a Prairie Summer

A few things really strike me about this summer - the weather has been beautifully warm, which was good for me as, due to renovations, I have had to move my painting out of doors. I am very thankful for our large gazebo which has been well used this summer as both eating area and studio.  It has been a good experience to work outside with the changing light, the bugs, the bird song and just the all-round awareness of nature.

Secondly, the clouds have consumed my curiosity to the extent that I think I must have taken upwards of 500 photos!  I have begun to paint more clouds and am looking forward to making this more of an emphasis in my acrylic and soon, I hope, oil painting.

These two small paintings [10x10" on wood panel] were done in July. They are quite different in colour and time of day - but both speak to me of our prairie summer.

I also finished one more water painting.  This was done primarily using a pouring method with liquid acrylics. 

Reflections.4,  24x30" acrylic on canvas

Summer Images

In spite of the heat and extreme dryness this has been a lovely summer so far.  However, it has been difficult for many - difficult to imagine those who've had to leave their homes in the north due to the forest fires and hard to imagine the uncertainty and loss they must feel.  In spite of all that happens I hope that families and friends can find time to celebrate and experience together the joys and difficulties this summer brings.  

The following photos are a record of a part of our summer.

Country Road....

My father loved to drive!  He would purposely find reasons, I'm sure, to get out on the back roads and meander along trails which were travelled only by farmers and hunters.  We children would watch for prairie chicken sitting on fallen logs if he had his 22 along.  Once we ended up at a lake where hunters were aiming their shotguns at geese and ducks.  I took one shot with the shotgun and never again!  It almost knocked me over.  Sunday drives were common in my younger years and weekends camping at the lake were frequent in the summer.  The year I graduated high school my parents decided we would go on a road trip through southern Saskatchewan.  I am certain we stopped at every small, medium and large museum - resulting in my lack of enthusiasm for these places to this day... More exciting was the wind and rain storm which almost pushed our huge International Travel-all off the road til we found shelter by an old garage in a roadside town.

Accompanying these travels was my father's ever present whistle.  The tune never changed.  I asked him what the tune was but he just shrugged.  Many years later I asked my mom the name of the tune. Her answer, "Over the Hills and Far Away" - I'm not even sure such a song exists but it certainly fit the situation.

Yesterday I painted this picture, and while I have simplified the name of it, the idea is there.  It is of a hill on the road I now travel to visit my mom, but it could be any one of such similar hills in the parklands of Saskatchewan.  This is a small painting 10 x 10 " but I hope that some day I can paint a road with many hills and a road reaching into the distance and name it after my father's song.

A few prairie landscapes... and the "Drift"

Just finished a few smaller acrylics.  My 'studio' is dismantled as we are in renovation mode again. This time it is the upstairs rooms. I've had to clear out my stuff in the room I use as studio, sewing room, and office, while the floors are refinished and walls painted... so, I've set up my easel and paints in the gazebo.  While a few days were chilly it has generally been warm - and certainly a different experience to be outside painting.  I look forward to turning my attention to the flowers which are already beginning to bloom beautifully.





One thing we like to do in the summer is check out the new coffee shops and restaurants.  So this week it was the Drift restaurant.... we enjoyed a delicious chocolate snack and coffee the other day and then today I had lunch here with several good friends.  It's a homey, pleasant place to be with some unique decor.  Good food as well.  You might like to check it out.

Alcohol Ink Art

Yesterday a friend and I took an alcohol ink painting class from Jewel Buhay - the first artist to do type of painting in our area and a wonderful teacher. https://www.facebook.com/JEWELBUHAYART  This painting technique is primarily done on white tile.  

We enjoyed the class.  I am not sure though that I will pursue it as I have oil paints waiting to be used - it has been close to 45 years since I last used oils!! - and I am itching to get to them.

Blue Chair

Blue - I absolutely love blue and ever since one of our sons made this chair in high school 10 years ago I have been wondering if it should be stained or painted.  He finally said I could have it and this is the outcome.  I love it.  What a peaceful spot to sit in a beautiful blue stained chair - this area is often sheltered from the hot sun -  and I am looking forward to using it frequently this summer. 

Oh, yes and having delicious meals with friends and family in the gazebo.

Garden Boxes

On April 1st I planted the first seeds.  Now we know that in this area the earliest we plant is the May long weekend.  But, because I found myself falling into the, "Spring is too long, when will summer ever come!" syndrome, I decided that this year my summer would begin April 1st - so I planted seeds, garlic and shallots in one of my garden boxes.

The seeds sprouted, I kept them covered with plastic, blankets at night and during the huge spring snowfall, and eventually built a canopy - greenhouse over them, which I now have open at both ends and cover with netting to keep the white butterflies out!

I gradually planted the other two raised boxes and added tomatoes to my first one.  Even the sweet peas are several inches high!  I have struggled with growing sweet peas for years always hoping to emulate my grandma who regularly had a long row of them by her fence.  I've added beans to the lily garden beside the garage and they sprouted a few days ago and are now at least 3 inches high.  Amazing what this beautiful warm weather does to our gardens.... which means I must also get out and give the rows a good dose of water before it reaches the promised 28 degrees.  It is already 22 out.
These photos were taken 4 days ago.

last box - sweet peas along the right.

First box planted - time to check those radishes!

Second box