Mermaid on the easel

I've given up on landscapes for now and am having fun with a new woman as vessel piece - Mermaid. After several disastrous attempts at landscapes, I complained about my failure to a wise woman I've recently met. She asked me many questions about my work, my motivations, what I like best about painting and as I answered her questions, so many things became clear to me and I was inspired to take up my brush again and give painting in my new studio one more try: I'm pleased with the progress I'm making and shall keep you posted. Cheerio!

Looking for inspiration

I've decided to try something new in the studio - inspired by the gorgeous vistas surrounding me at our summer place in Secret Cove, I want to attempt some landscape painting. So, a couple of days ago, I spent an afternoon in a kayak, snapping photos of arbutus trees and other lovely elements in the landscape. When I reviewed the pictures on my computer screen, it was the photo above, sans arbutus trees, that inspired me most. 

I played around in iPhoto until I came up with the image above and set up in the studio to create a study on a cheap canvas for my masterpiece. I created some beautiful textures and colours for the sky; lovely hues for the rocks and background trees; however, I stumbled trying to simplify shapes. Despite much squinting to try to blur detail, eight hours and two valiant attempts later this was the end result:

Nothing like a little black gesso to permanently erase failure. 

Today I try again.