Virtual Paintout - New Brunswick

5x7 inches, oil on paper

Bill Guffy's site, The Virtual Paintout, is a challenge blog that selects a different part of the world each month, and asks artists to visit that area via Google Street View, then paint a scene they find.  This month the area is New Brunswick, Canada.  New Brunswick is lovely, filled with trees and water, with lots of trees, water, and covered bridges.  I'm certain there are people there,  just not many outside.  I gravitate toward scenes with people, and it was a real challenge this time to find folks outside.  Was everyone inside because of the day the photo car chose to visit the area? Was the weather an issue?  Do people in New Brunswick just prefer to stay indoors most of the time?  

Anyway, I had the best luck in Moncton, where I found these women walking, deep in conversation, past a street musician. The challenge, besides finding subject matter I wanted, was simplifying busy areas, like the storefront, which originally had lots of signage, and the shadows on the sidewalk.  In addition, the woman on the left was originally wearing a light green coat that made her blend into the storefront.  So, I needed to make some adjustments.  I may still try a scene with boats, but I'm not making any promises.

Virtual Paintout: Croatia

5x7 inches, oil on mat board

I enjoy painting, but sometimes I fall out of the habit.  That happened this summer when the temperatures upstairs in my studio were sauna-like.  I did anything except paint - in particular I got lost in a local history project that kept me researching online, visiting elders to mine for memories and walking cemeteries recording information.  But yesterday I decided to just get back on the art horse that I fell off this past summer.  

I painted this little scene for Bill Guffy's popular challenge blog, The Virtual Paintout.  Each month Guffy invites artists of all skill levels to virtually visit a different country and paint a scene found on Google Street View.  This month Croatia is the country.  I was moved to try this month because just a year ago we visited Croatia on a cruise - even though the visit was only for a morning.  We were both impressed with the beauty of the coast there, the mountains, blue ocean, and mild autumn climate. I was anxious to see more.

Virtually driving a country's roads can be equally fascinating and frustrating.  Sometimes the Google camera car seems to go out of its way to find deserted stretches of highway on dreary days.  I like to look for figures, and it seems to me that most often images of human beings are primarily found in big cities, and are often partially hidden behind cars or trucks.  I lucked out with these girls though.  They were sitting at a restaurant with outside seating, looking up from their conversation into the bright light at the bizarre sight of the Google camera car.  I toyed with the idea of eliminating the young woman with her back to the camera, but decided I liked the contrast of her light hair, and the suggested friendly conversation a group of three suggested.  I also considered giving the central figure a more distinct face, but finally decided to emphasize the larger shapes and play of light and shadow instead.

Virtual Paintout: New Zealand

5x7 inches, acrylic on paper

I took a break from ravens this afternoon to participate in this month's Virtual Paintout.  I realized once I virtually "drove" all over the southern island, that (1) lots of the country is very rural, (2) most of the coastal areas get lots of rain, clouds, and fog while the interior is sunnier, and (3)  there are vast areas that are much flatter than I ever imagined.  I had some sort of Hobbit-land in my mind when I went searching for something to paint.  

I was interested in this month's paintout in particular because I know a little about a fellow reader who lives in Christchurch, where she and her husband have suffered through months of earthquakes, seemingly every week.  I pay attention to the news from there now, which is one good way the internet is bringing people of the world closer together.