Think Spring!

I know it is only New Years Eve, but hey!  I'm ready for spring, how about you?  We have been very spoiled here in Southern Ontario for the last few years.......virtually no winter weather to speak of.  Things have started off a bit different this year, however!  Two snow storms in the past week have delivered almost one and a half feet of snow, just in time for Christmas and New Years!  Now you know why spring is already looking rather attractive to me, right?

To help promote the idea (or maybe just the illusion) of an early spring this year, I thought I would post my latest painting (finished yesterday in fact) to warm the cockles of your hearts.........

'Garden Angel'  11"X14" Oil on panel

The Garden Angel is a cement figurine that we have in our bird bath in the back garden.  I have always loved this piece of sculpture and have wanted to paint it for some time.  Prompted by my early longing for the warmth of spring, I decided now was the perfect time to tackle the project.  I used a palette comprised of sap green, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, indian red, cadmium yellow medium, lamp black and titanium white.  I completed the painting in oils after doing a quick underpainting using a deep green acrylic to block in the dark areas first.  I use a combination of regular oils and alkyd oils (especially alkyd titanium white to speed drying), along with Liquin and turps as mediums.  I have a feeling that this new painting will be as close as I get to spring for some time yet.......

 HAPPY NEW YEAR one and all!

A Day in Rome

We visited Rome for one busy day.  After a long drive from the port of Civitavecchia, our tour bus became lost in Rome.  It turned out that the driver had never been to Rome before!  It is a very busy city with a lot of traffic congestion.  The old walled city within takes you back in time from the moment you enter the gates.

The statues and building facades are all very beautiful.  This is part of the dramatic equestrian art that embellishes the Trevi Fountain.

The Pantheon was a beautiful, domed building with massive columns adorning the entrance.  It is filled with art and artifacts of the early church.  Raphael's tomb is within.

This delicately carved pair of doves hang suspended over the tomb of the artist Raphael.

We did not stop at the Coliseum but only saw it from the tour bus as we worked our way past it in afternoon traffic.  We had to hurry, we were on our way to Vatican City and St. Peter's Basilica!

Fallen Angel

I like to do art photography as well as painting. This is a shot I took of a cement cast angel that usually resides on a raised portion of a bird bath in our back yard. I also like to write, and I am currently working on my first novel. I am considering this photo as the basis for the cover design, should it ever make it into print. I also offer this photo as an art print on Fine Art America. You can find many more of my photos and art prints at: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/richard-de-wolfe.html