I PAINTED IN FRANCE

A NEW LEARNING
Inexperienced as I am with plein air painting, I didn’t do much on the spot work while Christine and I were in France. I believe she expected me to paint more during our seven weeks. I took acrylic paints along, a small watercolour container, a sketchpad with heavy watercolour paper, brushes, one 11X14 inch frame on which to mount canvasses, and twelve 11X14 in. canvas sheets which I cut from a large sheet of primed canvas before the trip.

Here are pictures that I completed while I was in France and they are described on my website.






I think part of my reticence at plein air painting is not only inexperience but the need to be less exacting. I must reassure myself that it is okay to paint simply and without great detail and to do it quickly. Usually such paintings serve as resource for later more developed paintings, but most artists are willing to sell these uncomplicated works and I have them modestly priced on the website as well. Someone has already asked for one of these precisely because it is minimalist. I daily learn something new.

I think that I will try more outdoor painting now that I am home. Carrying the necessary equipment is easier here. Murray Phillips, one of my accomplished artist friends has made a practice of painting outdoors, often an overnight as frequently as once per week. His paintings give indication that he knows his subject matter, pristine BC woods, rivers and fields. Barbara Boldt, a Fort Langley artist has established a reputation based on her exploration of coastal island rock formations. Robert Genn is a prolific Crescent Beach based painter whose videos tell the idyllic story of a man and his paintbox sitting in a forest or on a seashore and bringing back beauties. Come to think of it, just about every local artist I know is better at it than I am; Darren Perkins, Jack Turpin and Perry Haddock.

ARTISTS IN MY COMMUNITY

A NEW LEARNING
Before I retired I frequented local galleries and saw the names of local artists and admired their work. Since then I have perused their websites and appreciated the volume of art that they have produced in recent years. Most of these artists, like me, have worked at other professions while painting on the side and then in retirement, occupied their time with this pursuit.

One afternoon not long ago, I met Darren Perkins, a Langley artist who kindly accepted my invitation to talk. At a Starbucks we sat together and spoke about art, our lives and other artists. Darren is a retired school teacher. In earlier years he and his wife operated a successful pottery business. Darren is a landscape painter and I have seen his work in a couple of shows in recent years. So this was a treat for me to become acquainted with an established artist. (Paintings: above Perkins' Swimming Hole' and right 'Still Point', Gabriola)

In conversation I learned that two of his close friends are former school teachers as well, and they are the celebrated local painters, Jack Turpin and Perry Haddock. Each Thursday the three of them paint together. They share life, critique each other’s work occasionally, and encourage one another in this shared creativity.

I am sharing their respective websites with you in hopes that you will enjoy the displays.


Darren Perkins
Jack Turpin (Painting: 'Pender Island', left)
Perry Haddock (Painting: 'Shore Grasses')


Actually Turpin and Haddock have a show in the Birthplace of BC Gallery in Fort Langley right now. You should visit their work in this attractive gallery owned by Kurt and Brenda Alberts.

The top two images above are used with permission of Darren Perkins and the painting images are copyright of the painter and not to be downloaded without permission of the artist. Jack Turpin and Perry Haddock painting images used with permission of the artists and downloading is conditioned upon permission by respective artists. Toggle their underlined names above for their sites.