Category Archives: Plein Air

Tall Ship Sketch Night

02 Friday Aug 2013

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Amherstburg, TallshipsDSC_5614

The Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Society and I are privileged to be hosting another sketch night with the Arts Council, and the City of Windsor.

Thursday, August 29th
4-7pm
Sculpture Park – Windsor’s Riverfront

As announced on the Arts Council website:

Participants are asked to meet at the northernmost tip of Ouellette Ave by the Art Cart sign (close to the Bistro) at 4pm.

Access to the free Art Cart on the trail is available from 4-7pm for participants to disperse in the Sculpture Park West of Ouellette Ave.

Please bring all of your own supplies. There is no fee for this event but we do ask that you sign-up if you plan on attending.

A partnership with Arts Council Windsor & Region, the City of Windsor Sculpture Park, Elizabeth MacDonald and Windsor & Essex County Plein-Air Society, this event is in coordination with the Southwestern Ontario Coastal Trails Sails to See TALL SHIPS® Festival.

Questions? Please email outreach@acwr.net or call us (Arts Council) at 519 252 2787.

Edge of the Rock Plein Air Painting Event in Beloit, Wisconsin

10 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by in Art, Event, Landscape, Plein Air, Watercolour

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cropDSC_1642

It was an 8 hour drive to Beloit, Wisconsin.  I left home at 3:30 a.m. in order to be in Beloit by noon.  I just made it!  Chicago at rush hour is a trip!  I ended up at O’hare Airport.  Thankfully, it was not difficult to get back on the freeway.  Finally out of Chicago I end up in construction.  I’m just happy I never trust Mapquest when it comes to time.  I always add 2 hours.  It worked out perfect, but boy was I stiff and tired when I got here.

Beloit is a small town of 30K people.  I have to say that I’ve been treated like a celebrity.  I even was stopped in Walmart by a lady who saw my plates.  “Are you from Canada?”  She asked.

“Why… yes.  How did you know?”

She had her young grand daughter in tow, and she proceeded to explain to the child that I was from Canada…. and that I probably still had snow. The child looked terrified of the lady in the big straw hat.  I’m sure I looked a wee bit out of place.

I’ve had that response from quite a few people here.  I think they equate Canada with Sault St. Marie.   I’ve been explaining that I’m actually almost due east of them.  Their eyes get wide when I tell them we have hardly any snow, and that my hubby’s had to mow the lawn in December.  Even more interesting is that we have to go North to get the the USA.  They seem a bit perplexed, and still introduce me as The lady who came all they way “down” from Canada.  But, they are wonderful people and I’m so happy that I came.

I’ve managed to paint three paintings so far.  They’ve been predicting heavy thunder showers, but rain has held off since I got here.  It did rain on my way here.  Since Saturday, we’ve had beautiful weather.  Just a bit of wind, and a threatening sky.  I don’t mind because a stormy sky is interesting, and a challenge to paint.  Just what’s needed for a Plein Air convention.

I’m hoping that our group from Windsor will come here with me next year.  I’m very pleased I did.

 

2013 Edge of the Rock Plein Air Painting

26 Sunday May 2013

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Elizabeth painting on the Detroit River, the famous US/Canadian Ambassador Bridge in the Background

Painting en Plein Air on the Detroit River

I’m very pleased to announce that The Beloit Inn, has accepted me as their Artist in Residence during the Edge of the Rock Plein Air Painting Event June 5 – 15th in Beloit Wisconsin. I wish to thank Nicki Meyer Executive Director of Friends Of River Front plein air festival for this great honour and wonderful opportunity. I also with to thank Nicholas Johnson, General Manager of The Beloit Inn for his generosity.

Back to Sketching in the Great outdoors

07 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by in Art, Flowers, Plein Air, Sketch, Willistead

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YES! Spring has sprung, and I’m out doors with our group again. What a beautiful day it was on Monday. We had six members of our group out painting and sketching today. We love to start off on the Willistead Manor Grounds in Windsor. Williestead Manor is in the heart of Walkerville, and hosts many events, most notably the annual Art in the Park event.

PS:  This painting was gifted to Sandy Kincade, the Director of the Edge of the Rock Plein Air Painting event.  She and her husband Chuck were such a blessing to me.

A Beautiful Fall Day at Ojibway Park

22 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by in Art, Landscape, Plein Air, Sketch, Watercolour

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What an incredible beautiful warm and sunny day for a paint out today! It’s a toss up what I like better Fall or Spring. The vivid reds are mostly finished. It seems the colours arrive and leave so quickly. There are still some beautiful yellows hanging on.

Four turtles kept us amused as they tried to sun together on a floating log. They reminded me of lumberjack contests, where the contestants compete by trying to spin the log so the other man falls off. The last man standing wins! They a family of mallards makes their way downstream feeding on vegetation as they go.

Mary was writing a note for Judith, when a stunning orange dragonfly paid her a visit.  It landed on her note, and stayed while she continued to write.   These are the reasons I paint en Plein Air.  There is no studio in the world that compares.

Chatham Ontario Art Camp

20 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by in Art, Landscape, Plein Air, Watercolour, Workshops

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It’s always a great time with the Chatham, Ontario Arts Council group. Thanks for having me back once again.

artCampDSC_0414 by photographerpainterprintmaker
Lunch with the Chatham group is always a pleasure.
artcampDSC_0427 by photographerpainterprintmaker
It was a very windy and damp day.  In the afternoon, we moved inside the Chatham Cultural Center where we finished our paintings.

The Gathering (Colchester Beach)

17 Monday Sep 2012

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Labour Day is two weeks gone, kids are in school,  the beach is deserted, and the air is crisp.  I walked down the beach to get closer to the Canadian Geese. I wanted to get photographs of them in flight. White caps crashed on the shore as the wind played havoc with the lake. I slowly approached the geese… camera ready. Wary of me they waddled down the beach a few honking their displeasure. They finally decided I was too close and took flight out into the lake a few yards away. The waves violently tossed them around, and I became concerned for their safety. What if one drowned because of my desire of a perfect photo? I gave them their space, and they safely returned to shore. I will think twice about disturbing wild life for the perfect shot.

A good part of the morning is always spent discovering the perfect composition. I was very fortunate to find a sheltered area. It was a lovely spot at the edge of the road looking through some trees. Wind and Plein Air painting quite often yields disaster. Many a painter has found hand prints in their work, broken easel’s, or had to chase their paper down the road or even into the lake! Winter is fast approaching. I hope the beautiful fall weather holds out. I love painting in the fall. However, I do hope we have some snow this winter. Winter painting needs snow and in Essex County, the most southern part of Canada, we had very little last year.

Cedar Beach en Plein Air

06 Monday Aug 2012

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An incredible day at the beach. It was the Civic Holiday and there were a lot of vacationer’s at the beach. Sail boats, kayaks, jet ski’s, powerboats, and all manner of floating craft entered Lake Erie through the channel behind me. There were many families under umbrellas on the beach as well. This is a beautiful public beach. A very well kept secret too. Shhh… don’t tell anyone how beautiful Essex County is, they may all decided to move here.