Tuesday, December 23, 2014

"Duffy's Pond" Merry Christmas!


One more before Christmas. 
This is a commission for a young lady who wanted to 
have her son and two dogs in a painting. 
Her son is #19. 
I had fun with this one. 
It had been a long time since doing a watercolour 
and very much enjoyed working with this medium again. 
This painting is off to Kamloops B.C 
to be placed under someone's tree. 
12X20 on Arches CP paper. 

Saturday, December 13, 2014

"Bella"



I hesitated to post this one because i cannot for the life of me remember where i found her image. 
Usually i keep a record of all my sources and contact owners for permission. 
But i love this one so much i had to post her 
and hope if someone recognizes this girl they will let me know. 
She was painted especially for an animal rescue group in our city for their 
annual fund raiser and was given to the highest bidder. 
I'm sure she found herself in a good home of animal lovers. 
And too some needy pups and senior dogs were helped in the process. 
She is acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas. 24 X 24 

Thursday, December 11, 2014

"The Girls"


 I have been working on quite a few of these all 12X12 on Gallery wrapped canvas.
They're such fun to do. I see these smaller ones as work studies for larger paintings. 
My plan for the New Year is to get going on some 4 or 5 foot canvases
using these as my models. 
I am so grateful for several photographers on Flickr who 
graciously let me use their photos. I do have some photos i take on my own 
but find all manner of interesting shots by much better photographers than myself. 
They also get quite a kick out of seeing what i have done with their 
beautiful work. 
Hope all are doing well and these girls made you smile.
Oh their names are, Bossco, Grey Beard, Rosy and "Pick Me!"
Adios! 



Saturday, December 6, 2014

"Luna"


A new cow painting. 
This is not the usual composition for me as i most often do the 
portrait with just head and shoulders.. 
I really like the outcome and will do more from further out and perhaps with herds or multiples. 
Just can't stop painting these guys. 
They make me smile. 
This is acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas. 12' X 12". And she's sold! :)

Sunday, November 23, 2014

"Morning Star II"


I've painted this sweet girl a few times now from different angles. 
She is a commission for a lady who wanted her for a special spot in her home. 
I was not sure if it would work using red here for the background because there 
is a fair bit of red in the subject, but i really like the outcome. 
Hopefully the client will agree!
Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas. 
22"X28"

Thursday, November 20, 2014

"Brattland"


A wee watercolour, 14" X 18" about a family and all their memories rolled into one. 
There is the cabin by the seaside, a raft with children, the sail boat they sailed around the world on, a kayak with hubbie and family pet and all the other marine vessels they've owned. 
I had a binder full of photos to work from and put this together for them. They said they liked it! I'm happy with that. 
Watercolour on Arches CP paper. 

Monday, August 4, 2014

"Shinny in Trinity"


Received good news the other day! 
This painting is going to be licensed by the German puzzle manufacturer, 
"Ravensburger" for a 1000 piece puzzle! 
They said it was to be directed mainly at the Quebec market. 
I am very excited. Puzzles for Christmas! 

Friday, June 13, 2014

"Whale Watching"


A watercolour commission for a young lady who loves the ocean and Orcas. 
She had a photo from a sailing trip she wanted to turn into a painting. 
This is the result of it. 
I am not accustomed to landscapes having spent most of my time doing animals and whimsical villages but was pleased she asked me to do this for her. 
I hope the outcome is what she had envisioned. 
11"X29" on Arches C/P paper. 

Thursday, June 12, 2014

"Morning Star"


This is little "Morning Star". 
The first in a series of cow portraits that i have been working on. 
She is acrylic, 9"X12" on gallery wrapped canvas. 
Oh, and she sold to the first person who saw her! :)

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

"New Friends"


Some of my newest friends are now ready for hanging on the gallery wall. 
I'm enjoying the smaller canvases and have two others not shown here submitted to a group show. Must go shopping for some more of these as there are many colours i would like to try. 
Hope all are well today and painting happily. 

Wednesday, May 28, 2014




My studio space in the basement of an Art Gallery. Today it is wet and rainy, a good day to paint. 
I have a class coming in this morning but would rather be painting! :) Oh well, this afternoon is open and i have several on the go which need to be finished. A couple of upcoming shows to get ready for and new ideas percolating. There just is not enough time in the day! Ahhh, the life of a painter. I thought years ago it would be glamorous, with openings and gala events, whiling away the hours in coffee shops and wine bars with fellow artists, requests for appearances and free flights to resorts. Such a fantasy dashed by long hours alone in a basement. I love it! Would not have it any other way. 
Hope your day is going well and there are many new colours appearing in your life. Happy painting, all!


Thursday, May 22, 2014

"Young Street"


In a previous show i had a painting like this with kids building a snowman. 
A lady liked it but was too late as it had sold already. 
She asked me to do one similar for her. This is it! 
Watercolour on Arches C/P paper, 11" X 18". 

Thursday, April 10, 2014

1,000 Dog Portraits | Pets / Dogs Book | Qbookshop

1,000 Dog Portraits | Pets / Dogs Book | Qbookshop

I'm in this book! 
Cannot for the life of me remember which painting, 
but either way it will be fun to get a copy 
and see what is there, 
and view all the other great works 
by Dog lovers from all over the globe. 

Saturday, March 29, 2014

"Storms A Comin"


A Momma and Pappa herding their brood to shelter before the storm. Watercolour on Yupo.

I wrote this letter to a friend in response to her comment about how fortunate I am to be an artist even though it is not an easy way to make a living. 

I do it because i love to do it, and have always wanted to be an artist. I can't think of anything else i would rather be doing. 

Dear Judy.  Yes, you are absolutely right. I am always grateful for the art and the ability to make it. 
Sometimes, when i am painting and things are going well, i dance. No one is there, but i dance. It just is so amazing to me. Sometimes, when i do a painting, i leave for the night and come back the next day to see what i have done. Sometimes, it amazes even me, and i am not so certain that it was me who did it!
I cannot remember putting it together all that well and know there was much more to it than I, myself, and me!

Sometimes, it as if they paint themselves. There is an "art spirit” that guides the hand of many, if and when we are open to it and let it work through us. The art world calls it the “art spirit” but you and i know exactly what that spirit is. :)

It really does amaze me, when i see this working. It does not always happen, for one reason or another. Perhaps we are focusing on ourselves? Perhaps we are too pre-occupied with other things?
Maybe we are just thinking about the money we can make if it sells? It is during those times that the painting does not have life and there is no light. 
There is something missing. 

Sometimes, i tell people the painting speaks to me. I have to listen and hear the voice. It tells me what to do next. I try to listen and to follow it. When i have shared this with people,  i get a variety of reactions. Mostly disbelief and a look of, “you are a tad bit crazy!”. So i quit telling folks about the voice and the spirit. I am then hopeful the paintings will speak for themselves. 

Lately, i have been gifting a lot of my work. I donate paintings to dog rescue groups, fundraisers for various charities, etc. I don’t have a lot of spare cash to give but i can give away the art. A few times i heard of someone’s dog dying and i did a portrait of the dog and just sent it to them. 
It makes me feel like i am doing something worthwhile at least. 

There have not been a lot of art buyers recently but i have been busy with such things and trying to get my work out to as many places as i can. If i have to follow in the foot steps of all those great masters who died before anyone saw value in their work that would be okay. And if that doesn’t happen which is most likely the case, i have enjoyed listening to that voice and the spirit (God), and dancing while i paint. :) 

thanks for sparking these thoughts Judy. it is something i don’t really think about all that often. 
We just have to go out there and “do it”.

blessings always, 
ross

Sunday, March 2, 2014

"Little Sister"



One more new cow painting. Just one more. 
I know I was supposed to stay off the cows for a while but i just could not resist this beauty. 
I love painting cows. They remind me so much of my Boxers. 
This classy lady belongs to a gal in the Netherlands who owns a farm and was very gracious in letting me use some of her photos. There will be more. :)
I know she has a real name but for now i called her "Little Sister" because that is what came to me when i posted this. The names do just come sometimes which i love. 
This is acrylic on deep canvas 22" X 28'. 

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

"Hulahen"



This is little "Hulahen". She belonged to a young gal who owns six of these delightful creatures, 
the Boxer. 
She wanted a reminder of how sweet this girl was and to be able to see her often. 
Watercolour on Arches, CP paper, 14" X 14". 


Saturday, February 15, 2014

"Lola"



I love the names people give their dogs. Lately it seems they are using more human names. Brian, Jimmy, Stewie, Ricky and such. Not so much any more the old traditional dogs names. No Bowsers, Fidos, or Lucky's.  I think of their names as i paint. This girl had an especially suitable name. She seems so sad, distant but wise. Her name means "sorrow".  I'm sure she had a bountiful supply of love to lavish on her owners. I loved painting her. She is such a beautiful Boxer. Watercolour on Arches paper, 16" X 16".

Sunday, February 9, 2014

"Hockey Night in Canada"



I forgot to take a picture of this without frame. It works so much better when i do. 
This is one of my entries in the "Oh Canada" show this weekend at the 
Ruberto Ostberg, Galleries in Calgary. 
It is what i feel represents Canada and that is a good old fashioned street 
hockey game on your typical street anywhere in rural Canada. 
This scene is based on "Victoria Street" in Nelson B.C. 
I love to do the villages and will often rely on my sketchbook 
for inspiration. Sometimes summers are spent wandering and sketching. 
This is watercolour on my Arches paper. 



Tuesday, February 4, 2014

"Shinny in Trinity Newfoundland"




We are having a Canada show at the gallery to coincide with the Olympics in Sochi.
25 artists are coming up with paintings they feel represents what Canada is to them.
So many things came to mind but i kept coming back to hockey.
This is a scene of kids playing pond hockey which probably happens in most small villages and towns all across this great land
on any given night throughout the winter.
I based this wee village on Trinity Newfoundland. 
Watercolour on CP paper, 15" X 20".

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

"Lexi"



Meet Lexi. She was a very sweet intuitive gal i am told. 
Her owner is involved with Boxer Rescue and had fostered over 100 dogs while Lexi was with her. 
She told me Lexi had an ability to be able to help the other dogs with whatever issues they may have had to deal with. She was more than just a dog but a soulful spiritual being almost in the way she 
was. Needless to say, her master was devastated when Lexi finally had to go. 
This painting was commissioned in honour of the special Boxer she was. 
Watercolour on Arches C/P paper. 16"X16".