Antlers

Moose antlers are so dramatic.
I was attracted to this story because I could explore red and purple shadows. 

The red shadow seemed a bit cool so I added some oranges to make it more lively.

This palette is more colorful than my usual ones for wildlife pieces. Rather than scaling back, I have decided to just go for it and see what happens.

Making changes

Sometimes I start a painting knowing there are issues/problems to solve along the way.
On this piece, it was this upper portion of the background.
After blocking in the colors (see previous post), I used a blending brush to really soften the edges.

I didn't like it at all. The whole section felt flat. Time to add some texture back in. I started with the topmost section and pulled through some of the darker green to make distinguishable trees.

In this painting there is a fine line between too soft and too busy. I'll be revisiting portions of the background once the moose is painted.

Fall Tundra

One of the reasons I wanted to paint this piece is the richness of autumn color in the tundra. At this stage, I am just blocking in color.

Square

Square paintings have been rare in my work. I find it much easier to compose a rectangular piece so this next work is a departure for me. A square format just felt right for this painting.

To make the work more dynamic, I wanted to place the subject slightly off-center, creating tension. The drawing and tonal wash are completed.

Oil Painters of America Winner

I'm thrilled to announce that my painting Breath of Fresh Air has won the Animal Award of Excellence at the Oil Painters of America's Western Regional Show held at Mary Williams Fine Art in Boulder, Colorado.

Finished

Desert Gems

Original Oil painting

26" X 44"

Thanks for following this piece. It was fun to work with such a unique landscape.

MANITOBA TRIP

I just returned from 2 remote camps in northern Manitoba. A big thank you to Doug and Helen Webber who made this possible.

Helen, Doug, Me, my husband Jim

 Accessible by float plane, we were surrounded by wilderness and the timing coincided to watch the tundra put on her fall colors. Snow joined us both on the tundra and at the second camp in the boreal forest.

We saw lots of the creatures which inhabit this northern clime: polar bears, arctic fox, peregrine falcon, hudsonian godwits, eagles, caribou, moose, snow geese, sandhill cranes, tundra swans, and we had some surprises. 

How about witnessing a hawk take a snow goose out of the air, or a mink by the water's edge looking for northern pike fish scraps after an afternoon of fishing? A spruce grouse (in a spruce tree of course) and a Harris's sparrow were my first sightings of these birds. Barely feeling the below freezing temperatures, we marveled at the displays of northern lights.

Wonderful trip with lots of great memories! 

The Foreground

With the foreground blocked in, I can start on the gemsbok.