In Progress

Panel 1, Tentative Title, Small Bridge

Oil on Canvas, 36 x 48

Panel 2, Tentative title, Two Paths

Oil on Canvas, 36 x 48

(unfinished)

Panel 3, Tentative Title, Two Sisters

Oil on Canvas, 36 x 48

(unfinished)

­These are a new adventure, a departure from the Quotidian Angels – some friends will say, ‘Thank-you’. (smile). They are a return to landscapes. They all have two things in common: Two Paths. In Panel 1 there is the obvious stream – an old stream that once had a mill, hence the stone sides – but a walk path bisects the image at eye height. In Panel 2, again the obvious path climbs the hill centred in the image, but off to the right down in the valley runs a stream parallel to it. In Panel 3 (which I am least please with at this stage) the simple path divides into two – one heading up, the other descends to the right. Two paths that lead in and out of the canvases, towards and away, coming and going, here and not.  

These are works-in-progress.

Please click on the images to enlarge.

My First Steve Carty

This is my first Steve Carty photograph. She is at the framers until early in the New Year. After that, she will hold pride of place at the top of the first staircase. To me, she holds a deep sustained note audible only to they who can 'see' the music.

Small Abstract on Green

Small Abstract on Green,

Oil on canvas, 30cm x 30cm

And another one. Click to view full scale.

New Work Posted

I have posted some new work - Chevrolet All Day - here: http://mcc.carbonmade.com/

Small Abstract with Orange Blob

Small Abstract with Orange Blob,

Oil on canvas, 30cm x 30cm

I use small canvases as palettes. Once the palette is full I set it aside until the paint is dry. Then I gesso the canvas again and use it for quick gestural abstracts such as this. I love the uneven, unexpected, lumps and bumps I encounter. Look at the centre of the orange blob. There is a huge lump of left over paint. Click on the image for full size. 

Victoria Day Conquest, 2011

Victoria Day Conquest, 2011

The St. Clair Reservoir down David Balfourd Ravine along the Yellow River Trail, to The Evergreen Brick Works, Up the Moore Park Ravine, Across the Moraine, to The Don Valley South Trail, Riverdale Park and Home.

Today’s hike was massive and rewarding. For some time Noa and I have been hiking up to the St. Claire reservoir then down into David Balfour Ravine, following the Yellow River across Mount Pleasant and all the way to the Evergreen Brick Works. A couple times we have tried to find the route over to the Don Valley South Trail but have always come up against the Bayview Extension, a veritable highway. Today we carried on past the Brick Works and entered the Moore Park Ravine, then turned east and up across the moraine that forms the north wall of the Brick Works park. It was wet and muddy, a couple of scrambles on all fours up hills, one great slide down wrapping myself around trees as brakes, and a daring ledge walk looking hundreds of feet down into the Brickworks Park Valley. But yahoo, a quick dodge down off the moraine and a small crossing of the Bayview Extension and voilà, the Don Valley South Trail at Pottery Road. We walked the few kilometers to Riverdale Park - passing the confluence of the Yellow River and the Don Valley River, just call me Livingston - then home through Cabbage Town and along Carlton Street. We were caked in mud, hungry and thirsty, and jubilant.

(I will Google Map this at a later date)
(Click to enlarge images)

A typical section of the trail, this just after crossing Mount Pleasant Avenue plunging into the verdant green

Many spectacular blooms, all wild, this, I think a Pear Tree

A magnificent vew from atop the moraine overlooking the Everygreen Brick Works; in the distance the Bloor Viaduct; and for scale find the person in a black jacket with a blond Lab on the trail in the middle of the picture

This is looking back at the moraine at the widest part of the trail - that's all mud up there.

Some Spring 2011 Image Notes

I planted Violas this year in the front planter. They remind me of my mother’s rose garden that had Violas running amok amongst the thorns; and just at the end of that garden, garlic chives, daily in the salads. Yum.

This fantastic 100’ tree, Cacasian Spruce, is growing in Highland Park, Rochester, NY. This year I caught it in bloom with billions of rose red acorns. Stunning.

Whoever named Crabapples Crabapples never saw one in bloom. This is in Queen’s Park, Toronto, radiant in white uncrabbiness.

A pretty brown standard Poodle relaxing in a field of  miniature blue Violas. Sweet, but don't be fooled. Both are voracious.

View From 725

We spent a wonderful week at the Hilton Barbados. Here's a patch work collage of the view from our room, 725. Many a good breakfast on the balcony. Dreaming of Barbados...

(click on image for a larger size)

Five Angels I Needed to Meet

There are angels here: http://mccquotidianangels.blogspot.com/

A Saturday Night Thought

A Saturday Evening Thought, 11-04

It was a beautiful spring day today. The sun finally conquering any thought of winter. And though the trees are not in bloom nor are the flowers, they are not far away. Tom left today, the only small blot on the day. A sweet sorrow, really. We are just back from a week in Barbados where the sun and wind and surf were at full force shocking us out of season. He arrived the day before we left and left the day after we returned. Nine full days together is unusual in our relationship of two cities and two countries; but, strangely, just across the lake from each other. After he left I took Noa, my Poodle, for a long walk in Riverdale where the ground was still wet with melted snow. She chased her ball madly and happily taking a break only to sit in a mud puddle – Poodle is, after all, German for puddle. Then on the way home I bought some miniature daffodils to plant in the front planter; faux spring. Life is good when expanding again. And it is good to be home.

Highland Park Blizzard

I truly love hiking through Highland Park in Rochester. Each season brings something new, and each terrain adds interest. This past weekend we – Noa and I – headed out for an afternoon romp in the snow. Just as we got to the park a lake effect blizzard struck. What fun! The first image is the entrance to the esker off the corner of Doctors Drive and Mount Vernon Avenue.The second is as we climb out of the esker towards the greenhouse at Reservoir Avenue and South Avenue– normally you can see through the opening and up to the top of the esker. The final image is down Robinson Drive where usually we romp through the forest but on this day couldn’t even manage to climb the snow pile embankment off the sidewalk. We both returned to the house ‘abominable’.

I am an architectural rendering model

I received a mysterious call on Friday. I knew who was calling, a friend, but he chuckled and told me to go to the corner of Church and Carlton. That was it, no detail. Then later another friend called and left a more concise message. Turns out I am in the newly erected rendering for the renovation of Maple Leaf Gardens. Bottom right corner, but front and centre in the view point. OK, I do a lot of renderings as part of my work and if based on public photography the norm is to blur out the recognizable faces. Or to put up a sign that says something to the effect ‘you will be photographed’. Or to pay them. The worst part is that both friends recognized the dog first, then me. Need to have a talk with my PR agent.

And sadly, somewhat portentously, my big dog, that died last September, is just cut out of the rendering. Or is that to think too much?