Janice Robertson's art

New Ballerina

2012-01-30T12:11:00.001-08:00

I think this one is finished now. Took me a few days to figure out the skin tones and I was working in oil, which I'm not too familiar with. I'm torn between oil and acrylic right now. Acrylic is so comfortable for me- I have my systems, my colour recipes that I lean on and I can do them pretty fast. However I love the classic buttery look of oils- I think it's the direction I want to go in my work. If I don't keep doing them, I will never get into any kind of comfort zone.
I am very happy with this painting. I just love the pose- when I saw the photo, I couldn't wait to paint it. I definitely want to paint more people. It's exciting to be doing something new.
"Before the Dance" 24 x 30" oil

2012-01-22T11:28:00.000-08:00

Here are two of my first ever paintings of a live model. I went into the experience fully expecting to be completely lost so I was very surprised to be able to do anything that was half decent. I really like the ballerina painting. The other one has some problems but still, I learned a huge amount while doing it. I learned a lot too, from watching, Liz, Gaye, Sarah and Jean- they did some beautiful work.
I 'm hoping to do this again soon. I never considered the figure to be something that I would be interested to paint, even though most of my favourite artists are figure painters; Sargent, Sorolla and Richard Schmid. It's a whole new world to explore.

2012-01-22T11:20:00.000-08:00

Here's a few more pictures from the Sorento trip. As you can see, Blue and Lily were quite stressed by the event. I will follow this posting with a couple of my painting efforts.

2012-01-21T11:03:00.000-08:00

Here's my painter friend, Liz Wiltzen and I, along with Lily and Blue, just before we drove up to Sorento last Tuesday.

I spent three days with Liz, Sarah Kidner, Jean Pederson and Gaye Adams, at Gaye's beautiful home near the lake. We painted from models, ate too much, tried to figure out the truth of art and laughed- a lot. What a gift.

I have never painted from a live model before so it was a huge learning experience for me. I will post a couple of my paintings, as well as a few shots of the group, later.

2012-01-06T11:57:00.000-08:00

"Sunset at Second Beach" 24 x 30" acrylic
After a few false starts, this is my first completed painting for 2012. It will be my invitation piece for my April show at Granville Fine Arts Gallery. It's amazing how rusty I felt after a couple of weeks of not painting.
I love the start of a new year- a chance to re-establish goals and think about what is really important in life. I am so grateful to be blessed with good health and the ability to do what I love for a living.

2011-12-31T15:34:00.000-08:00

Here I am with my fellow arteest- grand-daughter Karma. Guess who got the big easel?

2011-12-26T13:26:00.000-08:00

Here's the studio before and during the big Christmas dinner. We ended up with 16 people so it was busy. The weather co-operated so the walk from the house to the studio was dry. It was a real gift to see all the family gathered and enjoying each other. We had 4 generations represented, from our dad at 86 to my great nephew David, age 4.

2011-12-21T17:55:00.000-08:00

This is just a quick note to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a joyful New Year. My energy is going towards the big family dinner that we are hosting this year- 15 people all together. I am attempting to transform my studio into a beautiful dining hall. Might have bitten off too much but I want it to be special. Once I'm finished, I'll post it on the blog.

2011-12-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I taught a 3 days basic acrylics class in Coquitlam. Here's a picture of my wonderful ladies and also some of the paintings created. For a basic class, I supply the images and teach via a step by step approach. Thanks to everyone for making it such a fun three days.

2011-11-30T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here's the finished version of the painting that I posted a while ago. It was really fun to do and I was happy to avoid getting too tight with it. I feel a series of juicy still life pieces coming on- I just love the color and texture opportunities with this kind of subject.
The painting is going to the Federation gallery in Vancouver for the upcoming Medal show. The opening is on Dec 8th and everyone is welcome if you are in town.
"Counting the Hour" 20 x 24" acrylic.

2011-11-25T13:27:00.000-08:00

This weekend the mountain opens for skiing at Whistler and the Adele Campbell Gallery is having the opening of their annual Winter Show. This is one of the new pieces that I sent up for the show- "Indigo Sky" 18 x 36" acrylic.

The gallery is in the Westin Hotel and Spa so check it out if you're in the area.

2011-11-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

OK- I thought I had put the finishing touches on this painting but turns out my vision was different than the client's. Fortunately the changes they wanted were easy to make so this is what we ended up with. I have to admit that I might like it even more in this new incarnation. Commission are an interesting part of the journey!

2011-11-21T16:02:00.000-08:00

Today I finally put the finishing touches on this painting. It is a 30 x 48" oil and is a commission for a Vancouver client. I thought it was done about a week ago but there were things that bothered me about it, although I was having trouble knowing what to do.

My sister, Suzannne, had a look at it and made some very helpful suggestions. I think I had been looking at it so long I couldn't really see it any more. I ended up doing some work on the freighter to improve the drawing and I reworked almost the entire foreground. I'm much happier with it now and am looking forward to showing it to the client.

2011-11-12T14:29:00.000-08:00

This week in my Vancouver intermediate acrylics class, we did an interesting exercise. We all had photos that we had taken of a still life set up from the previous week. Everyone was given a bit of time to under-paint their canvas and draw in the basic composition. Then we had one hour to paint as much as we could. At the end of the hour we lined up all the paintings and had a look.

Most people really enjoyed the exercise, a few chose not to do it and a couple found it so stressful that they dropped out. Hopefully they will all forgive me for putting them through it. The benefits of this exercise is that you have to very quickly decide what really matters in your painting and what you can leave out. No time to get bogged down with small details.

I found it exhilarating- kind of like white water rafting. Here is my effort- 20 x 24" acrylic. I like it and plan to spend a little time bringing it to completion, while trying not to lose the freshness.

2011-11-12T14:22:00.000-08:00

Before and after. My studio during the workshop last weekend and today. Seems awfully quiet now

2011-11-06T21:43:00.000-08:00

Just coming to the end of a wonderful weekend. Gaye Adams was here teaching a workshop in my studio and our friend Mark Hobson from Tofino was here for the weekend too. We had great conversations around the dining room table with Gaye, Mark and some of the other artist friends attending the workshop.

I learned a lot about oil painting these past three days. We did small oils from life- no bigger than 6 x 8". Here are two of mine.

Gaye is a wonderful teacher. If you ever get a chance to take a workshop with her, I highly recommend that you go for it.

Here's a shot of our workshop group- thanks all for making it so much fun!

2011-11-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Lots going on right now. I did a very enjoyable 2 day workshop on Gabriola Island about a week ago- I had a wonderful group of people to work with and I love the natural beauty of the island.

The Vancouver classes are in full swing. We only have 2 more classes after this week so it has gone by in a blur. I do a south Granville gallery crawl with my intermediate class on the final day, then we all go out for lunch together- it's one of my favourite days. Each time we do it, I'm reminded of how important it is to get out to galleries and see what other artists are doing.

This weekend I'm hosting a workshop with Gaye Adams in my home studio. This is the first one so I'm very excited and looking forward to learning lots about daily oil painting from Gaye.

Painting-wise, I'm working on a big commission for a Vancouver client. It's an image of the harbour from Jericho beach. 30 x 48 " oil. I will post it when it's done. Then I need to get busy and do some new pieces for each of my galleries for the holiday season.

2011-10-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

I think there was a bit of a breakthrough on this painting. I did each apple wet-in-wet and managed to keep the edges soft. Thinking about edges a lot right now- the next frontier!

Spanish Bowl 24 x 24"

2011-10-06T12:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I taught my first of 7 weekly classes in Vancouver. I do an intermediate class in the afternoon and a beginner class in the evening. It is one of the great pleasures of my life to teach and be a part of the growth of other artists. I took this painting along for my students to see and offer comments. There were some helpful suggestions given that I applied to the painting.

The beginner class had 9 on the wait list so we have set up another class - it will be in Coquitlam, Dec 5th, 6th & 7th. More information on that at www.artists.ca or you can contact me.

I'm interested in growing myself and so I am planning to take a few workshops in the next few months.

First up will be a three day workshop in November with my friend Gaye Adams. I will be hosting this in my home studio and have a small group of local painters coming to learn along with me. Next year, Alan and I are hoping to do one of the Master workshops with one or two of the rock star instructors from the USA . Really looking forward to that.

2011-10-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a few shots from Apple Day plein air painting. We had fun and the rain held off. As you can see, Alan chose a glamorous spot near the restrooms.

2011-10-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't painted flowers for the while so decided to paint this little bouquet from my garden. I plan to paint another version of this image as a demo for my basic acrylic class which starts this week. I started with a black underpainting, which is what I will get the class to do.

This class is full but I'm working on putting together a three day workshop in early December. It will be for beginners, and will probably take place in Coquitlam. I'll post the details when I have the venue and dates secured.

2011-09-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

Today my friend Judy & I went painting outdoors, about 5 minutes from home. Both of us are fairly new to plein air painting. We felt that today we took a step forward in our skills and were pretty happy with the day. Nothing better than to sit outside in a beautiful place with a good friend, two good dogs and paint.

This little 12 x 12 isn't perfect, but progress is being made- that's all I ask. We're going again next week!

2011-09-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

Here's the finished painting from the photo that I posted a while ago. This painting will be in the Stave Falls group show, which opens on Oct 28th. More details on the show later.

I don't have a title for this one yet- its a 24 x 18" acrylic.

2011-09-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy few days. Last Thursday night we went to my sister Suzanne's opening for her joint show with Joe Coffey. It was packed with people and a great chance for us to catch up with some old friends. The show is stunning- check it out if you haven't seen it- it's on at Granville Fine Arts for the week.

Friday night it was the Federation of Canadian Artists annual art auction at Performance Works. Tension filled the air as ticket holders waiting for their name to be called so they could choose a painting. I was choosing on behalf of some friends who were unable to attend so I experienced the pressure firsthand. All in all it was a fun event and people were able to scoop up some pretty amazing art for the ticket price of $700.00

Yesterday my husband Alan, and our good friend Mike Svob, had a show open at White Rock Gallery. A great crowd, lots of red dots and the show looked beautiful. The contrast between Alan's and Mike's work is profound- Alan; subtle, detailed and thoughtful, Mike: bold, colourful and exhuberant but somehow it all works together. White Rock Gallery has the visual presentation down to a fine art itself so check out this show if you are in the area.

2011-09-18T15:10:00.000-07:00

We got home today from a great week at the FCA workshop on Gabriola Island. Here's a couple of small paintings that I did on location, plus a shot of one of our painting groups with Alan.

We got to spend time with some treasured old friends and made some new ones as well. I learned something from each instructor and was grateful to be able to work on my plein air skills. I'm not where I want to be yet but the work is getting better. I'll keep plugging along and see where it leads me.

Speaking of plein air, Apple Day is coming up in Fort Langley on Oct 1st. It's an opportunity to paint outdoors with a group, in a beautiful setting along the banks of the Fraser River. Email me if you'd like more info- everyone is welcome.

2011-09-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed every minute of painting this little guy. Seems the painting block and discontent has lifted for the moment- what a relief! Now I feel bursting with ideas for things to paint.

"Teen Angel" 16 x 20" acrylic

2011-09-09T18:12:00.000-07:00

Today I took advantage of this glorious weather that we've been getting to go on a photo hike with artist friends Linda and Judy. These are two of my favorite shots of the day. We took dogs and a picnic lunch and we all agreed that life doesn't get any better than being outside in nature, with good friends on a beautiful day. We all felt so blessed to have so much natural beauty this close to home.

Next week Alan and I go to Gabriola Island for the Federation plein air painting workshop. I am really looking forward to painting outdoors with the group. I'll post a few of my paintings from that on the blog if I manage to do anything worthwhile- still a beginner at the whole plein air thing.

2011-09-05T16:29:00.000-07:00

Finished this piece today. It's a river bed in the Chilliwack area. I love the color of the rocks and tried to keep the painting fairly light in value to capture the softness of the blues and greens.

"The River's Trail" 30 x 40" acrylic

It's a hive of activity around our house. My husband , Alan, is getting ready for his two person show with Mike Svob at the White Rock Gallery. That opens on July 25th and it will be a stunner.

Also my sister Suzanne is staying with us right now so she can paint for her upcoming show with Joe Coffey at Granville Fine Arts. That opens September 22, so check it out if you're in Vancouver.

As for me, I just hung 7 paintings in the lobby of the Hollyburn Country club. They will be up for the month of September. Now I'm working on some paintings for the Stave Falls Art Group's annual show in October. They kindly invited me to be their guest artist this year. More details on that event closer to the time.

2011-08-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

Have started a new piece today that I'm excited about. 30 x 40 so it's a pretty big one. I hope this painting lives up to it's promising start. Sometimes by the end, I kill the excitement in the effort to get it right. Probably a great little metaphor for life there .

People have questioned me about painting blocks. This summer there have been a few spells of them for me. Usually I avoid the studio for few days and then start to feel very weird so I get back in there and try to paint. Even if I just go in and underpaint a canvas or organize my storage or go through my reference, I find it helpful to get me started again.

I'm going through a period of extreme discontentment with my work right now. Not a comfortable place to be but it happens. If the latest painting works it will help but I think I need to go back to learning. Read a little more, maybe take a workshop.

Am reading Richard Schmid's book right now- his old one called "Everything I know About Painting". I find it funny that he has since written a new book. Anyway, it's a great book and very inspiring. He is such a genius painter that one might feel like just hanging up the brushes but he is definitely worth checking out f you don't know him. Reading about his process is interesting for me because it is so different than mine.

2011-08-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

Here's my best Monet impression. "Lily Pond" 30 x 36" acrylic

2011-08-21T17:49:00.000-07:00

I've been exploring Pitt Meadows a bit lately. It's on the other side of the river from us and is now readily available thanks to the new Golden Ears bridge. It's a beautiful area with an extensive network of dikes, rivers and lakes.

This image is typical of the area. 24 x 18" oil. Haven't thought of a name for the painting yet. Let me know if you have any ideas.

Studio Friends

2011-08-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

I had a fun day today and also learned something. My sister Suzanne is staying with me for a few days. She needs to paint because she has a show coming up. So this afternoon, she, our good friend Judy, and I, all painted in my studio

We put on some music and the paint started to fly. I finished one and made a good start on a new big one. It was so energizing to have company in the studio- I'm definitely going to do it more.

2011-08-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

I started this painting about 8 months ago. First in acrylics and then I overpainted it in oils. It just never came together although there were bits of it that I liked. It sat in a corner of my studio until today when I felt like having another crack at it.

I think it's ok now- I feel much more comfortable with it. I don't know why I could resolve it today after all this time. The temperature change in the sky is new and that made a big difference.

"Lions Gate" 24 x 36" oil

2011-08-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

I started this piece last weekend at a paint-out in the garden at the Birthplace of BC Gallery.

Good thing I like painting grass! The challenge to to make it look like I painted all the grass without painting all the grass.

Beach Bird 20 x 30" acrylic

Alan and I will be in West Van this Saturday for the annual Plien Aire paint-out at Ambleside Beach. Come say hi if you're in the neighbourhood.

Plien Air paintings

2011-07-18T17:52:00.001-07:00

I painted these little field studies from life this morning at Derby Reach Park near Fort Langley. They are both 8 x 10 ".

I have lots to learn about painting plien air but I have learned to keep it very simple for now. It' definitely a great exercise to help sharpen the paintings skills and I hope to get out and paint in the great outdoors a lot more this summer.

2011-07-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a few photos from my recent trip to Thormanby Island. I came home with about 350 images so more island paintings will be coming up. The weather was perfect and my friends Pete and Jeannie were kind enough to take me around in their boat so I could get some shots from the water.

Class reunion at Whistler

2011-06-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

Just back from my class reunion at Lianne's beautiful home at Whistler. It was really fun to paint with the group. We went for a 2 hour hike on the morning of the second day.
All my favorite things in one place- creative friends, dogs, great food and a spectacular natural setting
Thank you, Lianne, for making it happen!

2011-06-07T14:10:00.000-07:00

Just finished this guy. Good timing because I'm taking it to Whistler tomorrow. The image is the Cheakamus trail in Whistler so I'll probably be walking there in the next couple of days.
I'm going for a reunion with some of my students- we will paint, eat and probably watch the hockey game- go Canucks!

CheakamusTrail 20 x 30" acrylic

2011-06-05T07:38:00.001-07:00

Here's few pictures from last weekend's event at Painters Lodge in Campbell River. Me with my friend Sue, expressing my opinion on the chocolate dipped strawberries, me with Arthur Vickers, checking out the texture of each other's hair- his feels like a hedgehog!, and me painting in the tent.

The main event was eating, followed by goofing around and yes, I did do a little painting.

In all seriousness, we had a wonderful time , as usual and I think the caliber of art there was even stronger than previous years. We are over 30 artists in residence now. Chief Tony Hunt was the chosen one for this year and he was a great addition to the group.

Every time I go to Painters, I come away with the understanding of how important it is for we creative folk to have time together. To see what everyone is doing, to talk about ideas, to talk about the struggles and the triumphs, to laugh together- this is all like gold to me. Next week I'm going to spend a couple of days in Whistler, painting with a group of my students- it should be more of the same good stuff.

Yesterday the sun came out and it was glorious. I spent the entire day outdoors- mostly working in the garden. I had hoped for a little studio time too but didn't make it that far. I have a new piece on the easel that is close to finished. I'll be posting it soon.

2011-05-16T18:27:00.001-07:00

Two new bird paintings just hatched in the studio- Raven I & Raven II, 8 x8" acrylics

2011-05-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Blue and I did a dog agility trail in Pitt Meadows. It poured rain almost the whole time and the grass became a sea of mud. Here I am in one of the brief moments when it stopped raining.
Blue was unimpressed and ran like a snail. Next weekend we are going to the BC & Yukon Regional trial- it's outdoors too so I'm praying for dry weather.

2011-04-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

2011-04-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

Alan and I just got back from a couple of days at Pender Island, visiting my parents for Easter. My sister Suzanne, her fiance, David, niece Andrea and her partner Dan also went, so it was quite a gang that descended.
We hit every beach we could while we were there and were blessed with sunshine.
These two photos were taken at Roesland, my favorite place on earth. I have done many paintings from there and there will be more to come. There's something about the place that is just magic to me.
That's Suzanne, off in the distance.

2011-04-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

This painting started out with a red underpainting and the plan was for there to be lots of red, black and buttery yellow. So much for plans. Things were not going well so I did a pthalo blue glaze over the whole painting and went in wet-in-wet.
I've done lots of paintings of crows though none recently. This one used a different photo for each crow- I cut them out and played around with different arrangements
"Blue Boys" 16 x 20" acrylic

2011-04-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Here's the finished piece-"Caramello" 30 x 40" acrylic. The painting has been delivered to Granville Fine Arts gallery in Vancouver.

2011-04-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

Another stage of the Rose painting. Background finished and roses started. Things are getting a little cooler than I wanted so the finished piece will show that I warmed everything up again

2011-04-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

Here's the next stage of the roses. Starting to build the darks and also some of the highlights. Keeping everything very loose and suggested at this point.

2011-04-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Here's stage one of the Rose painting. Quinacridone gold underpainting sets a lovely warm beginning. I'm going to try to keep it very warm to the end. Don't know what color the flowers will be but probably not red.

2011-04-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

This sketch is the start of my next large painting. I'm using two photos as reference for the painting - one for the roses and another one for everything else. The light is different in each photo so I have to figure out how to handle that.

I don't do a sketch for every painting but if I'm making anything up or changing things in my reference, it's a great way to plan the composition.

2011-04-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

It's 6:04- I'm happy to announce that Linda Ramsden, with a winning bid of $515.00, is the new owner of "Above and Below". Thanks to all who bid for your support for a very good cause. It's wonderful for me to be able to make this substantial donation!

2011-04-07T17:52:00.000-07:00

Current price on the auctioned painting is $450.00- 10 minutes to go!

2011-04-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent the day at the Cherry Blossom Festival at Van Duesen Gardens in Vancouver. A group of 12 students came to try their hand at plien air painting. Most were brand new at it. All were courageous and did a respectable job on their paintings.
We were blessed with no rain, although the sun came and went the whole time. We attracted a lot of attention from the crowds of people there, much to the consternation of some.
Thanks to all for being such troopers- it was fun!

2011-03-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

Current highest bid on the Japan painting is $200.00

2011-03-30T22:09:00.000-07:00

The last bid on the auctioned painting today was $150.00

2011-03-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

This painting was started as a demo for my intermediate class in Vancouver. They wanted to see how to paint rocks underwater and reflections. It's really a matter of observation, more than technique. Gotta paint what you see and forget what the subject is.

I 'm going to auction this painting off as a fund raiser for the Red Cross to support their work in Japan. If you want to make a bid, email me at jrobertson13@shaw.ca. I will post the bids on this blog each day until Thursday, April 7th. Starting bid is $50.00- payment by cheque or money order only.

"Above and Below" 12 x 16" acrylic.

2011-03-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

This is actually only my second lighthouse painting- amazing to have painted for 25 years in BC and not have painted more lighthouses. The reference photo was taken from the ferry on the way to Victoria. My reference was murky and gray and I had to use the zoom on my camera, plus crop the photo quite a bit. Still, the 'bones' of the image were good and I enjoyed playing with color interpretations. In my ongoing battle with skies, I think this one turned out pretty well, although I really worked hard to get it.
"Portlock Point Lighthouse" 18 x 36" acrylic

This weekend, [March 26 & 27] , I will be painting in the Birthplace of BC gallery here in Fort Langley- Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Drop in and say hi if you're in the area.

Also, for those looking for an acrylic workshop, my next one is in West Vancouver on April 16th & 17th. Called " the Elements of Landscape", it's an intermediate level workshop. More info can be found on my website and I'm happy to answer any questions you have about the class- just email me.

2011-03-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

Just finished this painting today. The image will go in the catalogue for the annual Painters at Painters event in Campbell River. This will take place May 27th to 29th this year.

It's our favorite event of the year- a chance to mingle with some of the best painters in BC and catch up with many old friends.

Rhythm of the Sea, 24 x 36" acrylic

2011-03-10T12:41:00.000-08:00

I had a request from one of my galleries to do a painting like this- this size and subject matter. They have a client interested in getting one of my paintings and this is what might work for them.

I don't mind doing paintings for people by request, as long as the subject is something I would paint anyway. For me, this is more comfortable than a commission, which is a situation loaded with pressure- for both me and the client. This way, if they like the painting they can take it and if not, it's available for someone else.

"Galiano Shore" 18 x 36" acrylic

2011-02-24T17:29:00.000-08:00

I had a good painting day today. To be honest, it has been a grind to get into the studio these past few weeks. Then today the block came unplugged and I was into the joy mode and painting like a fiend. The sunshine was helpful, I'm sure and I had all my favorite music on. Right now it's Leonard Cohen's live concert cd, the sound track from Crazy Heart, and Rosanne Cash's "The List'.
At the end of the day, 24 x 30" acrylic, "Canyon Pool", was born. I might just survive the winter after all.

2011-02-17T16:24:00.000-08:00

I got this painting back yesterday from one of my galleries. It was done a couple of years ago. I looked at it and instantly could see that the island shapes were very awkward. Today I reworked the islands and now I'm pretty happy with this painting-
Gulf Island Sunset 30 x 30" acrylic

2011-02-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

I'm getting ready to give all my galleries new work. This painting will go to the Peninsula Gallery in Sidney. Title is "Sunny Sky" and it's an 18 x 24" acrylic.

I have a new big one in the studio that I had hoped to finish today but it still needs more work. One of my art goals this year is to give each painting everything I've got and not to rush anything. That's not always easy to do when you've spent days on a piece and it's much more appealing to think about starting something new.

My workshops for 2011 are starting soon. The first one will be in West Vancouver and then the weekly classes at the Federation start in March. There are still a couple of spaces in the basic acrylics class- check my workshops page on my website if you want to see what's being offered.

2011-02-04T19:20:00.000-08:00

My gallery here in Fort Langley is having a show to celebrate the Chinese New Year- the Year of the Rabbit. I have always found rabbits to be very appealing so was happy to create this painting for the show- "Velveteen Rabbits" 11 x 14" acrylic.The show opens Feb 26th & 27th at the Birthplace of BC Gallery.

2011-02-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

We're back! Here's one of the Mexico paintings- "Tea and Oranges" 30 x 24". I got a lot of amazing beach photos while we were there so that is what I plan to get going on next. San Jose was lovely- perfect weather and lots to see.So far it's been sunny here at home so the transition back hasn't been too tough.

2011-01-15T21:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone- I hope 2011 proves to be a stellar year for all of us.
Alan and I leave tomorrow for 2 weeks in Mexico. We have begun showing with two galleries there- the Golden Cactus in Cabo San Lucas and the Old Town Gallery in San Jose.
We plan to paint while we are in Mexico and leave new work with the galleries. If possible I will post some pieces on the blog while we're away.If not, there will be new postings in February, when we return.

2010-12-27T12:12:00.000-08:00

Everyone has dispersed after Christmas so I made it back into the studio today. Just finished this piece that I had started last week. The painting will go to the Federation Gallery in Vancouver for "Crossing Boundaries"-a joint show with the Chinese Canadian Artists Federation. The show opens January 27th, 2011. I will be in Mexico so unfortunately won't make the opening.
"Shelter" 16 x 20" acrylic.

2010-12-22T15:19:00.000-08:00

I finally got most of the pre-Christmas stuff done and today had some good time in the studio. This painting is of Lions Gate Bridge from Ambleside beach in West Vancouver. It's a little different for me because of it's urban vibe. I do think that Vancouver is one of the most spectacular cities in the world, although I'm a little biased, having grown up here.
I got a good start on another painting today, as well. It will probably be my last painting for 2010. Will post it when it's done.

2010-12-04T16:27:00.000-08:00

Not too much painting going on this past week. Last weekend we drove up to Whistler with our good friends Mike and Nancy Svob, for the opening at Adele Campbell Gallery. We had a great time, saw lots of old friends and the weather was perfect.One of the photos I took during my walk is posted here.
Today Alan and I spent all day putting up lights, including on my new studio. Tomorrow my women friends will gather in the studio for our annual wreath making session.In the evening the men of the group will make dinner.It's one of my favorite Christmas traditions.

2010-11-26T11:29:00.000-08:00

I worked on this little painting at the Salt Spring Island workshop. Just finished it today and I will deliver it to my local gallery here in Fort Langley. "In the Grove" 11 x 14" acrylic.
For those that are interested in workshops, I have posted everything that's scheduled so far for 2011 on my website. There might be a couple more so keep checking if you don't see something that fits- www.janicerobertson.ca

2010-11-22T17:39:00.000-08:00

I just got home last night from an adventurous weekend workshop on Saltspring Island. I arrived Friday night and when I woke up on Saturday morning the place was under a deep blanket of snow. It was quite a challenge to sort things out and get going with the workshop- our original location had no power and an un-plowed road to traverse. Half the island was without power and phone lines were out as well.In the end, a hardy group of 7 people, out of the original 17, made it through and we gathered at Judy's home studio. I've included a picture of the view out Judy's studio window. A couple more people showed up on Sunday.
Thanks to organizer, Don Hodgins, who did a great job of handling the challenges and thanks too to my class- you were all a delight!

2010-11-12T22:05:00.000-08:00

I started this painting about a year ago and gave up on it because it was not coming together and I got bogged down with it. I pulled it out a couple of days ago and decided that I could possibly make it work now. Don't know why- maybe I just needed some distance from it. Anyway, here it is. It will be going to Granville Fine Arts gallery tomorrow for the show next week.
"Tide Turning- The Gap" 30 x 30" acrylic

2010-11-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was my still life workshop in West Vancouver. The weather was beautiful and we were right on the water. Here's a picture of the view and my painter girls, with their bottle paintings. I really enjoyed my time with everyone.

2010-11-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

"Persimmon Parade".This little painting is an interesting shape- 10 x 20". I have signed on with a new gallery in San Jose, Mexico, so I'm trying to come up with some pieces that will fit there. So far I have sent still life pieces. I don't know how I will do painting the Mexican landscape, but I will probably give it a try when we go there in January.
The gallery is called Old Town Gallery, and is in the historic art district of San Jose del Cabo.

2010-10-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

I have been experimenting with backdrops of fabric for my still life paintings lately. I'm really enjoying the look and have started collecting interesting scarves and remnants to use for future paintings. I like the neutral palette of this scarf with the strong colors of the roses and limes. Painting the design was fun as I didn't get too literal with it- just painted the gist of what I could see.This painting will go the Granville Fine Arts Gallery in Vancouver for the group show in November.
Lime and Roses, 24 x 30" acrylic.

2010-10-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

I recently finished this painting. It's of Thormanby Island, one of my favorite places on the planet. Looking at this image takes me right back to the feeling of being there. I think the shape of the canvas adds to the strength of this painting- it's 24 x 48". The painting will be going to my Vancouver gallery, Granville Fine Arts, for their upcoming group show, which opens Nov 18th.

2010-10-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first annual plein air paint-out at Apple Day near Fort Langley. Apple Day takes place to celebrate the 100 year old heritage apple trees that grow on the Houston Trail, alongside the Fraser River. We had a group of about 15 artists come out to paint together. Here's a picture of some of us at the end of the day. We'll do it again next year- the first Saturday in October. Let me know if you want to be on the list of contacts.

2010-10-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

After my struggles with the last painting, this one just fell off the brush. The gods of art are capricious and constantly testing us. Anyway, don't ya just need red every now and then?- I sure do. "Red Mountain Sky" 24 x 30"

2010-09-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I went into the studio and took another look at this painting. I asked my self what kind of critique I would give if it was done by one of my students. Lots came up: colors too garish, foreground grasses too busy, composition needs tweaking and focal point needs more work. I spent the day reworking this painting and I am much happier with it.
Early Winter Bog 24 x 36" acrylic

2010-09-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

This painting was quite a slog. I spent a few long days on it and felt I had done all I could do. I wasn't particularly happy with it, but I wanted to be done and move on to the next painting. I photographed it at the end of the day and locked the studio.

2010-09-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a few shots from the wonderful week long workshop that we just attended on Gabriola island. As you can see, I was so relaxed I fell asleep on a rock. Painting on location is challenging for me, but so much fun. If you want to go next year, it will be happening in September and my guy, Alan will be one of the instructors. Check out www.artists.ca for info.

2010-08-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

So here's the final result. As you can see, most of the changes happened in the sky- I added some clouds and left some textured brushwork showing.The whole painting got a much stronger dose of color.I don't know if it's great painting now but I am much happier with it.

2010-08-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

A recent clean out of my studio storage room revealed this painting. I did it last summer and it never made it out of the studio. I never liked it too much- found it very bland and boring. As I sometimes do with paintings where I feel like I have nothing to lose, I stuck it on the easel and started playing around. I didn't pull out the reference photo- just did what I felt like doing.

2010-08-19T15:43:00.001-07:00

Anyone who knows Thormanby Island will enjoy this painting. It's where I spent my childhood summers and still get to go with generous friends that share their cottages with me.

2010-08-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

I lost a few painting days when I came down with heatstroke after doing an outdoor agility match with Blue last weekend. The temperature was 30+ degrees and I hosed the dog down regularly but forgot to do myself- yikes- I will be more careful from now on.
I think this piece is finally done- put the finishing touches on it today. I will deliver it to the Peninsula gallery in Sidney this weekend.

2010-08-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

I painted this little 8 x 8" piece for a fundraiser for the Whistler Art Workshops on the Lake. Tickets for the draw are $50.00 and the event takes place in Whistler on Sept 12th. If you're interested in more information, contact the Whistler Arts Council 604 935 8410.

2010-08-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

Here's today's progress on the painting. The top part is getting near completion. I will post the final image in a few days when it's ready.

2010-08-08T18:14:00.000-07:00

I spent a few hours on the new painting today- here's how it's coming along

2010-08-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

We spent a great week in Whistler- teaching and hiking around enjoying the spectacular scenery. The weather was perfect. I got a lot of good photos and have posted one of my favorite ones here. The other image is the very early stage of a 30 x 40" painting that I'm doing from the photo. I like to get all the basic elements of the painting in before I get into any detail. I'll post the finished piece when it's done.
Today I'm off to do an outdoor demo for the Harmony Arts Festival in West Vancouver. It's pouring rain right now so should be interesting- we'll see if any hardy souls turn up to watch the demo.

2010-07-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to announce that, along with my husband Alan, I will now be represented by the Adele Campbell Gallery in Whistler. Alan and I will be in Whistler teaching workshops for the Whistler Arts council this week and next, and on Saturday, July 24, there will be a mini show of our work at the gallery. 3:00 to 6:00 pm- come by and see us if you're in the area. Posted here are two of the new pieces I painted for the gallery- "Fallen" 30 x 24" acrylic and "Drumbeg Sky" 24 x 36 acrylic.

2010-07-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

Many of the galleries in Vancouver are featuring drawing this month. My gallery, Granville Fine Arts, will have a drawing show opening July 17th. As a kid, there was nothing I loved more than drawing and usually the subject was horses. So choosing to draw horses for the show was a natural for me. Here you see "Mama Clyde" 16 x 20 graphite on paper.

2010-06-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

Here's why I love acrylics. This big painting wasn't working for quite a while and I wasn't sure what to do to fix it. Along came my sister- artist extraordinaire, Suzanne Northcott and she said "you might want to lose that tree on the right." After much deliberation, I decided she was right. Out came the tree and I think I got a better painting. "Sundancers" 30 x 40" acrylic

2010-06-24T17:13:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to painting the beautiful sunset from the Port Alberni trip. I hope I did it justice- painting sunsets is a risky thing to do- right up there with paintings of kittens and clowns... chocolate box paintings, as my spouse Alan calls them. Anyway you can be the judge on whether I crossed the line. For the record, Alan says he likes the painting. I like it too.

2010-06-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

2010-06-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have been away teaching quite a bit lately. In between, I have been fighting with a couple of large complex paintings. Neither of them are where I want them to be. Last weekend I started this little [ 12 x 16"] painting as a demo for one of my classes. I decided to play with it today and see what I could make of it. I'm pretty happy with it now and it has restored my faith a bit. I titled it "breaking Through" which is hopefully what will happen with the other paintings.

2010-05-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

I managed to get a copy of the finished 65 Roses piece. Copies of this poster will be for sale for $65.00 to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis society. Information available through the Federation of Canadian Artists.

65 red roses

2010-05-17T09:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was at the reception for the unveiling of the collaborative painting "65 Red Roses". This piece was composed from sixty five 8 x 10 panels all done by individual artists from the Federation of Canadian Artists. The finished piece will be auctioned off by Maynards in Vancouver as a fund raiser for Cystic Fibrosis. 400 guests were at the opening - artists media, and many members of the CF society. It was very exciting to be a part of it all. Here you can see Angela Au Hemphill, Michael King and my guy, Alan in my studio assembling all the little paintings. I've also included my rose painting. If you want to see the finished piece, go to www.Web.me.com/angela.au.hemphill/Paintings_65_Red_Roses/Welcome.html. or google "Painting 65 Red Roses".

2010-05-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to me how challenging some paintings can be. This one was a fight the whole way. I changed everything over and over until I finally felt I had given it my best shot. The myriad changes were to make it warmer, cooler, more colorful, more neutral, more detail, less detail, trees in, trees out, clouds out, clouds in. The final result: Desolation Isle 24 x 36" acrylic- I need to go lie down for a while!.

2010-04-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

Just back last night from a three day workshop in Port Alberni. I had a great time- the group was willing, enthusiastic and fun, the scenery was gorgeous and they treated me very well. I made it out to Long Beach for a few hours and took a bunch of photos but my favorite was one I took in a Port Alberni valley just as the sun was setting. Now I just have to paint it. Skies are a bit of a nemesis for me.