. 

Nancy, from Ottawa, created this seemingly simple work, which would take time, skill and care to observe each leaf, it's particular shape and place within the design. In our busy world, it is a luxury to take the time to do nature justice. 

Margaret, teaching in a very relaxed atmosphere. 

We had many presentations on thumbnails, composition, drawing, still life, slide shows, and colour. In between, when breaks were needed, we'd swim in the ocean, laugh, talk a lot, swim in the pool, enjoy happy hour and relaxation time as much as the painting time. 

Stay tuned for Part three, where I talk about my own work on our trip, drawing, thumbnails, field sketch and pastel painting, start to finish.  See you then!