Painting With Patti

February 5th, 2018

When we moved back to Canmore, in August 2017, we secured a sweet townhouse in the complex of my dreams, but here I don't have a proper studio. Although I've painted at our kitchen table, I was pleased when Patti Dyment responded favourably to my request for a painting date at her place. Three days a week her large, well lit, open concept kitchen, dining, living room becomes her studio. We had such a good time we've turned these dates into regular events. 

Working on The Towers at Mount Asiniboine, January 22nd

Patti at work on her Towers, January 22nd

Mostly it's pretty serious business, but there is always time for laughter ...

January 22nd

Sometimes we work on the same subject. Such was the case on this day when we both painted Anastasia, from an image off an online paint-the-model photo website ...

February 12th

February 12th

That day I came home and worked on her too-small head, and more, for a further four hours.

She still isn't finished!

With the cradled panels we'd covered, using pretty scrapbooking papers, we launched into the following ...

February 26th, Patti at work on a portrait

Patti's gorgeous portrait

My iris

Patti had the brilliant idea to cover panels with old typographical maps. She brought some from home and since then Bill has coughed up several duplicate maps and donated them to our cause.

March 4th in our Dungeon - the perfect place for this kind of panel preparation

The very next day we were on a roll, both of us finished one painting, so we started another, on the papered panels ...

Patti's magnificent raven, March 5th

My bobcat, March 5th

Next, we both painted a bighorn ram portrait. Neither of us finished the second painting.

March 5th

March 5th

My bighorn

When Bill and I returned, from our month in the Philippines, Patti and I resumed our painting dates. Here we both worked on Bow Lake ...

April 22nd

April 22nd

Although the first paintings weren't finished, we moved on to begin another and worked on different images. By this time of day the sun had moved around to where it was pouring its brilliance in through the skylight. Here we are shifting around the room to escape being directly in the spotlight ...

Patti working on Ha Ling  

I opted to paint Quarry Lake

Now our task is to finish all these starts!

Ten for the Show

They say diamonds are made under pressure. I'd like to think that when I have a deadline I can make diamonds. Here are the new works (any on cradled panels have painted edges) that I'll be debuting at the Claresholm Willow Creek Art Show this coming weekend ...

ETHEREAL BEAUTIES   oil flowers on an acrylic mixed media
background, unframed 12" x 6" x 1.5" deep cradled wooden panel

HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW   oil flowers on an acrylic
mixed media background,
unframed 12" x 6" x 1.5" deep cradled wooden panel

MIDNIGHT MAGIC   oil flower on an acrylic mixed media (Gelli plate print) background
unframed 12" x 9" x 1.5" deep cradled wooden panel   SOLD

RUFFLES and FRILLS   oil flower on an acrylic mixed media background, unframed 6" x 6" x 1.5" deep cradled wooden panel   SOLD

LATIN LOVELY II   framed oil on MDF panel 6" x 8"   SOLD

EVERYDAY MAGNIFICENCE   oil butterfly and flower on an acrylic mixed media background, unframed 12" x 12" x .5" canvas

COMMON COPPER   oil butterfly on an acrylic mixed media background, unframed 8" x 8" x .5" canvas

BIG DADDY   oil on stretched linen, unframed 8" x 10" x 1.25"   SOLD

BOB   oil bobcat on natural paper background, unframed on a 6" x 6" x 1.5" deep cradled wooden panel   SOLD

MY LITTLE CHICKADEE   oil chickadee on an acrylic mixed media background
unframed stretched canvas 7" x 5" x 1.5"

If you are unable to attend the show but would like to enquire about any of these paintings, please do not hesitate to contact me ...

by phone 403 625-3006 or by email alice@artbysaltiel.com 

Willow Creek Art Sale

Heritage Seniors Social Centre

5009 - 2nd Avenue West
Claresholm, Alberta

Friday, August 8th, 5 - 9PM

and

Saturday, August 9th, noon - 5PM 

My Fascination With Bighorn Sheep

With Bighorn, west of Banff , February 1973 

In September 1972, with some of our meager possessions in storage and the rest in our old Renault, Bill and I drove west (I call it immigrating from Ontario) thinking Kamloops would be our destination because it was halfway between the Rockies and the Pacific coast.  Falling in love with Banff and the mountains saw us cut the journey short.  We have remained in Alberta ever since.

I trust you'll enjoy seeing some of my favourite bighorn paintings ...

My first Bighorn painting   1973 oil   8" x 6"

Coming from the east I was familiar with deer and moose but the bighorn sheep is only a western  herbivore mammal and new to me. I was fascinated by their compact muscular bodies (only about 40 inches at the shoulder) and their wide-set peculiar shaped, rust coloured eyes.

The Ruling Monarch   1985 oil   14" x 18"

The rams are famous for their large, curled horns. These impressive growths can weigh up to 30 pounds.  They are a symbol of status and a weapon used in epic battles fighting for dominance or mating rights when males face each other, rear up on their hind legs, and hurl themselves at each other in charges of some 20 miles (32 kilometers) an hour.  Ewes also have horns, but they are smaller and much less curved.

Baby Bighorn    1986 watercolour   10.5" x 13.5"

On Golden Hill   1988 oil   12" x 16"

It had been a long time since I last painted them, and well, wildlife in general.  But in the past couple of years I've felt the urge again.  Here is my latest effort ...

Wild Thing   2011 oil   9" x 12"