Two New Musician Paintings

I decided to do a couple small pieces, to round out this collection. Both of these are based on photos I took at the Southside Shuffle festival a couple weeks ago. The change in colour scheme I blame on the influx of new music. I think these will be the last paintings I will have time to complete before the upcoming show at the Art Gallery of Lambeth. The opening is October 5th. I'm curious to see how they hang everything.... better not forget my camera this time!

Acrylic on Canvas
11x14" 

Acrylic on Canvas
11x14"

Large Painting = Lots of Time

Trio
Acrylic on Canvas
24"x30"

Finally got this large piece finished... it's the largest thing I've done in a long time, even if it's still not huge. It's just big enough to hang over my piano without looking lost. Thought I was done a couple times... then I'd catch a glimpse of it while I was walking past and see something else that bothered me. Two weeks later.... now I remember why I don't usually paint any larger that 16x20. Apart from the fact that it took every second of my painting time for two solid weeks, it also made it difficult to move around in my very tiny studio. I had to clear the easel and the space around it, and I still really couldn't get back far enough to get a good look. I think if I am going to do more large pieces, which I'd like to, I'm going to have to do a little rearranging in there. And maybe keep the door closed, because every time I turned around I was tripping over a dog.

Shuffling Southside...

This weekend was the "Southside Shuffle" in Port Credit, Mississauga's annual Jazz and Blues Festival. They close off Lakeshore Rd. and the bands line the street, just far enough apart so they don't interfere with each other. They also have 4 large stages set up in the park by the Credit River, and the music goes on all weekend. I had to go and take some photos, since this is really my last chance of the summer to get what I need to finish off these musician paintings. Lots of bands with horn sections... I'm really a sucker for this stuff. I guess I just love shiny things. I saw a lot of wonderful musicians, and bought a load of new music. I love picking up CDs from local independent artists.... they all seem to be flogging them and its a good way to support the local music scene. Many of the bands I saw were from the general area. Later in the evening I ventured into the park to see Jack deKeyzer, who I've seen many times before but he never disappoints. Here's a shot of him with his band... it was starting to get dark so it isn't really the best photo, but it's the best of the bunch that I took.

Jack DeKeyzer at the Southside Shuffle

I have been painting like crazy lately, but have no photos of new artwork to post. I had lent my camera to my son (he's 15) so he could take some photos of his friends, and it was returned to me, minus the SD card. We finally found it (in his friend's computer), but when I got it back, it was completely full. I spent about an hour laughing at silly pics of all sorts of stuff... the sky, the park, their shoes, close ups of their teeth, the dog's teeth, the boys with their instruments, the boys on the playground equipment with their instruments (!!!) etc. etc. It was funny. But anyway, I haven't had a chance to get my paintings out and photograph them, but it's definitely on the agenda for this week. I need to get it done before I drop them all off at the gallery, and the deadline for that is quickly approaching!!

Busker Weekend

Piano Keys Crosswalk
in Port Credit

We seem to love the idea of a festival. Why not? It gets people out and off their computers, they interact, there's entertainment, food, music, fun... what's not to love? The last two weeks have been for "Buskerfest"... this past weekend was the one in downtown Toronto, and the weekend before it was held in Port Credit (home of the wonderful piano keys crosswalks). I went to that one, since I had to run an errand in the area and it was a lovely summer day.

 The acts were spread out over a few blocks, and you could pick up a schedule if there was something specific you wanted to catch. There were a few acts that caught my attention. These guys (right) were pretty funny; some juggling, some dancing, some jokes and a few stunts. Hard to tell from the photo... the two guys on the ground were holding a beam of some kind and the other guy was doing flips off it. I'm really glad he didn't miss, because although those mats look like they are under him, they were actually way too far away to be of any help if he fell.


These two were probably my favourite performers of the day. They call themselves "Strings on Fire", and at one point they actually light the ends of the bows on fire and play, while she is standing on his shoulders. In this photo they are each playing a part of the same piece on the same violin. Having played violin for a bit myself, I can't even imagine how difficult this would be. It was quite an impressive show. I hope they'll be back next year.

In-between Days

I'm having a bit of an off week. I've got a couple paintings that aren't really working for me and I'm feeling a bit out of sorts. I suppose not every painting session can be successful, but more than two in a row and it throws me off (and I'm sure that having a house full of teenagers playing really loud electric guitars had nothing at all to do with it). What to do? I decided to take a couple days off and focus on something else. I'll get back to the musicians when I get back to feeling like myself.

Alone
11x14" Acrylic on canvas

I've been working on a couple of other projects... thought since I didn't have any other completed paintings to post I'd share one of those.

I suppose this one goes with my other "bird" pieces, even though it's quite different. I was planning on doing a musician when I started, but instead of my usual upbeat jazz I put on classical guitar (Julian Bream). It still amazes me how much my choice of music influences the feeling of the finished painting. I was pleased with how this turned out, so I've started a couple other small canvases to classical pieces. Haven't finished anything else yet, but I've taken to writing down what i was listening to on the back of the stretcher bar. I know that once I get a bunch going I won't be able to remember, and I don't want to change the outcome by switching the music.

As much as this intrigues me, this isn't the time for me to get sidetracked. I'm taking part in a group show at the Art Gallery of Lambeth in September, and have about 3 weeks to get everything finished up. I've got two paintings left, one of which is much larger that what I usually do.  I can get it finished if I don't get distracted... and maybe if I can get the kids to go practice at someone else's house.

Twelve-Bar Blues

Acrylic on canvas
16x24"

Another Painting Completed

I had to do another pianist... the other one is smaller and on paper, but also has a totally different feel.

Acrylic on canvas
16x20"