Spent three days on a larger painting

Even put an image of the completed work on my blog page. Decided the composition was weak and destroyed it.

In a somewhat humbled state this morning. I took on the job of filling in sky and water areas as a preliminary to creating several larger paintings. This afternoon to relieve the feeling of inadequacy, I completed this minor painting (8x10 inches) of a "Flower barrel" seen on the verandha of a cafe at Mahone Bay.

The LAG is painting on site

But it is just a bit humid for plein air, so I'm painting a winter scene in the studio, and taking the usual means to stay cool. Ruth snapped this one downstairs as I emerged from the second floor seeking refreshments. It is starting to cool down now, and Ruth is doing turkey dinner this evening.

On beer drinking days I leave my sables in the case and switch to 10 cent Chinese hog bristles fr0m the dollar store. These brushes keep one from getting too crabbed stylistically. You just can't get terribly detailed with brushes that have a one day life expectancy.

Saturday: The Picton Castle.s Offucial Return

Actually it came home to Lunenburg with little fanfare some weeks ago. Since then she jhas been in Halifax attending a Tall Ships event in that nearby city.

This time the wind direction was straight at her berth so the crowd that gathered was abl;e to see her come to port in Lunenburg with litttle use of auxiliary power.

Today's much bigger acrylic painting

There's a bit of distortion, and a colour shift here, but perhaps this will convey the idea? The saturation is a lot higher than this in the actual painting, so I'll do some editing before posting it on my web page. Squeezing big paintings into a small format is always problematic.

Today's little painting.

Working Dory: AS seen at the Fisheries Museum Wharf in Lunenburg. There are lots more about as the Fishermen's International Dory Races are in the offing next month. None of these is equipped with that neat rope bumper (blue-green) at the stern and they don't travel with a heavy burden of hemp rope as seen here.

Am currently working with fairly large canvases so am throwing in some small sketches, like this one, to make it seem as if I am making progress. I still manage to get out to the waterfront each day, although global warming seems to have brought with it the promised increase in rainfall and that doesn't help the plein air movement nor my spirits. Getting about two days of intermittent sunshine per week. Not typical of the past.

Old Schooner For Sale

Captain Georgy McEvoy, who rescued the "Sherman Zwicker" from destruction back in 1969 is now offering her for sale. She was the last Grand Banker built in Lunenburg and her appearance there as one of several visiting tall ships was a bit of a promotional. He says, "This boat belongs up north - to bring it to Newfoundland or Lunenburg are probably the most meaningful. I feel it belongs in Nova Scotia..." I do hope it does sell here as our own Theresa E. Connor is a great floating museum but not a sea-going example of this type of craft.

Lunenburg Architecture

The advantages of electronic publication: sheer verbosity, all kinds of photographs. An open ended project.

Trouble is, I also have to make a living! "Lunenburg Architecture" is my on-line hobby. It is at http://rodneymackay.com/ Lunenburg/Architecture/architecture1.html

If you have trouble with the above address try rodneymackay.com and access from my homepage.

Have not had the time to spell check or look at spacing. I am an amateur seeking to learn more about this subject, so corrections of fact are in order and would be appreciated.