Hot and stuffy afternoon - a glimpse of our backyard

A quick oil sketch on this hot and stuffy afternoon from our backyard.

A long wooden pier on Winnipeg Lake

Painted this view on my last day at Winnipeg Beach this morning. There are a few wooden piers like this one stretching out over the lake outside the town of Winnipeg Beach. We drove to this location early in the morning. Painting here is such a mesmerizng experience with  the lapping of the water against shore of the lake , and when  unexpectedly,  a young lady chasing her unleashed  lab suddenly intruded into my view. This is my way to say goodbye to Winnipeg Lake.

A busy evening on the beach

After a short rest in the afternoon, I walked across the street with my easel late in the afternoon. There on the long sandy beach is a typical picture of what a hot summer day was like. It is  hot and muggy today which draws many more people to the cool water of the lake.

What a view from the front yard !

The owner of the charming house must be the luckiest person to be able to step out of her door every morning to face this spectacular view! Do you see the land mark tower right in the view?

A charming house facing the lake

Came to this charming and beautiful house early in the morning to paint when its front window reflected  the  sunlit lake facing the full morning sunshine. Its owner was away not knowing that her house was interpreted into an oil painting. Only her cat was lying there comfortably all the time watching me painting with curiosity.

Moon rising over Winnipeg Beach

There is an enthral feel about the sight of the full moon rising over the lake in the evening. Setting up my easel right on the beach I rushed against the encroaching darkness to try to record the special moment. What is more special is the quick painted image of my wife strolling along the edge of the lake.

A small bridge on Boundary Creek

A charming wooden bridge on what it is called a boundary creek to remind people that this creek used to mark the northern boundary of the province of Manitoba in the distant past. Painting this view I had to fight with so many mosquito bites.

A charming marina of Winnipeg Beach

Winnipeg Beach has its own marina which is really charming. Standing on this particular location I can  get a glimpse of the landmark tower in the distance. It was getting hot early in the afternoon. However the light was getting more mellow which I enjoy much more to paint.

The Sunrise moment at Winnipeg Beach

My wife woke me up at 6 in the morning urging me to go to the beach to paint right away. The view took my breath away ! The land mark water tower stands there like a sentry facing the rising morning sun turning everything in its path into a golden glow! Here is the painting of what I saw at that moment on the beach.

My first sight of Gimli !

Our  first ever trip to Gimli to mark our 28th wedding anniversary! After we checked in our motel at Winnipeg Beach, we drove 15 km north to find ourselves in Gimli. Can not believe that I had never been to this part of Manitoba ! We left Brandon early in the morning. However, about 30 kilometres before  we reached Portage right on the highway, the  front tire of our car got suddenly flat out . It was a scary moment. We pulled up , and managed to put on the spare tire to reach Portage to get it replaced with a new one at Fountain Tire. I started to paint right away after we reached Gimli marina. I felt physically exhausted after standing unprotected in the sunlight  and looking towards the west  for two hours in the afternoon !

another quick oil sketch

another quick oil sketch from the same concert of Clear Lake Chamber Music Festival.

A quick oil sketch from Clear Lake Chamber Music Festival

a quick oil sketch on the last day of Clear Lake Chamber Music Festival. Could hardly see my palette when sitting in the audience in darkness.

From the Spray Park - Kin Park of Brandon

It was rather windy today when I came to Kin Park on First Street and Aberdeen Avenue in the afternoon. There were few kids playing at the water spray spot. My setting up of French easel drew the curiosity of a few young kids who were having a birthday celebration there, and when they realized what I was doing, started to go to the water spraying spot . I did a quick oil sketch of each one of them when they came into my view to mark the summer moment here in the newest park of Brandon.

Walking her dog in the hot glare of noon hour sun

A quick oil sketch from our driveway when a young lady walking her dog passed by in the hot noon hour sunlight.

The same view from this morning

Painted this view from the same point of view as the previous sketch early in the morning when it was a bit cloudy.

In the last light of the day

Painted this view in the last light of the day when the backyard was already swallowed in the shadow of darkness.

Approaching the season of change

In the glare of later afternoon sunshine from our back alley

Early in the afternoon from the same point of view

Painted the same view a few hours later.

In the first light of the day

Upon opening the door early in the morning.

Soaking up in the summer light and color on our patio

a cosy corner of our patio

a few pots of tomato in our backyard

My wife planted these tomatoes  early in the summer , and now it is harvesting time!

River Bank Discovery Centre of Brandon

Drove to River Bank Discovery Centre of Brandon to try to reach the foot bridge. The path leading to it was destroyed in last year's flood. While walking around the building of the discovery centre, noticed how the glass façade of the building reflected brilliantly the morning light and colour. Setting up my easel in a hurry I tried to capture the fleeting moment  when the building was steeped in the glory of morning light and colour.

Before the encroaching shadow

It was past 7 in the evening when the casting shadow from our house was just about swallow the lone ash tree and junipers. A quick oil sketch to mark the end of the day.

St. Mary's Anglican Church of Brandon

Stopped here on my way to do some shopping at 11   this morning to paint this Anglican church on first street when the full sunlight was on the back  of the building, and a young native couple walked by under the shadow of the building.

A cottage on Wasagaming Drive

Painted this cottage late in the afternoon on Wasagaming Drive. 

Family time at Deep Bay of Clear Lake

Drove to Clear Lake again today. At around 11, Deep Bay already was teemed with activities there with children playing  in the water under the watchful eyes of parents.

House and car in the last sunlight

Panted  this view of our house and car in the last light of the day trying to capture the last glow of the day on the roof of the house, and top of the car and foliage of the tree and hedges.

Under the prairie sky

Drove to the open field at 11 today along the first street north. Setting up my easel right in the field to paint this panoramic view of the fresh hay bales stretching as fas as the eye can see with large looming clouds gathering above brooding with storm . It is so mesmerizing to paint there in the midst of such an open space surrounded by absolute silence broken only by the faint muffled traffic in the distance moving towards north hills, and the droning chorus of the crickets in the field.

A view from our backyard

A morning view from our backyard

In the dazzling noon hour light

Painted this view from the path around noon when the light was really intense , and a little boy riding his bike came into my view.

When it was raining outside

Setting up my easel close to our door to avoid the drizzle, I did this quick oil sketch in the afternoon when it started to rain outside.

In the first light - a window view early in the morning

Woke up to a beautiful sunny morning when the first light was shining on the trees , and a lady from our neighbourhood passed by our window with her dog.

Painters painting together at Whirl Pool Lake of Riding Mountain National Park

My workshop group chose to go  to Whirl Pool Lake for today's painting activity. It is such a delightful choice! 10 of us spread out on the spot painting away to our heart's delight. I had a surprise encounter with Dr. Stadel from Salzburg Austria with his family at the lake.  Dr. Stadel had taught at Brandon University for many decades before he moved back to Austria to teach at Salzburg University. I had the fortune to take his last class in the summer of 1992 before he moved away. I still remember vividly how I enjoyed his world regional geography class , and how I felt so sorry that he would soon be leaving Canada and I would not be able to class his class again. I had a nice chat with him and his lovely grandson from B.C who was also very eager to try his hand at outdoor painting. I am happy to be able to put  tiny  images of Dr. Stadel and his grand son onto this painting of mine as well as the three of the ladies from my workshop group to mark this extraordinary occasion.

Aspen wood from lake Katherine

Aspen wood on Lake katherine is my second demonstration for my workshop class today.

From Lake Katherine early in the morning

Painted this view as a demonstration for my outdoor painting workshop today when we gathered at lake Katherine early in the morning. There are nine participants in my workshop this year!

A glimpse of the lake from the Clear Lake golf course

Painted this view from the 9th hole of the Clear Lake golf course when it was overcast with impending thunderstorm in the late afternoon.

on a hot and dry summer morning

A quick oil sketch of Fengping's garden where flower and plants are way past their peak of blooming days on this hot and dry late summer morning

Early sign of the fall season?

a glimpse from our backyard in the morning

a window view from 1 Crocus Crescent

a quick oil sketch at about 4 p.m. from the living room window of no. 1 Crocus Crescent

a glimpse from out front yard

In the glaring light of the noon from our driveway

in the first light

From out front yard in the first morning light

in the last light

Our patio in the last light of the day from our backyard

It is raining outside

A quick oil sketch of a window view on a rainy day

Summer Balmoral Bay

Always looking for something incidental in my view   in the process of painting. I saw two little kids from across the street petting a dog which I quickly added to my painting to counterbalance visually the sunlit house on the opposite side of the composition.

On a hot summer morning

Looking out of the window early in the morning when the intense summer morning sunlight was pouring down from the sky.

a glimpse of our backyard in hot summer sun

a quick oil sketch looking out of the window when it was too hot to paint outdoor today.