"The early farmers that settled in New England didn't have much extra money to spend on paint, so most of their barns remained unpainted. By the late 1700s, farmers looking to shield their barns' wood from the elements began experimenting with ways to make their own protective paint.
A recipe consisting of skimmed milk, lime and red iron oxide created a rusty-colored mixture that became popular among farmers because it was cheap to make and lasted for years. Farmers were able to easily obtain iron oxide the compound that lends natural red clay its coppery color from soil. Linseed oil derived from flax plants was also used to seal bare wood against rotting, and it stained the wood a dark coral hue." Source: https://www.livescience.com/33195-barns-traditionally-painted-red.html
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When I started my "stay at home" for 2 weeks on Wednesday of this week, I made the decision that I would make this a positive experience. Besides more time to do artwork, which is the best part... I started each day with a list of what I would do that day, then at the end of the day I revisit it and check off everything I did. I have kept myself busy with an indoor sketch challenge from Urban Sketchers Waterloo Region, lots of drawing, reading, yoga, walking the dog and putting more of an effort into social media. Still don't love it, but seeing more benefit. It is very time consuming. No post on social media today, back to it tomorrow. As an introvert, I am very happy in a group of ONE! During this time of social distancing, staying at home, reading, drawing, walking the dog, and watching a movie at home, suit me just fine. But, for extroverts and sports lovers, this is a challenging time. Hang in there, you will get through it... Sometimes the winter months for me means going to work, coming home and not going out. And to be honest, I am happy to do just that. But, back in December, I decided I should be more social over the course of the winter months, so I started a new project and it is:
Buddy is a great model ... when he is sleeping! Sketch in ink and white pencil on grey toned pastel paper. Quick sketch before he moved again.  Sketchbook, sketch of Buddy I started a new sketchbook in December ... The Beer Sketchbook: Some people take photos of their food, I draw pictures of my beer. There are so many different kinds of beer: domestic, import, micro, craft, local, international... Why not taste test, record it and have fun doing it! Each recorded beer has to be unique. So the question is - how many different kinds of beer will I have over the course of a year? This sketchbook project is a part social, (the conversations are always more interesting over beer), part history (could be the history of the beer, the brewery or maybe the location), part journal (the when, why, who). This is BEER #19 (Moonshadow, a Berliner Weisse). After checking out the the 8th Annual Heritage Fair, Kym and I visited Storm Stayed Brewing Co.  Beer #19 Storm Stayed's Moonshadow I am excited and honoured to have my Dundas Streetscape (Clarence to Wellington) officially hanging at the new location of the London Arts Council. They just moved to their new office at 267 Dundas Street, London, ON, corner of Dundas and Wellington. This organization truly enhances the quality of life and creative vitality in London, through their various programs, services and incredible staff members. I appreciate their support over the years. This illustration was started in 2012, when I took the photo reference. I put all the images together in Photoshop, to figure out how big to draw each buildings, in order to have the streetscape fit on a sheet of watercolour paper. I completed the ink drawing in 2012, but then got busy doing two books: Barhopping into History, London Ontario (2013) and Hopping into History, London's Old East Village (2015). Both of these books were supported by the London Arts Council. Finally in 2018, I got back to the illustrations and completed them. My original plan was to draw every building from Museum London (I worked at the Art Rental shop) to the London Clay Art Centre (I still work here). To date, I have only finished 3 blocks. Maybe its time to continue with this series...  Dundas Street (Clarence to Wellington), Ink and Watercolour 7" x 25" ©2018  Artwork hanging at new LAC office. The real reason for visiting Las Vegas was a trade show (NAHB - National Association of Home Builders and KBIS - Kitchen & Bath Industry Show) ... but managed to play a couple rounds of golf. Club Corp - Bear's Best Las Vegas is made up of 18 holes selected by Jack Nicklaus from his 270 designs worldwide. It's not hot in Las Vegas in January, but it is much warmer than Canada! Daytime high was about 19°C (or 66.2°F), with nights getting down to 7°C (or 44.6°F).  First 9 holes of Bear's Best Course in handmade sketchbook.  Hole 12, Par 5 (Hole 14 Bear Creek, Murrieta, California) A trip to Nashville in December, included golf, music, hockey, historic architecture, neon lights, great weather, lots of people… maybe too many people for me! Played a round of golf at the Hermitage Golf Course, it took a while to get accustomed to the colours. The grass on the fairway was dormant, so yellow ochre or brown. The greens were the only green on the course.  The first 3 holes and holes 10-15 of Hermitage Golf Course in Nashville. |
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