On Site Sketching
This is an “on site” sketch of the Churchill River in Labrador that I made on an 8 day canoe trip in 2004.
Watercolour
These are painted in Winsor and Newton watercolours on Arches paper. The paint is applied in the transparent technique (no white paint is used) that allows the light to bounce off the white paper and make the colours glow. The flow of the paint is applied both wet-in-wet (where the colours run and blend freely into one another) or on dry paper to give a more definite edge. No pencil sketching is used but the initial drawing is with a brush and light colour.
Acrylic
Mostly these works are painted with Golden and Stevenson paints on linen or canvas. Usually the fabric is stretched on custom made, deep (or Gallery) frames. The initial image is drawn with thin paint and the underpainting is a thin coat to create a a composition and tonal balance. As thicker paint is applied the design develops, becomes more complicated and subtle colour arrangements are developed. The work develops from a thinly painted and rough idea to a complex arrangement of colours and shapes. Many of the recent works use overlaid images to get this complexity.
Oils
Many of these paintings show the unique geological formations along the Newfoundland coastline using traditional oils on stretched linen or canvas. Paint has been applied to build up layers of thicker colour over a thinner underpainting. As the painting develops the colours and patterns become richer and more complex.
Works on Fabric: printed and painted quilts
Recent works on fibre explore surface decoration through painted and stenciled areas, as well as computer printed images and text transfers. The painted areas use fabric paints such as “liquid colour” and “Setacolour” which are heat set. Some areas are embellished with appliqued, computer-printed images of original paintings or photographs.
Egg Tempera: a traditional technique
Painted on a cradled wooden panel, egg tempera is one of the oldest techniques in which the binding medium is pure egg yolk. As it cures over a year it dries to a water-resistant finish. Some of the earliest examples are Roman-Egyptian wall paintings from the first to fourth century, religious icons in the Byzantine and Medieval periods and the early Renaissance. Brilliance of colour is one of the main qualities of this medium. The overlaying of glazes and brush strokes create a depth and luminosity where the traditional gesso ground shines through the layers of paint. This slow layering of paint requires planning and an understanding of how to make light. It is a planned and careful process that reminds us that painting is more than self-expression, it is also a craft and discipline!
Hand Painted Silk Wall Hangings,
Installations and Soft Sculptures
These works are hand-painted in the serti technique using gutta as a resist. The white outline of the gutta gives a slightly decorative feel to the design. The Procion dyes are applied in a wet, watercolour process and are fixed in the fabric by steaming the final work.
Hand Made Books
These are either drawn or painted books in different bindings. Here you see a watercolour of the northern Labrador coast inspired by many journeys to Hopedale during an Artist In The Community Canada Council Grant. It is an accordion style book.
