North by Northwest Still Life

Happy Weekend everyone! In honor the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, I'm posting a rather "moody, muted" still life oil painting that was inspired by the Canadian post impressionist painter and writer Emily Carr.

I first discovered Ms. Carr's work on a trip to Victoria and Vancouver a few years ago. It was also my first time on a sea plane and I can't wait to return one day.  The combination of water, mist, dark forests, and mountains is a landscape painters dream. 

As some of you may know she is known for her paintings of symbolic totems and the moody and mystical landscape of Victoria Island (where Carr was born) and British Columbia.  

I find her trees paintings (like this one) have amazing personality and always inspire me. Carr was also associated with the Canadian Seven, a group of primarily landscape painters who worked around the 1920's.
 
I'm not sure where this odd wooden yoke (if that's what it is) came from--I think it may have been from the collection of a former instructor, but I do know I enjoyed painting the combination of weathered wood and rusty metal.  The next time you paint a still life you may want to include an unexpected item like this, I promise you it will become one of your favorites.  
 
Quick welcome to all my new February students, I look forward to working with you on your art goals and will see you in the studio soon.  This upcoming week some out of town business takes me to Indianapolis and am hoping the weather will be good enough to take some decent landscape photos. Have a great weekend--enjoy the Olympics!