Abandoned church

This church, the back of which is on the left in the painting, has been vacant for some time. On the front, gaping holes where the leaded windows once were let in all manner of weather and creature. Rotting from the inside out, sadly. I wasn't able to finish alla prima (in one go) because the sun burst through my heavy clouds and, well, ruined everything. Luckily the gloom returned a few days later and I wrapped it up. Below are scans of the interrupted start and the completed piece.

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Hello, and welcome. Below is my latest plein air, of the infamous Screaming Tunnel of St. Catherines. Nearby (with some digging in the brush) the foundation of a house can be found that burned over a century ago. All perished in the fire except a young girl who escaped, only to collapse and die in this tunnel. Lighting a match is said to make audible her distant screams. Didn't work for me. Oil on panel, 10"x10". SOLD

Zug Island from Windsor, 8"x10", oil on panel, plein air. SOLD

_______________________________________________________Texas Road. Two words that sent a chill down many a young spine back in the day. It was a place to prove to your friends, to your self, that you weren't scared, weren't a chicken. Texas Road differed from all the other county roads that crossed the flat tree-less farmland near Amherstberg; it was swallowed by a dense copse of trees, turned sharply right and crossed a bridge before emerging at a graveyard and eventually joining with another county road. Stories about the area included the ghost of a man killed by his wife (with an iron!) and spectral horsemen. Where better to set up for a plein air in late October? I painted from the bank of the little rill that flowed under the bridge. I can report no supernatural activity, sorry. Oil on panel, 10"x10".

A Dead End. Pretty much what my 'art career' will be if I stick to these mundane and banal scenes. Can't help it though. This is what draws my attention. Oil on panel, 8"x10", plein air. Thanks for looking. SOLD

Thank you for taking the time to check out my work. Below are two oil-on-panel plein airs from last weekend. If you've seen my previous nocturnes you will recognize the alley scene, a view I have yet to tire of. oil on panel, 8"x10" SOLD

oil on panel, 8"x8"

Summer is on the wane and I look forward to a fruitful autumn of painting. I wouldn't be happy living in a climate with minimal change, no winter, or spring.
The end of an alley here in westend Toronto: SOLD

I painted this en plein air last Sunday morning. Just an average urban scene. With twelve foot fibreglass boxing gloves. 8" X 10", oil on panel.

I started skateboarding in 1975. There were no skateparks then, only streets and parking lots. I don't skate much anymore, except to get to work, and occasionally session one of the great local parks, like "The Hoof", Vanderhoof, here in Toronto. To commemorate these local parks, I began painting plein air images on the bottoms of used skateboards. Below is Vanderhoof park. I painted in the lettering at home before venturing out to do the landscape, so it was tricky working out the composition and not tightening up around the letters. Click to enlarge.

Welcome. Find below a random collection of plein air paintings from Toronto, excepting the harbour scene, which was done in Port Colborne. I hope you enjoy them. Sold

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In anticipation of the coming Junction Arts Festival http://www.junctionartsfest.com/ , I'll post some plein air images from the Junction and nearby area. I'll be participating in the juried exhibition, so if you're in Toronto on September 9-13, please drop by. I hope you enjoy.

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This is a truck used in the Caribana Parade, still laden with beautiful costumes. Back to the warehouse!

Gas stations. I love gas stations. Why? I don't know.
In the first one, the gentleman in the red sweater and black hat showed up about an hour into the painting, and proceeded to tear the small shed down. I worked like a maniac to get the information down. By the time I'd finished the painting he and the the shed were gone. SOLD

This Esso station closed some time ago. Another business, car detailing or something, occupied the building for a short time and erected the neon yellow signs. They vacated and now it's empty again.

Nocturne Gallery

Hello, and welcome. In an effort to post a backlog of my work I have opted to present them in small galleries. These are all nocturnes, all plein air. After experimenting with a few lights I have come to rely on a bicycle lamp attached to my head, in tandem with a double-headed lamp designed for musicians reading sheetmusic in an orchestra pit. The latter clamps to my easel but is a tad bluish in tone to be used on its own. The bicycle lamp is very white, and moves with my vision, from panel to palette, without intruding on the scene before me.

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This painting was done in Montreal and shows the effect of relying on only the orchestra pit light. My eyes compensated for the blue tint by casting an orange glow over everything. A bit of a shock when I saw the picture in natural light! In the lower centre there's a cat loitering beneath a birdhouse. SOLD

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Welcome to my humble domain. All paintings are plein air unless otherwise noted.
Here's a winter themed gallery. I hope you enjoy.

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