Silverado and Friend

Mixed Media on watercolour paper, 21" x 30.5"

$500.00

A loose base of water colours were allowed to dry before the image was sketched in with willow charcoal. I had so much fun with chalk pastels to play with certain areas of the composition, leaving some of the watercolour to show through.

Silverado's life are her horses. It was such a pleasure to take my first Trail ride in april this year at her ranch, Mandy and Me, tucked away in a picturesque valley in Westside.

One Look.........

Pastels, 18.5" x 26", NFS

Done in minimalistic technique with a lot of paper left untouched. An attempt to capture the intense piercing gaze of the model as his head turned towards his right shoulder.

Is part of my private collection.

Seated Figure

Mixed Media, 11.5" x 27"

From a life drawing study, rendered in water colours, charcoal and soft pastels. Transition from heavy on the top of the painting, to very pale hues towards the lower portion was a deliberate effort to play with the serene mood of the model.

Jazzy Pat

Chalk Pastels on (wet) Printmaking paper

22" x 28"

sold

A limited palette study of young and talented Pat ... so lost in his Sax. His music is so soothing, hence the choice of using cool blues with hints of yellow ochre.

Evening Glow

Mixed media, 8.5" x 12"
$ 200.00

Chalk pastels on watercolour paper, perhaps one of my few smaller works. Prior to the live portrait session, water colour was slapped on the paper and allowed to dry. Reflection of the soft light entering the room in the glasses of the elegant lady, was a joy to capture.

Magenta

Pastel and Charcoal on newsprint paper.

17.5" x 23.5"

$400

This is a study from life. About an hour into the session and having done a few full figure, I just HAD to do a study of the head. While the graceful model was taking her break, I intinctively picked up magenta, pink and ultramarine (square) pastels and let go of my anxious wait. Once she positioned herself, it was willow and compressed charcoal I chose to satisfy my urge as faces never fail to amaze me.

It is Snowing

Pastels(wet) on printmaking paper, 14.5" x 21"

$450.00

Clearing snow during the Canadian winter, Neil paused for a moment, my camera was ready. Rendered in the enjoyable, yet challenging technique of using chalk pastels on wet printmaking paper.

Stuck for ideas to paint

Please remeber what a wise artist said ....... a vacuum is necessary to sustain creativity. Hence, the "quiet" periods between creative blasts are equally important.This is how I deal when faced with an artists block ... for me, yes the surroundings make a lot of difference as well as inner joy and excitement. Nature is the greatest artist,I go for a walk and remain in the moment, not allowing any other thoughts enter my mind. I totally immerse myself in admiration of my surroundings... the sights, sounds the smells. I feel like a child out in the wilderness, exploring, absorbing as much as I can. Often, colours, images, ideas come as flashes...... they are indeed magical moments, perhaps thats what inspiration is.When weather doesnt permit a walk, I go deep within myself and fill myself with positive ideas and tons and tons of joy. I know some individuals tap into happy moments from their past. Me, the dreamer, looks ahead, visualizes and literally feels the joy and excitement my future endeavoures. I firmly believe and have gratefully experienced, "dreams are often the stuff goals are made up of". Another approach that works for me, is the popular method of posing a question to the Universe right before I fall asleep, answers to appear. As Plutach said, "What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality".Tina

After the Show

Collage on matt board, size 21" x 31",

$ 750.00

This collage was part of the well attended first Okanagan Erotic Art Show earlier in 2008.

An immensely enjoyable process, presenting challenges as every stage can be summed up as, creating order out of chaos.

Light weight watercolour paper (approximately 90 gms) is paper is prepared using acrylic paints with a selective colour scheme and saran wrap to create interesting textures. Pieces of this paper, along with some handmade, foil paper and fabric are glued to a watercolor/mattboard board. The image(s) is revealed using glazes of acrylic paints, for both, negative and positive spaces. Point to remember, is not to overpaint as the texutes created by saran wrap will be lost. The result is a unique rendering of the subject.

Magical Gwyneth

Gwyneth, a sculptor by profession, is an extremely spiritual being. In this painting I wanted to depict her strength as well as her gentle nature as she sits in her garden in Sharjah, UAE. Painting is in Gwyneth's private collection.

Mi Gitana

Captured a moment in time. Arabian Gulf sunshine cascades over the model (my daughter, Zainab), soft pastels on Canson paper. Is part of my small, but very precious collection of some of my own works. With the first few strokes of the willow charcoal to set her eyes on paper for the intial drawing, I could see her emerging, was a magical moment for me. Hence I cannot part with this painting although, with most of my works, once I sign, my attachment is over.

Ahhhhhhhhh, the joy of creating

One of the greatest gifts that we, as humans, are bestowed with, is the ability to create. The joy the process brings cannot be surpassed by any other endeavour.