Merry Christmas Everyone 2011!

Dressed All In Their Snow 1983

Their liquid body’s heavy in nimbus space,
With drifting motions that create,
But are never to late,
In time they’ll release in a mizzle throughout,
Begin your descent I dare you to doubt,
It is the order from that place,
High-up in that atmosphere,
With the air so thin,
Birds would fear and never come to near,
You’ve all traveled among those beautiful white vapors,
Released for all the showers,
Formed within the hours,
You’ve fallen into winters clutch,
Its air mass frigid with hands,
Who would dare to touch?
They float and fly now,
Like fluttering white ice crystal dancers,
They will fall and dance for all,
Each unique and minuscule,
Their frozen molecules,
Geometrically designed for this time of the year,
Our breath chilled away,
But seen only on these days,
The land and everything touched by this flow,
As they have dressed all in their snow.

The Eclipsed Shroud 2000

Glorious light shine into that hemisphere,
Only could I chance to seek this space to near,
I have touched those moist beams,
And mused so many times for its turn to gleam,
What is this captured flickering arches smelling of the sea,
Only the sea urchins and starfishes tight hold to the mantle for me,
We will lie bare and fill these pools,
Cavort for the seas maiden games and move,
Please let this tidal sense conquer us from that cold state,
Our warmed embrace of another sensual taste,
Oh, that Ocean Storm recurring back before the dawn,
Our shrouded tears have touched and not shone,
These textures no more but charcoal blooms,
It is merely an eclipsed emotions for whom.

Poppies To Remember 2011

How could anyone forget?

The falling never lived to know,

Many have lost one dear Soul,

Tyranny of power and cruelty never ends,

It is these wars which always send,

Soldiers' victorious and ever so brave,

Their spirits with us now;

As they are worshipped at those graves,

Another Remembrance Day of many solemn forms,

World Peace perhaps if they'd read a book of Psalms,

And now's the time of poppies dressed in red,

That we wear proud at our breasts,

For our many beloved dead.

Ever Seen the Faeries 2010?

Perhaps the gossips thought,
Captivating one another with loose lips,
Along those silent flower beds,
Tulips hold onto your secrets and dread,
Such impressive talk they wished,
These flowers with their magical hues,
Reds beaming and supple,
Creamy whites enveloping my dreams,
Nightfall please return to awaken the fliers,
It is their glow and wings mistaken,
To beautiful to capture and ever taken,
Secrets revealed once more,
Many times in that dark film before,
Below the muted landscape,
Sleep filled blossoms with meaningful shapes,
I adore your miniature forms,
Flutter about and before the dawn,
Those colorful shelters hold many dreams,
Its which ones imagining are too be deemed.
　

Happy Thanksgiving Day Everyone 2011!

We just got back from Florence Lake in the early afternoon. The lake is small and lovely and very close to Alouette Lake and this is a small oil on board. It's still wet and shows the leaves in pretty autumn colours extending over the cold gray waters of the lake.

Earlier this week the farms with their cranberry fields were flooded in the Fraser Valley and the harvest began for this Holiday. We decided this year not to make the cranberry sauce ourselves, it's just to much work and we bought it instead.

The turkeys big this year and what's not finished will make wonderful sandwiches. The other foods accompanying this Thanksgiving meal are almost all cooked and Happy Holidays to you all!

Heartsease 1983

Lands made too change,
Please but not my heartsease,
It is the soil which remains,
Belonging to no one,
That is the sign spring will play,
Heartsease such charm and plenty,
This wildflower of antiquity,
As well beauty among the beasts,
Fields and pastures when long ago grazed,
Cool brooding meadows once stood,
Forest hold onto your foot,
Purpled-blues and buttery dollops,
They have tasted your magic and frolic,
Sweet dainty petals of tiny heartsease,
The fallow grasses hold this precious flora,
As your flowers are too please,
Finding you again makes my heart at ease.
　
　
　

Flames Towards The Fireweeds 2011

Hazed filled horizon hold out your hand,
Please wake the sleepers yet no more,
Glory amongst those tainted sparse mountains,
They’ll rise back towards the lake shore,
Unbearable for the noise and crackling seekers,
The wolves protest with distant howls,
Fiery licks soar with silhouettes could take us,
Seems as though the banshees distant screams pronounced,
It has begun the red monsters glow behold,
We will fight back the tears and fear,
These are the Chilcotin nights foretold,
Sagebrushes and briers dry and parched,
Rains worried away and we breathe no more,
Lovely creatures once alive and well on our land,
Hide and take flight whilst stands too forest floor,
It is the meadows compromised by this bake,
Shy in their blush and reds will taint our dreams,
Only the flowers each tier fluttered in pretty ache,
Fireweeds hold back this colossus rage,
And we will all wait and wait and wait.
　
　
　

Their Honeysuckle Thirst 2010

Honeysuckle kissed the bees and made them fly,
Soft pinks so sweet and yet so shy,
Your petite flowers not just for show,
Springs finally come and please don’t go,
There twin-petal lobe fragrant vessels,
Each flourish enhanced too just so,
Your wild and if tamed who would deny,
We have walked these trails side by side,
A gracious moment that awakes this play,
Today soft treads tomorrow come away,
At last the first mighty honey worker bee,
Are your coordinates set so they’ll come to see?
Tell me by thought,"have you reached your hive,
And relayed the signals for that fly by?"
So now at last those soft yellowy suited flyers,
Workers visit collect pollen and such sweet nectar for we admire,
Their power plants fueled with each little kiss,
Golden nectar collected and stored;
Honeycombed juice swells they’ll never miss,
Their sated with a honeysuckled thirst,
Such sweet, sweet taste, for such harmony immersed.

Johnston Creek Park 1981

This is a watercolour painting I completed on our trip back from visiting friends in Osoyoos.
The waters of the creek and the trees of the fir, larch and spruce were completed with quite a lot of detail. I liked especially the way the branches would break up this composition into segments creating a stain glass effect.
It was a cool Indian Summer day in late September.
I loved the way the sunlight shone through the dense forest leaves high above Johnston Creek; which made the waters sparkle like many little jewels.
　

Send Us Higher Into The Mountains With Love 2007

Only the air could change away,
Leaving great clarity for the day,
We would hike those trails cool with sleep,
High summer leaves many without effect,
Springs only touch has just begun to let,
Alpine flowers kiss the meadows,
Some whites so yellow,
Petals dressed in purples and pinks,
Blues dare too outshine that day,
Wild with colour thus a burst of life,
Many which would leave all to think,
That suns glow has pierced everything,
Its definition awakens all that's beautiful,
Bears slumber no more they'll feed such dear souls,
Huckleberries and salmonberries way down below,
Memories flood back for the beauty persuades,
Visions abound each stride and pace weighed,
We the lovers once for our vigorous figures,
Young-looking fueled erotic inspired wishes,
Our bodies still perfect with amorous kisses,
Smooth beauty for the moonlight,
Ptarmigans among the incline tonight,
Such sweet sounds of woodcocks, quails and pheasants,
Fluttering licks another ethereal presence;
And many a wing beats of wild rock doves,
Send us higher into the mountains with love.
　

Nass River Valley 2011

We spent many weeks up North and just got back yesterday and it was so enjoyable. We arrived there by air and met our friends which live in that friendly city of Prince Rupert. It rained quite a lot but the sun did make an appearance on many days too. There was so much to do in the city and we visited the Museum of Northern British Columbia; the exhibits were wonderful.

With all that lovely wilderness around we chartered a boat and took a sightseeing tour and explored the Nass River. The Nass was exceptionally fast flowing and high with all that rain and snowmelt. We found a safe place to tie up the boat and went ashore to do more exploring and many of us painted. This is a lovely oil painting on canvas of the Nass River and the valley. The waters had quite a mysterious force and were very gray and intense on that day.

Creating Foxgloves Land 2007

Send me about and around these trails,
Beautiful pathways never derail,
I have seen those familiar colors,
So distant but my memory sends me back,
My body motions me to follow those tracks,
Springs rain never ceased,
And our dreams revealed more,
Then within winters sleep,
I miss those purples so deep,
Pinks so delicate they’d breathe life,
Noble creamy whites never abandoned in strife,
Only the oils could hush the fibres,
And all will resolve into peace,
Just the meadowlarks request a call,
For your answer is here,
And the search is near,
Many a knoll in these meadows,
Send up a flourish of foxgloves too greet,
For the gathering rains leave them so sweet,
My hands gently move aside the towers,
I part these foxgloves all with flowers,
Oh, god your engineer,
That Mother Nature has appeared,
I stand amongst your fortress to affinity,
Smothered seemingly in this tender floral divinity.
　
　

The Pink Water Lilies 1999

Waters dark with mystery,
the two lovely maidens fly in,
and float amongst the pads,

Morning has awakened the swans to stay,

This spring the ducklings bob and sway,

They'll take shelter on those green pads,

Jumping off with tiny sweet plops,

One of Springs nurseries never must stop,

Mysterious lily shoots with buds,
send all into rapture,

I have seen this show before,

The insect hunters play the role some more,

Our painting party searches these fluids,
dark with tannins,

Russet and auburn ooze deep below,

Where only the turtles and frogs,
dare venture and know,

Even the swans seem to play a game,
searching the waters for their reflections,

That moment is right and sunlights the same,

Pink satiny blossoms burst forth,
only the water lilies outshine all victorious,

Morrell Park with this pond so glorious,

Putting all creatures somewhat to shame,
the beauty which now the swans will claim.
　
　
　
　
　
　

Easter Sundays Daffodil Shows 2011

In those far reaching forest knolls,
Yellow daffodils reach out to show,
Their petals of colored buttered cream,
Of woodland loveliness for all have seen,
We’ll travel these proverbial trails,
Adventured forth; rains of sweet scent inhaled,
This time at Lockhart Creek trail I’ll feel the need,
For something different from this canvased lead,
All those flowers, those pretty flowers familiar,
Last year but not to this very hour similar,
On this special Easter Sunday for they’ve appeared,
Forest in yellow flourish, pinks and whites to the rear,
What’s this adventure whom lay in these woods?,
Deep down such gems of this Sundays Easter would!

Happy Earth Day Everyone 2011!

Today it's Good Friday and Earth Day all in one!

The Lily of the Valley 1982

Sweet vanilla scent the smells from way below,

Motion all to the place we know,

What blossoms turned upside down,

Which way and right side and all around,

Tiny precious lanterns burning my heart in space,

Round dainty, dainty orbs with six petals in place,

Look you lovely painters of the Arts,

Our gardens room begins to start,

Nature you’ve filled us full of those flowers,

These lilies of the valley upon this hour,

Way down below there many more white flowers,

With luscious green bodies that protect with power,

Sway with the motions only their perfume can release,

This the painting my garden gave us with such peace.

Happy First Day of Spring Everyone 2011!

It is the first day of Spring now. Last night the moon, they call the super moon looked lovely. It shone even brighter and appeared larger and that phenomenon will be back in nineteen years.
In the forest and backcountry all the wildflowers are blooming and many more blossoms to come. The weathers still quite cool and those beautiful cherry-blossom trees in the forest and parklands are blossoming into their familiar pink and whitish-beige flowers.

Expression in the Spells of Beacon Hill Park 2007

Sometimes when we feel free,
Freer then the Pacific Oceans winds,
That bluster through our nerves,
And challenge us all to take in a deep breath,
We've come along distance to Beacon Hill,
Its mere volume awakes something lovely,
And if those splendid trees could talk,
They’d probably say,
"Artists spread out about this landscape and enjoy",
One could just express and feel the need to be,
Such beauty around us all and me,
Some of the other Artists felt the need to see,
With those animals in and amongst the trees,
A maples branch gently taps my shoulder,
Leaves soft and supple,
Autumns awakening sends us quick,
For that winters hand lays before us to grip,
I dip the paintbrush those bristles tickle the colour,
More reds and ochre adhere,
They’ll blend without formality,
Orange shames the yellows,
Greens and blues know where they live,
This paintings signature requires an Expression,
And the spells at ends day,
Would bid us a fond place we'd always stay.
　
　
　
　

Those Charcoal Shores 1985

Mere shining jewels stretched along those shores,
Raft Cove lures the many wanderers,
In time her secrets spoiled,
Only the cries from the gulls shine in that element,
Their waterproofed bodies brighter than the afternoon sun,
Ignite our thoughts way back amongst those empty shores,
Red cedars and sitka spruce watch with contempt,
That all is awake and every living being descends,
Back out along the beach,
The surging Pacific Ocean will reach,
They'll never let one sleep,
River otters search their tidal pool caches,
Beautiful wildlife know this rough place,
Meandering through strenuous dusty trails,
Like this charcoal stick held lovingly with details,
Moves on with confidence against the grain,
Each bite leaves some and removes more,
Good rains be gentle with your wet solutions,
Those challenging waves torment us all,
And worry us back along those charcoal shores.

Where Have All The Bees Gone 1988?

Way up in those trees,

We hear the sounds of those beautiful bees,

Time dares wipe our memories of this place,

Bowen park bring us all back to face,

Those summer days we'd while away,

Children play amongst those lofty sways,

Only a hive blends into the barks trance,

And peers down in a shy glance,

Seethes with life as the honeybees set out with pride,

Pollinating and honey-producing all in stride,

Those were the days,

The past we'd thought would last always,

Where have all the bees gone?

Please god bring them back for they have won!
　
　
　
　
　
　
　

Whytecliff Marine Park 1987

I remember how warm it was in June as my family, friends and myself went to Whytecliff Park for a picnic. It is located near Horseshoe Bay and we found a beautiful spot for our picnic. The trails leading towards the forest and the beach were all nearby. The children were very little and were told not to eat the wild berries, as some were beginning to fruit and may be harmful if ingested.

After lunch everyone found something enjoyable to do and since it was low tide I went to paint. I located some pretty white flowers growing above the tidemark. I've seen the wild strawberries all reddish-orange in July and finally found them in flower. The white of the paper was left; as it would symbolize the white in the petals of this plant. The vines and leaves always remain the same and I love this composition.

Belcarra Regional Park 1989

I located an old portfolio in our attic containing a lot of compositions I made years ago. Some have quite a lot of detail in them and the watercolour paper has held up as the paper has some weight to it.

This is a small watercolour painted along the Cod Rock trail at Belcarra Park around Spring. There was so many other trails to choose from but I chose this one as the wild hyacinths were in full bloom. I started off early in the morning and had a long drive to Port Moody where this park is located. It was well worth the effort and everything was nice that day including the painting.
　

Meadowlark of Alice Lake Provincial Park 2010

Last year in the Springtime my family and myself drove to Brackendale to visit some friends. We were early because there was no traffic on the sea to sky highway and we decided to stop by at Alice lake Park first.
This painting of the meadowlark was done in the grasslands near to Alice Lake. I enjoy painting wild birds but especially the songbirds. This small bird had a very distinctive song and was almost the same size of a gray jay.

Happy New Year's Day 2011!

It is the first day of the New Year 2011!
This is a small oil on canvas of our clematis in flower I painted last year in July. By early spring the first blossoms will appear and I can't wait.
It is a sunny day today and very cold with the artic air above us creating clear visibility. Those beautiful mountain ranges really look pretty with their recent snowfall.