Rocks and Ropes

 

  To me, rocks are not just amorphous blobs, they have form and substance. (My Master of Science degree in geology comes in handy.) Some portions of the rocks in my painting were not in my reference photos which focused on the northern gannets. But, I could extrapolate what the next section would look like and move the rocks around to complement the painting design without destroying their integrity.

 

  One of the aspects which fascinated me about this colony I didn't see until the boat was a bit closer. And even then, we were far enough away (so not to disturb the birds) that my telephoto lens captured the detail. The gannets had used thick fishing ropes and some buoys to help build their nests. The teal and orange ropes were a revelation to me!

 

 

Bird Islands off North Cape, Norway

  On my recent trip to Norway I had a chance to take a boat ride to the island nesting areas off North Cape, Norway. Gjesvaerstappan is home to an impressive number of bird species. This very northern tip of Norway where the warm and cold ocean currents of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans meet is a haven for birds looking to feed their young abundant fish. Puffins, razorbills, cormorants, black guillemots, and one of my favorites, the majestic Northern Gannet, nest and feed here.

   A rather dramatic gannet nesting colony was perched on some impressive metamorphic rocks which I think make a perfect backdrop for a painting.

Finished

 

Color Me

13" X 18"

Original Oil

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Yellow

 

 

Why is this sea wall in Isafjordur, Iceland painted yellow with stripes of blue and faded red? Well, I have no idea. Yellow is considered a cheery color in northern climes but then you would use it for exterior house colors, a front door, or inside a kitchen. Yellow is the color of warning. Could this color be bright so docking fishing boats could see it no matter the weather conditions?

 

Whatever the reason, the sea wall gives me a reason to play with some vibrant colors. 

 

 

 

Heavy Chains

 

Part of the appeal of this scene for me were the heavy chains. I imagine they aided in securing large fishing boats for this small community. 

The chains take what could have been a pretty stroll through primary colors and make it real. In essence, they anchor the painting. 

 

 

 

Starting a New Painting

 After two paintings which I can't show just yet because of show rules, I am starting a new piece which I can show you in progress.

Once again I am playing with bold colors. Most wildlife paintings I paint don't employ bold primary colors. When I do use them they are for a tad or a splash here or there or to mix with other colors.

Isafjordur is a charming town on the northwest coast of Iceland. Brightly colored houses abound in this historic fishing village. There is also a brightly colored sea wall. 

 

Terns were doing their own fishing and landing on the wall. That inspired this piece. Depending on which section the terns landed, they would take on the color of that section of wall. 

 

Hope you like horses

As I mentioned in my previous post, I can't reveal the painting I am working on right now. So, I thought you might like to see some of the wonderful Icelandic horses on my most recent trip to Iceland.

One aspect which added a bit of romance to them is that they were in remote areas with few, if any, buildings in sight.

 

 

Love the mane on the left horse!