Pumpkin and turtle Still life

I worked on this still life Saturday night with the remaining flowers in our garden-some faded looking mums and bright orange "goudsbloemen" which seemed to go with the pumpkin and gourds. I stuck the wooden turtle in the front but wonder about the success of that object. Am not too happy with the background either. What to do? It needs to be reworked but don't want to ruin the energy . I'll let it sit and look at it a while and see if the inspiration hits me again some time.

Algonquin Park

On this beautiful but nippy Sunday morning, we can look back on the spring, summer and fall's beauty in God's Creation and give thanks for the change of seasons and the glory He lets us see in this fallen world. The frost on each blade of grass and the sad, broken dhalias in my garden, each speak of His glorious creative work. "Give Him the Glory!"

Soybeans from LaFarge

This little painting was the first attempt at the drumlin from the viewpoint of the "LaFarge Trail".

Grapevines Revised

I worked on this painting a whole evenimg and need some serious input. I think the middle grass part needs a different approach. The grapes probably look really interesting this morning with all the frot we had last night. Really should take the dog out and get a good look at the back field before the sun has burnt it all away.

View from LaFarge Trail

This is one of the little paintings that got rained on Tuesday afternoon.

Middletown Road in the Rain

Worked on this maze of trees, water and leaves yesterday in the rain. It worked when the paint drips weren't running down the canvas! There is a real depth of colour and a new perspective in the "dullness" of a gloomy day.

Grapes in a Row "Good Earth"

Here is the start of a second painting of grapes at the "Good Earth" last Friday. Seeing as this is a larger canvas, I really had to hustle because there was not a lot of time left to paint. The vines were full of luscious looking purple grapes, which were for ice wine, I was told. I felt like the Israelites must have when they entered the land of Canaan.

Today was another painting day with Catharine. Started out early to, hopefully, take advantage of the dry weather. An hour later it started to rain which has an interesting effect on acrylic paint . Painted on the "Lafarge Trail" and then later moved to Middletown Rd. in order to paint under the protection of the back door of my van.

Plain Tree Impression

Here is my impression of the plain tree from last Friday's paint day at "The Good Earth".

Sunday Blossom

On this beautiful, bright Sunday morning I want to praise the Lord in His Creation. This late October day with frost on the grass and roofs this morning, these little beauties are bravely showing off their elegance. Have a good Sunday!

Plain Tree "Good Earth"

This, most interesting tree, is situated on the parking lot of the Winery "Good Earth". Looking at this tree, you know why a short, little man, like Zacheus, in the Bible chose to climb a tree like it in order to get a better view of the Lord Jesus. The bark is a patchwork and looks like army camouflage and the seeds are little spiny balls. My son tells me that if the seed balls are double then it is a European Linden and if they are single , then it is a native tree. The European Hybrids are much hardier than the native species. I tried to paint this specimen and am sure I couldn't do it justice.

Sawmill in Deventer

Had a lovely opportunity to paint with Kim Rempel today at "the Good Earth Vineyard". We had a great lunch and the company was superb! Who cared if it was cold. Will post my efforts tomorrow. Thanks Kim!

This is a pic of one of the windmills we saw on our trip in September. This mill was sawing logs while we were there-not (the sleeping kind).

Doc's Farm

This is the second painting done on Tuesday, outdoors. The sky was telling us the rain is coming.

Doc's Farm Shed

This was my warm-up piece yesterday afternoon. We had a lovely painting session at this great location. The weather cooperated even though the forecast had been rain and we enjoyed the beauty of late fall, with its subdued hues in the grasses and leaves. I wasn't terribly excited about this piece although the instuctor thought it was the better of the two done that afternoon. I might try and fiddle with it some evening.

Sunflowers at Doc R's

I was enthralled by the movement and pathos in these old sunflowers in the class last week. They sure are fun to paint.

Girl with the Pearl

This famous painting speaks for itself.

"Yippee"

"Yippie" is the dog "mascot" on the boat we stayed on when we were on our bike trip. He would stay in this container if reprimanded-like a time out. The other place he would stay was in the saddlebags on the bike.

Fall Anemones

This is a painting I worked on just before we went on holidays and three weeks later the anemones are still putting on a lovely shoe in the garden. Every fall, the abundance of bloom from the coneflowers and echinacea have come to a brown halt and we still get a last,great show from these beautiful, delicate blossoms! They twist and twirl toward the light with stems, buds and flowers gently nodding in the wind. I frequently noticed an abundance of these plants in the dutch gardens we biked past last week.

The painting in the back wall of the room is a "last Judgement" Scene. The women in the room is holding scales as if she is weighing her jewellry but there are other hidden meanings. The artist has the light source coming from an upper window. I just love the richness of the fabrics.

February !st,1953, during high tide and a big storm, the dikes broke and the Province of Zeeland was inundated. This tower is all that is left of one little town. Biking on the dike, we realized how vulnerable the Netherlands is to the ocean.

Relief carving above a doorway

When you look at old building and churches from a certain era, various artists and artisans were employed to decorate the towns and cities where they lived. Their work has lasted centuries for us to admire. The graffiti of another age?

The day before we started the 'bike and barge" trip we biked to Delft and visited the "Vermeer" museum, which, though it contains no real works of his, shows how he developed his art and the intricate use of perspective. I love his use of colour as in this one "Women with Red Hat"

Top Birch #4

We just got back from a wonderful two week holiday in the Netherlands and Belgium.. A"Bike and Barge Tour". We pedalled our hearts out, had fabulous weather and came home with information overload. So much history and art etc. Will post some pictures from our trip in the coming days. I was told that the last of the birch still had to be posted so here it is Gerrit! Here's a picture of our bikes, all ready to go.