The Black River

Marina and I went on a reconnoitre to Quebec on Tuesday to the Black River where we are going on Saturday with a group of painters.   We wanted to see the lay of the land and get an idea of how long it would take to drive there etc.  After a 40 minute drive on a gravel road after we left the main highway near Waltham we arrived at the first open area where the Black River passes under a bridge.  It was a perfect fall day so we set up our easels and had a truly blissful time painting this view looking east down the river.

Anemones

This week challenge from Daily Paintworks was a value study using only four values.  Harder than you might think.  I picked some of my late blooming amemones and set up a still life in my shadow box.  The challenge was posted by Liz Wiltzen, a very talented painter from Western Canada.

Pigs

My entry for this weeks Daily Paintworks Challenge,

Corn Field at Smith's Farm

Marina and I out painting again on another cloudy day. The field to the right is a corn field full of glorious ripe corn cobs. The abundance we have in this country is in direct opposition to those who unfortunately live in areas of drought and starvation. It doesn't seem right for us to have so much and so much of the world to have so little. Thanks to David and Carol Marine for their efforts to help artists to help others in times of need. This painting will be posted on the Daily Paintworks Challenge page and if it is sold the money will be given to a charitable organization who can use the money to help those in need in Africa.

The Ottawa River at Jennings Road

This was a very moody cloudy afternoon when Marina and I painted this scene. We had plans to go to this location for nearly a year but never made it until last week. We both had a great time and discovered the benefits of painting when it is cloudy. The landscape stayed the same for the whole time, there were no moving shadows, and no changing light. What a treat for landscape painting.