Tracey Mardon

30 Paintings in 30 Days Collage

2015-02-01T21:56:00.001-07:00

30 Paintings in 30 Days Collage

It's kind of bittersweet to have this project come to an end but Feb. will be a busy month with other commitments so it's timely. This collage shows the month at a glance .The painting in the bottom right corner, Louise McKinney Walk was juried into the Federation of Canadian Artists landscape show next month so it will be heading out with me soon.

I'm still absorbing all I learned doing the project this month but I'll share the lessons one day soon. I'd love to do it again in another season. Any takers?

#30 30 Paintings in 30 Days Ready for a Swim!

2015-01-31T15:12:00.002-07:00

#30 Ready For a Swim! 6x8 Oil on Paper/Panel NFS

This family had taken a walk past us and were heading back for a swim. All the folks we encountered we just skippity-do happy and of course they wouldn't be as this was in the middle of a hot spell and it's a great place in their own backyard!

Yeah, it's 30 paintings done! Tomorrow I'll do a collage so you can see them together.

#29 30 Paintings in 30 Days Creek at Porpoise Bay

2015-01-30T16:49:00.000-07:00

#29 Creek at Porpoise Bay 8x8 Oil on Paper/Panel $150.00

This is a stunningly beautiful provincial park with more scenes to paint than you can imagine.

I thought I would share in this post a bit about my painting process in case you might be interested.

I came to be painting here as I took part in a one week plein air workshop with Richard Robinson from New Zealand. It was an excellent experience but it did come with some challenges. It was plus 30s all week and there was no shade in this location so we were out in the heat all day. Also, it was very green which is notoriously difficult to paint.

I painted two studies of this little scene and was happy with some aspects of each. I was disappointed not to bring home what I could consider a painting though. It seemed like a good time to tackle it again because winter is back in force again. The first is a 1 colour study and silly me, I chose Caribbean Blue. It is dark but I would have been better to use a colour I was more familiar with. The mistake I made with the second one was to chase the light. By chase, I mean I painted on the one painting all day. To be fair this is a common mistake with plein air but I hope I can say I won't make it again.

#28 30 Paintings in 30 Days Geraniums at Luxembourg Gardens

2015-01-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

#28 Geraniums at Luxembourg Gardens 8x6 Oil on Paper/Board $125.00

These simple geraniums were one of the first things to catch my eye as we strolled, trying to stay awake. Luxembourg gardens were built in 1612 and I wondered to myself whether these same flowers were planted every year. They were so lovely and fresh!

#27 30 Paintings in 30 Days Delta Barn

2015-01-28T16:20:00.002-07:00

#27 Red Barn in Delta Oil on Paper/Panel 6x8 $125.00

This barn has always attracted my attention because of it's odd shape. It's been in Delta for as long as I can remember.

#26 30 Paintings in 30 Days Saanich Path

2015-01-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

#26 Saanich Path 6x8 Oil on Paper/Panel $125.00

I wanted to play with a similar view of this path in vertical to see which I liked best. Do you have a favourite?

#24 30 Paintings in 30 Days - Catching Up!

2015-01-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

#24 Catching Up! 6x6 Oil on Paper/Panel $125.00

This walk took us through different parks and over hill and dale. It was wonderful to have so much colour in the middle of winter. I love the snow but this was a lovely break.

#25 30 in 30 Overlander Falls

2015-01-27T14:16:00.003-07:00

Overlander Falls 8x10 Oil on Paper/Panel $150.00

This is the a little hike on the way to B.C. at about the halfway mark, perfect for giving the dog a break. I painted it years ago in a larger format but have always wanted to do it smaller. Yesterday was kind of grey all day it was the perfect time to do it.

#23 30 Paintings in 30 Days - English Bay

2015-01-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

#23 English Bay 8x10 Oil on Panel $150.00

This is a winter scene in Vancouver that is a stroll down memory lane. Many young people I know had their first apartment in this walkable area of Vancouver. The mist often hangs over the city and then burns off mid day.

#22 Of Course People Move Here!

2015-01-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

Of Course People Move here! 8x10 Oil on Paper/Board $150.00

We were on a long walk around Victoria a few years ago at Christmas and this is a scene we encountered. Now I ask you who wouldn't want to live there!

#21 Point Grey Road

2015-01-24T16:59:00.001-07:00

#21 Point Grey Road 6x8 Oil on Paper/Panel $125.00

One odd thing I love about Vancouver is how a bend in a road will change the name for no real reason except just 'cause. Confusing but fun!

#20 The Other Harbour

2015-01-22T17:00:00.001-07:00

#20 The Other Harbour 6x8 Oil on Paper/Panel $125 unframed

I loved how the misty sky was breaking over the red cargo boat. It made the colour even more vibrant.

#19 Kits Beach on a Winter Day

2015-01-21T18:03:00.000-07:00

Kits Beach on a Winter Day 6x8 Oil on Paper/Panel $125.00

This view of Kits Beach on a chilly winter day really appealed to me; the light hit the towers and reflected the buildings back into the water.

#18 Armstrong Fields

2015-01-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

#18 Armstrong Fields 6x8 Oil on Paper/Panel $125.00

What a view from your kitchen window! And any moment a cadre of sheep are going to toodle on through.

#17 30 in 30 Red Barn Enderby

2015-01-18T17:10:00.002-07:00

#17 30 in 30 Red Barn Enderby 8x10 Oil on Paper/panel $150.00

I finished up 7 snow scenes in Edmonton yesterday so I'm taking you to B.C. with my paint brush and full disclosure, they won't always be snow scenes!

Unfortunately this beautiful tree got hit by lightning a few years ago but I've heard of them regrowing from a bit of root so who knows!

#16 30 in 30 Heading Home

2015-01-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

#16 Heading Home 8x6 Oil on Paper/panel $125.00

Takes me back in time painting these little ones at a local ski hill. Guaranteed in no time they'll be shooshing down the hill. I wonder how many local kids have learned their tricks on this hill?

#15 30 Paintings in 30 Days Sorrento

2015-01-17T12:12:00.002-07:00

#15 Sorrento 6 x 8 Oil on Paper/panel

I know I said I would paint Edmonton in snow this week but today I felt compelled to take a trip to Sorrento, perhaps to take off the chill? Back to snow today!

This photo was given to me by a dear friend, I'll have to ask her where the people went!

#14 30 Paintings in 30 Days Clearing the Rink

2015-01-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

#14 Clearing the Rink 6x8 Oil on Paper/panel $125.00 unframed -Jan.

Most of the neighbourhoods in Edmonton have a rink and keeping them up properly is quite a chore. It's time consuming and very often needs doing when a person would rather be in front of a warm fire. The same industrious fellow has tended our rink for many years which is the height of neighbourliness!
I was drawn to this scene by the golden light in the background and the patterns on the ice.

#13 30 in 30 2 Little Gems

2015-01-14T16:49:00.000-07:00

I've had little bits of painting opportunity in the last two days so I am posting these two little ones that I did on Mon. The first one I did in the small horizontal format to see whether I liked it better than the square format and the second one I did just because I enjoy the scene and wanted to play with the thick clouds.

#12 30 in 30 Winter Walk in Louise McKinney Park

2015-01-13T15:50:00.002-07:00

#12 Winter Walk in Louise McKinney Park 8x8 Oil on Paper/board

I hummed away while I was painting this scene because we had friends here from the west coast and we all went out for a winters walk in the real cold! That probably sounds crazy to some of my friends from the south but to put it in perspective, -25 is when the kids have to stay inside for recess.

Somehow the colder it gets, the sunnier it usually is!

#11 Painting 30 in 30 Sledding at Terwillegar

2015-01-11T18:49:00.002-07:00

#11 Sledding at Terwillegar 6x8 Gessoboard $125 unframed

I had a great painting day today, I got some little ones done and then this one caught my fancy for today's painting and I really enjoyed it. My favourite bits are the dog on one side and the little girl on the other, both so full of expression.

# 9 Whitemud Creek and # 10 Chickadee

2015-01-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

#9 Whitemud Creek 8x8 Oil on Paper NFS

One of my favourite bits of the walk.

#10 Chickadee at Terwillegar Park 6x6 Oil on Gessoboard $125.00 unframed

This little fellow was perched up at the top of a big tree down in the park on a very cold day. Brave little soul!

Again, for the month of the challenge I have priced the paintings as part of the fun of the challenge. When the month is finished they will revert to my normal pricing.

#8 Terwillegar Park Lone Tree

2015-01-08T15:42:00.001-07:00

#8 Terwillegar Park Lone Tree 6 x 6 Paper on Board $125.00 unframed

I'm taking a turn this week with snow. I've had a yen to paint this scene in our dog walking park for years so I decided I would give it a try today. What a lovely day, first a friend showed up with a latte and a big smile, then one of my boys and his dog popped in. Then to top it off, the hysterically funny radio podcast of Vinyl Street Cafe's "Babysitters" show was playing. If you see any errant squiggles you'll understand it's very difficult to paint while laughing yourself silly!

I realize after I painted this scene that it was just the same sort of day as today, sunny but very cold!

Painting 30 in 30- #7 Ellis Bird Farm

2015-01-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

#7 Ellis Bird Farm 6x6 Oil on Paper/Board $125.00 unframed

I love the mauve(ish) clouds against the oranges on the ground plain in this vista. I imagine I'll paint it many times over!

One of the real rewards of this project is that you begin to develop good practices just by virtue of being in your studio so much. When I'm painting in my studio, I use a flat screen t.v. as my monitor . I have found that it's best to face the screen to do the drawing but that I get far better colour by swinging my easel sideways for the rest of the painting. What a great discovery!

Painting 30 in 30 #6 Ellis Bird Farm

2015-01-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

30 in 30 #6 Ellis Bird Farm 6 x 6 Oil on Paper/Board $125.00 unframed

This morning vista was shrouded in fog before the sun came out and lit it up. This can be a very windy part of the province so the trees lining the fields are really necessary.