Queen of the Bumblebees

Spotted my first bumblebee of the year earlier this week and now this one has BEEn spotted (or striped) in Linnyland.

----------------------------------------

"Queen of the Bumblebees", oil on canvas, 6 x 6

Magic Time

Yippee!!

The second Linnyland blog clog has finally cleared!!

(It really does feel like magic time!!!)

I've been preparing for my upcoming show at

the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria but

feeling frustrated with being unable to post and then voila...

So, here we are with another that "grew" from a late summer evening

Linnyland painting adventure. It grew from a little 8 x 10.

And, another YIPPEE!! ...

I've been nominated for Favourite Visual Artist

in the 10th Annual Monday MagazineM Awards!

If you would like to vote (rules and regs say that you need to live here or - have lived here for part of 2011 and that you need to vote in minimum of 10 categories.)

Here's the link to vote:

http://www.facebook.com/MondayMagazine?sk=app_127709503932081

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"Magic Time"

oil on canvas

36 x 48

"Buds and Blossoms"

Happy LOVE Day!

(Yes, every day is "Love Day" in Linnyland...)

---------------

"Buds and Blossoms"

oil on canvas

24 x 12

Lullaby Sky

In honor of Groundhog Day, here's another of a scene that I

painted a few whiles ago. This studio piece grew from a little
6 inch x 8 inch that was created on an outdoor
Linnyland painting adventure. 

-------------

"Lullaby Sky"

oil on canvas

30 x 40

Chinatown Snow

Happy Year of the Dragon!

 Sun Neen Fai Lok & Sun Tai Gin Hong!

~

 Linnyland is experiencing a technical blog clog;
I'm unable to access Linnyland messages plus
I can't leave messages on other blogs.

Last night, to begin the new year, I opened all the windows

 and doors to let any bad luck leave

and to allow good luck to enter.

According to Linny lore it's also good for clearing

the dreaded "blog clog"...
and just in case, please send any known remedies!

---------------

"Chinatown Snow" (repost)

acrylic on canvas

24 x 12

"Red Dot Day" SOLD

Happy New Year

from Linnyland!

~

 2012

Share kindness with each other

& be gentle with your self.

-----------------

"Red Dot Day"

oil on canvas

20 x 16

SOLD
to a collector in Quebec

"In Front of Lulu's House"

On the afternoon of Winter's Solstice I went

on a painting adventure with

 fellow, fellow artist, Jeffrey Boron.

From where I painted, just over in Linnyland,

 I had a view of little red roofed houses 
and the Sooke hills beyond.

While I painted Lulu came by and told me
that she lives in one of the Queen's houses,
 then she told me some stories about her home and the area. 

Before she left we had talked  

cedar, sweet grass and some more Linny lore.

---------------

"In Front of Lulu's House"
oil on cradled wood panel

6 x 8

Warm Memories - Conover Cove SOLD

This painting was commissioned as a surprise Christmas gift-

   safe to post now.

 Dawne and her husband share warm memories of the many times

 that they and their two daughters boated to this special spot

 on Wallace Island's Conover Cove.

And, lucky me, during some of the darkest days in November

I visited (via Linnyland) warm, summery Conover Cove.

 While I painted, I could see two (little then) girls deciding

 whose turn it was to sit in the small chair!

-------------------------

"Warm Memories - Conover Cove"

acrylic on canvas

16 x 16

SOLD

Snowy Light

                    

 Happy Winter Solstice and happy return of the light!

Wishing you peace, love, light and joy for the holidays & throughout the new year.

Happy. happy and merry, merry!

------------

"Snowy Light"

oil on canvas

20 x 10

Long Ago

The Turner's building is one of my favourites

 of Victoria's older character buildings and,

although it appears every now and then in Linnyland, 

this is it's tallest incarnation so far.

Turner's, a la long and leaner painting, is from a recent

demo/mini workshop that I gave with the fun loving

 Oak Bay Art Club.

------------------------------

"Long Ago"

oil on canvas

24 x 12

Far Out Farmhouse SOLD

'Tis the season of small paintings.

Far -la- la- la-la - la- la- la-laa out-

 farmhouse.

(Painted this one on a groovy summer day.)

------------

"Far Out Farmhouse"

oil on board

5 x 5

SOLD

Golden Sky -Tonquin Beach

Here's the third painting from my recent Tofino Linnyland painting adventure. It was a "sweet" day - without wind!

-----------------------

"Golden Sky - Tonquin Beach"

oil on wood panel

10 x 8

Little Lennard Light

Haiku Ode to Lennard:

~

Early, not yet bright

on Chesterman Beach painting

Lennard Island light.

~

The sunrise for the second paint of my recent Tofino Linnyland painting adventure was spectacular - and without wind! I wasn't aware that I'd set up to paint besidean entrance to the beach until the first group
 of early morning surfers arrived behind me and

excitedly exclaimed , "SWEET!!!".

I was focused on my painting so I thought that they were, too.

My toque was getting a bit tight before I twigged

 that the surfers were (of course!) referring to the great wave conditions. Hat fitting more appropriately, I continued painting.

Soon after, a couple of the freshly suited up surfers offered, "Like your depiction of Lennard Light", as they ran past me towards
 their sweet waves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Little Lennard Light"

oil on cradled wood

12 x 9

Long Beach Lookout

This is the first of three paintings from a recent Linnyland painting adventure to the Tofino area. The drive from Victoria,

(approximately 5 hours), was grey and rainy, yet once at Long Beach the wind was busy clearing the clouds from the sky.

After a little beach exploration I noted a pleasing composition
and I was inspired to paint. The sun was shining as I set up
 to paint from my "perfect view" of the "pleasing composition".

 But, just as I started, a strong gust of wind caught my easel and sent it flying. Not to be deterred, I gathered up the easel, etcetera, performed a little sand removal, moved everything to a more sheltered location, and only a little further removed (physically and mentally) from the "perfect view" of the "pleasing composition" I ,again, started to paint.
Suddenly, the trickster wind changed it's direction and before I could do anything about it I was back to sand removal. This time I kept going with removal; removing easel, me, etcetera from the sandy beach
 to a well sheltered spot in the parking lot. 

From my protected spot with a much less than"perfect view" of the somewhat less "pleasing composition" I continued on with a down and gritty West Coast Linnyland painting adventure!

---------------

"Long Beach Lookout" - ("LOOK OUT!)

 oil and sand on wood panel

10 x 8

West Coast Classic SOLD

"West Coast Classic" just sailed off

to a Linnyland collector in Invermere, BC.

--------------

"West Coast Classic"

acrylic on canvas

24 x 12
SOLD

Afternoon Visit - Gabriola Island

On a sunny day in October I enjoyed my first,

 (slightly shorter than planned), Linnyland painting adventure

to beautiful Gabriola Island.

Unfortunately, I was five minutes too late

 for my intended ferry which meant that I could either explore the whole island and not paint (hah!) or see half of the island and paint.

So, on another sunny day, I'll visit the other half

 of the "friendly islanders' island" and when I do

I'll be certain to start my adventure a wee bit earlier. 

--------------------

"Afternoon Visit - Gabriola Island"

oil on wood panel

8 x 10

From "cover girl' to "centrefold"

First"cover girl" in the everywhere WHERE...

...and now "centerfold" in the gorgeous and oh so plushy ARABELLA...

Life is good in Linnyland!!

Island Memory/ARABELLA!!

This is one of two images of Linnyland paintings that are
 in the Fall/Winter 2011 edition of the oh-so plushy ARABELLA!!

----------------

"Island Memory"

oil on canvas

24 x 24



Red Barn and Sunflowers

Here's another from September's

Linnyland swimming/painting adventure to

Salt Spring Island. And remember, that

according to "Linny lore",

sunflowers bring success in business

and I'm sure that Linnyland paintings of them do, too!

----------------

"Red Barn and Sunflowers"

oil on cradled wood panel

14 x 11

The One and Only SOLD

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's the entire "long and leaner" Linnyland Lighthouse,

(as mentioned in the previous post),

 the cover image of the current Where Magazine!!

------------------------------

"The One and Only"

acrylic on canvas

48 x 24
SOLD
to a collector in Texas

Lighthouse Linny/Linnyland Lighthouse

Lighthouse Linny's Linnyland light house is the cover

 of the current where magazine!!

Summertime - Southey Point

From a recent Linnyland painting/swimming

 adventure on Salt Spring Island.

---------------------

"Summertime- Southey Point"

oil on wood panel

6 x 8

When I returned home I enjoyed

 a quick and bubbly, fun visit

 from artist blog buddy, Sally Chupick (& husband Dave). 

They were visiting in Victoria

 and popped by my Linnyland studio

 - if you haven't already,

 you can have a visit with Sally (on her blog), too.

High Above the Salish Sea

The next Linnyland summer painting adventure

was one that had been calling to me for a number of years

and that's because, from my Victoria studio, I look across the
strait to the town of Port Angeles and the Olympic Mountains but,
until this summer, hadn't visited the area.

 So, away we went, (fellow, fellow artist Jeffrey Boron and I),

 on a hot, hot August day; through customs (another story for another day), across the Salish Sea, through Port Angeles

 to the top - Hurricane Ridge.

The fields were abloom with wild flowers, the air scented
 with mountain sage and the last patches of snow nearly melted.

There was exploring, then picnicking

and finally painting right at the very top of it all.

And now, (after returning through customs - yet another story for another day),  I've visited (and painted) the view

 from my studio window!

----------------------------------

"High Above the Salish Sea"

oil on wood panel
8 x 10

Summer Evening on Kaatza

This one is from that same magical Linnyland painting

 (& swimming) adventure to Lake Cowichan

 or Kaatza (The Big Lake).

After a swim I wandered around the point

 and painted facing the Northwest end of the lake. 

And, when I had finished, 

there was time for one more swim...

---------------------

"Summer Evening on Kaatza"

oil on wood panel

8 x 10

Cowichan Lake Sunset

 From a recent magical Linnyland

painting (and swimming) adventure

 at Cowichan Lake.

---------------------

"Cowichan Lake Sunset"

oil on wood panel

6 x8

Songhees Summer Saunter

In between commissions and summer adventuring

I just realized that this one didn't get posted.

It's from "a few whiles ago" summer morning Linnyland painting

adventure along Victoria's Songhees walkway,

(in between a condo building & the Spinaker's Restaurant),

and looking across to Fisherman's Wharf.

--------------------

"Songhees Summer Saunter"

oil on wood panel

9 x 12

Fernwood Freddie SOLD

This painting may look familiar.

The first painting of this scene,'Spring in the Square', was

sold immediately and has recently sold again. It's first owner was persuaded to sell the painting to it's second owner

 under the condition that I be commissioned

 to paint another similar painting as a replacement - then the first owner bought another small Linnyland painting as well!

------------------

"Fernwood Freddie"

oil on canvas

12 x 6

SOLD

Swan Lake Colors

This one's from a recent hot summer evening

 Linnyland painting adventure at Swan Lake.

--------------------------------

"Swan Lake Colors"

oil on wood panel

6 x 8

Sunny Day Saanichton Bay

Here's one from a recent Linnyland painting adventure...

----------------

"Sunny Day Saanichton Bay"

oil on wood panel

6 x 8

Bicycle Lane SOLD

A mini Linny painting!

------------------

"Bicycle Lane"

oil on canvas

5 x 3

SOLD

Dreamland Trail

I went swimming here on the weekend-life is good in Linnyland!!

------------------

"Dreamland Trail"

oil on canvas

40 x 30

Lucky Sunflowers

It's said that sunflowers are lucky

and that they always bring business success.

So, according to Linny-lore, it's extremely lucky
 to have a Linnyland sunflower painting hanging on the wall
 in one's home or place of business!

-------------

"Lucky Sunflowers"

acrylic on canvas

24 x 30  



A Wildly Wonderful Adventure!!

Thank-you!! ...

 to all the art lovers, patrons and friends who joined with me...

 

 on Sunday at the beautiful Sooke Harbour House Gallery

 to enjoy a "West Coast Adventure in Linnyland"...

and a wildly wonderful adventure it was!!!

~

(If you're local tune in to Channel 12 Arts & Entertainment

with Adam Sawatsky tonight for more adventures in Linnyland...)

Three in one!!!

Imagine my happy dance when I opened the current edition

 of Victoria's Monday Magazine and spotted three of my paintings

featured (at two of my galleries) as top picks 
for this week's Art & Entertainment!!  

Life is good in Linnyland.
~



"West Coast Adventure in Linnyland"

"West Coast Adventure in Linnyland" opens tomorrow! The Sooke Harbour House Gallery welcomes you on an adventure to visit the meadows, flora, forests, lakes, rivers &  sea shores
of Linnyland.

~

Reception with artist: Sunday, August 7th 1:00 to 3:00 pm
~

Memory Lane SOLD

A mini Linny painting.

---------------

"Memory Lane"

oil on canvas

5 x 3

SOLD

Moss Street Paint-In 2011

It was a Moss Street Miracle!
No, unfortunately the Parasol Model didn't make an appearance,
but there were about 30,000 other parasol models that did
because the 24th annual Art Gallery of Greater Victoria event
started out with rain pouring from the July sky.
(Setting up was funny/scary -
all squishy and cramped under a water proof tent.)
But then the miracle; the rain stopped,
the crowds of art lovers appeared, the sky continued to clear,
the paintings came out from under the tent (so did the painter)
and the sun came out as well!!
Thank-you to all of the visitors to Linnyland; friends, patrons, volunteers, organizers, fellow artists, Looky Lous, Looky Louises,
and everyone who did the sun dance with me, too. You're all
part of the miracle and success of
the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria's Moss Street Paint-In 2011
and I loved connecting with all of you!!
~
(Once the Paint-In had ended it poured rain again. Happily, I was homeward bound within Vinnie Van Go...)
~
Credit for the above "Linny photos" go to Jeffrey Boron who snapped the rainy set up shot. Check out his blog at http://www.jeffreyjboron.blogspot.com/ & Sharon Churchill who came by for a visit. Check out her blog at http://www.sharonspainting.blogspot.com/

~ And remember, it's always sunny and warm in Linnyland!!

The Parasol Model

I'm busy getting ready for the

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria's

24th Annual Moss Street Paint-In.

"Celebrate the Gallery's art festival this Saturday

and join the fun...

over 100 invited artists bring their studios to Moss Street!"

The above painting was inspired by the lovely young woman

with it all (including a parasol) that wandered by

my "street studio"during last year's Paint In.

I'm hoping that she attends again this year

and recognizes herself in this painting.

If you know who she is please tell her that

she can see "her painting" and

stop by for a visit with me in Linnyland

at 107 Moss Street

(between Faithful and May).

---------------------------

"The Parasol Model"

oil on canvas

16 x 8

Roadside Distraction

On Canada Day evening I enjoyed another

of my swallows swooping Linnyland hayfield painting adventures.

Then home in time to watch the fire works...oooh...ahhh!!!

-------------------

"Roadside Distraction"

oil on wood panel

8 x 10

Summer Day - Turner's

This Linnyland version of the Turner's building

wanted to be painted in Flamingo colors!

(The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria's

Small Works Exhibition and Sale opens today.)

-----------

"Summer Day - Turner's"

oil on canvas

6 x 6



Summer Solstice Hay Field

This one is from a Linnyland out in the fields adventure

on the evening of the summer solstice.

I painted beneath the swooping Swallows,

the chattering Cowbirds and in front

of the Sheep who all offered me the same

unflattering commentary.

----------------------

"Summer Solstice Hay Field"

oil on wood panel

6 x 8

Cadboro Bay Castle SOLD

"Cadboro Bay Castle" went home to hang in "the castle" today.

The castle is the happy home of Nala, Sage, Landon and Shana

as well as their puppers, Copper and Raven.

This painting was commissioned as a Mother's Day gift

and was a total joy to create right from the start,

meeting the family at the gallery during

my recent "a little, little, Linny Show",

to the finish with Shana's,

"I LOVE IT!"

------------------

"Cadboro Bay Castle"

oil on canvas

20 x 16

SOLD

Rufus Goes to the Beach

This one is from the afternoon of my recent painting adventure

to Witty's Lagoon Beach. Although dogs and their humans

were out enjoying the warm day at the beach

these three are (relatively) straight out of Linnyland.

Sometime during this painting there was a deep voiced fellow

that felt the need to call out his dog's name quite often.

Could it be that "Rufus" was having too much fun?

Is there any such thing as too much fun?!!

-------------------------

"Rufus Goes to the Beach"

oil on wood panel

8 x 10

Little Bad Boy Lighthouse

This one is from a recent sunny morning

Linnyland painting adventure at Witty's Lagoon.

I decided to paint the snow capped Olympic Mountains

with the Race Rocks lighthouse in front.

The lighthouse was too far away for me to see any of it's features

but I thought, "No problem, I've painted it before

and I can do it from memory". (Ha ha.)

When I finished painting I could see that something wasn't

quite right with the lighthouse tower.

It wasn't until I was back in my studio, and I had looked

through the binoculars at the Race Rocks Lighthouse,

that I realized I'd given the tower an extra black stripe.

Ah...that's why the little lighthouse

sports the "convict in striped pajamas look"!

So...after some concern and careful consideration

I've come to understand that the little lighthouse

hasn't done anything too seriously

bad or wrong - really, the only crime he committed

(if one can call it a crime)

was that he wanted to be a little bit different -

and that might explain the reason that he stands out

from the crowd the way that he does.

---------------------------------

"Little Bad Boy Lighthouse"

oil on wood panel

8 x 6

Tour de Fernwood

There seems to be a BLOG CLOG, in Linnyland

at present I'm unable to answer any of your comments.

Please know that I'm sending you

a big "THANK-YOU" right now!!

---------------------

"Tour de Fernwood"

oil on canvas

12 x 6