More Faces of Nova Scotia
Putting together this post, I noticed that I've been doing mostly portraits and figure drawings over the summer and fall. So, yesterday I started a watercolour of small fishing village near here which will have to wait until next time. So here are few of the faces of summer in Nova Scotia.
JE at our Canada Day Street Party. For the last few years, the neighbours on our street have been hosting a summer street party. All the usual stuff- free barbecues, a concert by any of the neighbours keen to get up and perform and lots of getting caught up. Here's JE waiting to hear her daughter to sing. Oils on canvas.
MJ waiting for the BBQ- Another street party portrait and the ubiquitous bag chair. Young MJ waiting for the BBQ to get going with all the patience a kid can muster. Oils on canvas.
The Stars Are Out- My huge staff of marketing advisors have been saying "Joe, do a few sketches of people everyone knows, so your followers can see how you're doing at getting a recognizable likeness." Well, I'm kinda an anti-hero worship guy, but here are a charcoal and graphite sketch each of a couple of 1960s movie stars.
So-So Sophia- OK lets see if you identify this first one. No her head wasn't that small, but I thought it looked better as a vignette. Graphite on sketch paper.
Audrey Speaks Out- A little charcoal I did for BT to answer a question as to "who sings what" in the film version of My Fair Lady. Charcoal on Paper.
What Unites Us- The Farmers' Market here in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is a wonderful event every Saturday morning down at the ferry terminal. There are always live entertainment, a big crowd milling through checking out crafts, art and of course, wonderful fresh baking, produce, meats and seafood. During the summer months a few of the vendors set up outdoors. I climbed up a stair to get a view of them, then did a small (4"X6") study, and later a final, brighter (11"X14").
Acrylic on canvas
Acrylic on canvas
J Brightens the Day- Anyday. My sister's grandson is the apple of the eye of his entire supporting cast of mom, dad, and a gaggle of grannies. Pastel on sketch paper
Set 'er up. Four couples to a set. A set of Irish dancers, about to perform at our annual multi-cultural festival, run through their steps under the eye of their teacher, EM. Only three couples in view in this pic. Acrylics on canvas.
First Day of School- My little model HCL started school this fall (sniff, sniff). Here she is on her front step with big brother, OPL, waiting for the school bus. He had a Captain America cap which did not get past my filter, so I inserted their dad EJL and his trombone. Charcoal on paper.
de Profundis- An early morning view of a downtown street (Portland St.) near the harbour here in Dartmouth. Some of those out and about included a couple of re-cyclers heading off to cash in their night's finds. Painted this month from a picture taken a few years ago. It's been gentrified a bit since then with art galleries, gift shops and high end cafes. Acrylic on canvas.
JMN- The Mackeral Man- A generous neighbour of my in-laws is JMN. Descended from the MacNeils of Barra, he's a fisherman and often pops by with a bucket of mackerel to share. Charcoal on sketch paper
Home for a visit- DeeDee grew up on our street and was home with her young son, JTS, to visit her family while dad was off at Donut University. Only in Canada you say? Watercolour on 300 lb paper
So What Else is New? Here are a couple of other projects which have been on my easel over the summer.
Soprano and Tenor Tune Up- A couple of members of our church choir tied the knot this summer. I designed a front and back cover for their wedding program. It's based on views of our St Peter Church beside Sullivan's Pond in Dartmouth and a part of the Pentecost stained-glass window which overlooks the choir section of the church. They're a family of six, hence the number of ducks and the tongues of fire. Watercolour on 200lb paper
A New School Year, A New School- My daughter started a new teaching assignment this September, calling for a new sign for her classroom door showing "the cloud factory" next door which dominates the skyline from the schoolyard by the harbour.
