Parrsboro

I'm in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia for two weeks. Got here late last Monday night and so far have done at least one painting each day. Yesterday I painted a couple of watercolors outside fighting the blackflies which bit me numerous times. Thank heaven for spray benadryl. If one must know why I would plan my Nova Scotia vacation for the last two weeks of June, when the weather's iffy and the blackflies are biting it's because of the lupine which blooms profusely this time of year only. Sunday I donned my bug jacket which completely covers my face and upper body and set up to do a painting at Two Islands. There are no serviceable photos of the paintings yet but I thought I'd share the lupine. An addendum to this post is that I have to come to the Fundy Geological Museum to connect and I didn't get this post up last Friday as I'd hoped. They were closing and I only had the draft prepared. Didn't feel like spending time indoors either Saturday or Sunday so today I had to come over and put up the post. If you want a quiet vacation, this is the place.

An Experimental Painting

These Nova Scotia cows are standing on a hill and the land in the background is actually across an inlet. I had this sketched in and decided to use the mixtures left on my palette from another painting to block in. The colors are influenced by the pink light from the setting sun on the buckskin cows. I included this value image which tells me that my masses are pretty accurate. I'll clean up my palette and bring this one to completion.

Study at Two Islands

I've held this post back hoping to get a better photo but since Monday, July 2nd, when I arrived at my studio to find that 16 studios, including mine had been broken into, their doors pried open with a crow bar, I've been scrambling to visit several possible new studio sites. Our building was recently sold and zoned for condos, so the writing, as 'they' say, was on the wall. Nothing was missing or damaged that I can detect but it was upsetting to find my lock repaired, as best it could be. The building has never been completely secure, but we've had no real trouble and I've never been afraid there. Most of our intruders were homeless cats and kittens which ended up being taken in by group members, and neighborhood kids skateboarding in the hallways at night. So, this is the photo I'm going with. I will say that any painting I ever saw in with my own eyes, looked better than the best photo of it.

Two Islands Farm

This abandoned farm is a typical sight around the Parrsboro area. At one time, this entire region was a bustling ship building and fishing site. Many famous vessels got their start here and coal was brought from Springhill and exported by ship and rail. At one time the only road to Truro and the lower peninsula was through Parrsboro but this has been replaced by the Trans Canada Highway which bypasses it. It's a great place to paint and really get away.