The Conductor

Acrylic on Canvas, 12" x 12", Commission

This piece was commissioned for a boy's bar mitzvah.  the sparrow was added as it is an important symbol in Judaism.  I quite like how it turned out.

Cow Characters

Acrylic on Canvas, 36" x 48" SOLD

Stone Heron Gallery 2013

Terrific Trio, SOLD

Acrylic on Canvas, 12" x 12"

Out in the Sticks Exhibition

Poking about the Pasture, SOLD

Acrylic on Canvas, 36" x 48", Cornerstone Exhibition

This painting involved lots of math- I sat on my hardwood floor with a ruler, a pencil and a calculator writing down numbers for about an hour before I got the proper composition.  The cows came from three different photographs where all of the cows where different sizes.  The cows started off as different sized boxes to simplify the problem.  First, I had to size them to each other and then I blew them up to fit them onto the canvas.  Then it was just a matter of penciling in the cows into their respective boxes. The cows are from the barn on Middle road at the HWY 15 intersection.  The landscape background came form my head.  It was a foggy day on which I painted it on so interesting to look at it and see the haze in the background even though I didn't consciously intend for it to look that way.  I really like the but on the cow laying down the subtle tones are captured. 

Hazy Hay 2 for sale

Acrylic on Canvas, 12" x 12" SOLD

This painting is a slightly different angle than Hazy Hay 1 - Again I love the geometry of the brushstrokes in this one.  The hay bails in this one are neat as well.  This painting reminds me of summer time on Amherst Island with my family. 

Hazy Hay 1

Acrylic on Canvas, 12" x 12"

This is a beautiful little scene from a farm on Amherst island.  I love the geometric brushstrokes in this one.

Big 'n' Tall - SOLD

Acrylic on Canvas 12" x 16", Cornerstone Exhibit

I find this painting amusing.  I am really starting to get into the character of the cows.  There are so many different shapes sizes and expressions; I just love to attempt to capture their personalities.  This was painted from a photograph of cows on Wolfe Island.

Stephanie's Sheep
 Acrylic On Canvas, 12" x 12", for sale

These beauties were a pleasure to shoot and a pleasure to paint!  Sometimes paintings come together very naturally which was the case with this one.  Welcome spring with new life and beautiful weather.  I recently visited Stephanie’s farm and got to hold a baby sheep that was only a few days old.  I can't wait to go back there soon to take some more photos of that magical place. 

Happy Herd, SOLD

Acrylic On Canvas, 12" x 12"

Art Among the Ruins Exhibition

This is my favorite painting I have done this year.  The colours on this piece are vibrant and fresh.  The contrast between the reds and greens in this image are punchy and fun.  This shot was taken late in the day last summer on Wolfe Island.  Cows are beautiful.

Fiery Skys, NFS- Gift

10" x 10" Acrylic on wood

This painting was a gift to my parents.  I love this one- I am glad they have it.  The subtle tones and textures of the trees in the background and the were quite tricky to achieve but I think I got it.  I love the simplicity of this piece.

Blustery day at the barn, SOLD

12" x 12", Acrylic on canvas

Stone Heron Gallery

Dappled Light, SOLD

12" x 12", Acrylic on canvas

Stone Heron Gallery

This piece is an impressionistic depiction of a small house beside a road on Amherst island.  I have always loved patterns in nature, dappled light is one patter that I could look at for hours!  Instead of the sidewalk being grey, instead I see purples, blues, yellows, and reds.  The shapes and patters and  irregular shapes captivate me.

Fire At Dusk, NFS- Gift to my family

18" x 24", Acrylic on Canvas

This piece was invigorating to paint.  It took about 10 minutes.  That was the point.  Imperfection, sloppiness movement emotion, mood.   I feel great about this one and am in love with the glow.  This was an earlier painting from 2010. 

Scratchy Stretch, SOLD

12" x 12", Acrylic on canvas

Private sale

This is a painting I completed over the Christmas holidays.  I love the composure and the character of these cows; makes me giggle.  They were pretty curious about me being up close and personal with them when I took the photograph for this piece.  Cows are hard to photograph because you have to get them interested in what you are doing so they come over and check you out.  I surprisingly, have had a lot of success with this- I just  kneel down and hang out for a while.  Sometimes I feel like I am the cow whisperer!

Investigative, NFS Gift

12" x 12", Acrylic on  canvas

This is one of my most recent paintings of cattle on Wolfe Island completed over teh Christmas holidays.  Subtle tones and prominent brushstrokes worked well in this one. The colouring of the cow on the left made him look a bit like a clown!

Cotton Ball Bails, NFS- Gift

10" x 10", Acrylic on wood

This is a painting that I completed initially based on a photo I took on Wolfe Island, but I abandoned it really early on in the painting. This was painted on a wood canvas.  It was the first time that I had ever tried this and I didn't Gesso it- rookie mistake! The paint soaked right though it so I had to do many layers.  I actually hated it at first so I put it in my fire pit outside for burning.  Months later however, I was at my neighbour's house and noticed that she had rescued it from going into the fire.  She held it out and said - finish this! I love it!  I did and I gave it to them for Christmas last year.  It now proudly sits in their house.  Funny how things work out sometimes.  I actually have to thank my neighbour a lot - she was the one who initially encouraged me to put my paintings in the Stone Heron gallery! Thank you a million times!

Late Day Graze

Acrylic on Canvas, 20" x 20", SOLD

Cows from Amherst Island.  I really like how scratchy and sloppy the under painting is on this one and how it peaks through.  I really enjoy the lighting, composition, and use of paint in this one. I also like the simplicity of the detail and brush strokes. 

T  & C's Massey 156

Acrylic on canvas 12" x 12" SOLD

The picture for this painting was taken on Wolfe Island on the same farm from which I painted the Black Angus cattle.  This is a Massey Ferguson 156 with a sickle mower on the front used for cutting hay.  This is a vintage tractor that T & C took out of the barn so that I could photograph it.  It was really fun to paint.

Wooly Wonders, SOLD

12" x 12", Acrylic on canvas

Stone Heron Gallery

These sheep are from Amherst Island.  The picture was taken in 2011 on a road trip with my Gran.  They are such funny alien looking animals when you get up close and personal.  I like the subtle tones in the sheep and the background in this piece. To this day, for me, subtle tones and subtle values are the trickiest aspect to capture. I have had many fails so feels good when I get it right!

Lovely little life.  NFS, Commission

2' x 3', Acrylic on canvas

This was a commissioned painting.  NFS.  I love these little ones.  I just got right into the love, emotion, and new life in the picture.  That being said, the details of the faces were excruciating.  I felt like I was staring at that little baby's face for 3 days straight. I am very happy with the emotion captured in the other two. Also I painted with pallet knives for some of this painting which was the first time I have ever done this.  Kind of frustrating - you have to mix the colours very well... but very rewarding.