Sunset near Faro

 I took a series of photos last fall of sunsets. A subject that I love painting and am thinking of basing my next show on at Yukon Artists at Work in July.  I am a member of the Daily Painters. com site and when I look at the stats for how many views I receive, my sunsets win every time!  I love painting them .... they make me feel happy.

Orignal Acrylic

Sunset Near Faro

6x8 inches

Demo: Impasto Painting Northern Lights

Original Impasto Acrylic

Northern Light

8x8 inches

More Art in the Del Van Gorder School

Demonstration Using Oil Pastel and Tempera 

 for Grades 3,4,5

8x10 

Another morning session in the local school with the Grades 3,4,5 students produced these wonderful results.  My format for teaching young children is to do a very quick demo to give them the idea of what it is we are going to do/accomplish.  I do not spend a lot of time exacting details but quickly  show them so that they will approach their works with the same freedom. Spontaneity is the name of the day and I have found that youth/children never disappoint when it comes to being creative and spontaneous - they are naturals!

Heavy Bond Paper was used with a combination of oil pastel and tempura paints.  Each student was assisted in setting a a basic fall scene with trees and rocks, some had water and mountains. We literally blast in a quick pencil sketch.  I help them get started and we both draw in simple shapes.  The pastel is applied first loosely and thickly in areas, especially the fall trees and grasses and then the paint is applied on top. The pastel "resists" the paint and creates really pleasing textures and brilliant colour. 

Note to other art instructors, it is a very intense and busy time getting the initial set-up going but the results are so worth it!  See Below

Student's Works of Art 

Teaching Art in the Del Van Gorder School

Demo of a Winter Watercolour Scene

 at the local School

The Grade 6,7,8  at the local school spent from 9am to Noon doing an extended art class when I was substitute teaching at the school.   The objective was to complete a watercolour and incorporate the following skills. 

1. Make a simple pencil sketch on an 8x10 piece of watercolour paper

2. Mask in some snow areas to maintain the white of the paper

3. Do  wet on wet washes using two colours, in stages in different areas of paper (sky, water, snow, trees)

4. Work from light to dark 

5. Use some dry brush technique to add detail & emphasis (trees and bushes)

The reference used for this work was a painting I completed at another time.  

I put the original painting in the front of the room and we used it as a general guide 

but I stressed that they could create their own rendition (no need to copy)

Really take the pressure off and allows creative fun!

I love their paintings and the end product was worth all their efforts!

Reference Painting

Student's Paintings (Beautiful!)

Newest Work, It's a large painting....

I started this piece in the fall and put it aside when I stalled out about half way through.  This sometimes happens to me. I have to put it away and get some distance from it. Also I often "blast" the painting in and then comes the detailing.... ugh! Takes awhile and requires discipline when the painting is 4 feet by 4 feet. I used a lot of texture in the cliffs and the trees and rocks in this painting with impasto.  The photograph does not do it justice.  

Title:  Lapie Canyon, Yukon

Impasto, Mixed Media

48x48
SOLD