Beautiful Places in my Neighbourhood – Part 4

Spring in Ottawa, acrylic, 11" x 14"

Blog 35

This is the last blog of beautiful places in my neighbourhood. There are so many picturesque spots in the Ottawa area that I could write about them infinitely. Unfortunately, I have not spent too much time in the Western part of the city. Most of my painting buddies are from the East area of town. When we go on a day trip, we think about whether we want to spend an hour and more in traffic before reaching our destination. As a result, we usually do not venture farther than downtown.

The Park Across the Street, acrylic, 14" x 11"

I've always wanted to paint in the Byward Market but so far I have been intimidated not only by the number of people moving around but also by the many sensations that make it difficult to concentrate on a fixed area. I have sketched in some of the small passages in the market area and even captured the big pumpkins that were decorated for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago, but as far as painting on site is concerned, the closest I came is Major's Hill Park.

I have also painted in the gardens of the National Gallery of Canada but have to admit that I was not happy with the results. I don't even think I kept the paintings. Nevertheless, both the Taiga Garden as well as the Sunken Garden that leads to a path that zigzags up the hill toward Nepean Point are quite interesting. From Nepean Point you have a great view towards the Ottawa River, the Parliament buildings, and the Canadian Museum of History. Right now there is a competition going on for the redevelopment of Nepean point. The winning concept will be announced at the end of 2017. Did you even know that there is a garden inside the National Gallery containing trees and seasonal flowers? The Garden Court is especially lovely in winter when it is a small green oasis in an outside world that is covered in ice and snow.

All the above mentioned sights are worth the visit and offer lots of views to paint and sketch. Last winter, I sketched part of the Parliament Building from the warm shelter that the building of the Canadian Museum of History offered. I also spent time sketching part of the Parliament Building at different events at Parliament Hill.

The Ottawa Locks and the Rideau Canal offer further spots to spend time whether it is to reflect, watch the boats passing, bike, stroll or paint.

Victoria Island, acrylic, 11" x 14"

Then there is also Victoria Island, a place that is often missed when thinking about sights in the capital. The little island is on the Ottawa River between Ottawa and Gatineau. Not only do you have a great view towards Ottawa and Gatineau, you can also get a unique look at First Nation's culture at the Aboriginal Experiences site.

I am not sure whether you have been at the Mosaica horticultural event. It is still on my list of summer outings, but from the photos I have seen so far, it would also be a great venue to paint.

Fall in Gatineau Park, acrylic, 14" x 11"

There are also the many spots in Gatineau Park. Some of them would be hard to reach with my regular equipment but make great spots for watercolour sketches or even to just enjoy and take photos.

Writing this blog for the past four weeks has reawakened my memories of the spots that I fell in love with when I first visited Ottawa in the summer of 1995. It is time to be a tourist in my own neighbourhood again. I hope that by next summer, I will be able to recommend some new found treasures to you.

Thank you for reading my blog. If you enjoyed it please share it with family and friends.

Peacefulness, acrylic, 16" x 20"

Are you looking to add some original artworks to your home to bring you continuous joy every time you look at them? Right now, I am selling one of my paintings every week with a reduction of 15% off the original price. Shipping and handling fees are added, except if you pick up the artwork or live in the Orleans area. I usually do not discount my artworks, so this is a great way to buy an artwork you like while saving some money.

This week's painting is the "16 x 20" acrylic painting "Peacefulness", an image of the beach at Petrie Island at sunset. The painting is framed in a black frame. The original price is $420. You have until next Monday, August 28, 2017 at noon to purchase it for $357.

To buy the painting, please send me an email to kpeters@domingoinformatics.ca. Payment can be made in cash, by check or e-transfer. Photos of each new painting are posted every Monday on my website www.KerstinPeters.ca as well as on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KerstinPetersPaintings/.

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Beautiful Places in my Neighbourhood – Part 3

Tulip Festival, acrylic, 14" x 11"

Blog 34

For the past two weeks, I wrote about picturesque spots east of downtown Ottawa. This time, I am closer to the city centre. There are too many beautiful spots in downtown Ottawa to describe them all. The ones I have visit to paint are also just a small fraction of the spots I would still like to paint or at least visit for some sketching.

Tulip Magic, oil, 8" x 10"

The Commissioners Park at Dow's Lake is known by many for its breathtaking tulip beds which attract thousands of visitors each May. I have been there most years to paint the tulips. However, the park is also beautiful during the summer when thousands of annual flowers create a colourful feast for the eyes.

Then, there are the Ornamental Gardens that are part of the Central Experimental Farm. The Central Experimental Farm is 1,055 acres of open space in downtown Ottawa and borders the Rideau Canal. The Ornamental Gardens cover about 8 acres and are close to the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. They are a gardener's and artist's dream with the beautiful rose gardens, hundreds of different lilac, iris and peony varieties. I have only painted there once, but it is high on my list of places to go for a future painting day.

Standing Proud, acrylic, 16" x 20"

Close to the Ornamental Gardens is the Arboretum. This area of mature trees and shrubs covers about 64.2 acres. While I have not painted on site, my painting “Standing Proud” was painted after photos I took during a visit.

Then there is the Fletcher Wildlife Garden, an attractive area of habitats for animals. It has been years since I last visited this part of Ottawa. Gathering the information for the August blogs has made me realized that I have not taken advantage of the richness of picturesque spots that our city offers. It also has given me ideas for future outings. I am now on a two week holiday. As I am not going on vacation, maybe I can get together with some of my painting buddies to rediscover the city.

Not far away are the Hog's Back Falls, a series of artificial waterfalls at the point where the Rideau Canal splits from the Rideau River. Officially they are called the Prince of Wales Falls but hardly anyone knows them by this name. They are located just north of Mooney's Bay, one of Ottawa's beaches. I have always wanted to paint them but so far I have only taken pictures.

Hopefully, my blog is encouraging you to visit some of the sights in our neighbourhood, if you live in the Ottawa area. If you live further away, Ottawa is definitely worth the visit.

If you enjoyed my blog please share it with family and friends. I would like to thank you in advance for your help to increase my audience.

Are you looking to add some original artworks to your home to bring you continuous joy every time you look at them? Right now, I am selling one of my paintings every week with a reduction of 15% off the original price. Shipping and handling fees are added, except if you pick up the artwork or live in the Orleans area. I usually do not discount my artworks, so this is a great way to buy an artwork you like while saving some money.

Rebecca's Pond, acrylic, 14" x 11"

This week's painting is "14 x 11" acrylic painting on canvas "Rebecca's Pond". The painting is framed in a gold frame. The original price is $375. You have until next Monday, August 21, 2017 at noon to purchase it for $318.75. The sides of the painting are painted in the colours of the painting. This painting is from my early plein air painting days, when I still painted outside with acrylic paints. It had the big advantage that I could work on a big painting like this without having to worry about any transportation issues.

To buy the painting, please send me an email to kpeters@domingoinformatics.ca. Payment can be made in cash, by check or e-transfer. Photos of each new painting are posted every Monday on my website www.KerstinPeters.ca as well as on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KerstinPetersPaintings/.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Beautiful Places in my Neighbourhood – Part 2

Late Summer Day at Petrie Island, oil, 8" x 10

Blog 33

For the month of August, I will write about some scenic spots in the Ottawa area that I have visited for plein air painting but that are also worth the visit. Hopefully, my blog inspires you to go out and explore or pack a picnic and relax.

Every day when I go to work, I drive along the Ottawa River and can admire the beautiful area around Petrie Island. I love this little gem of nature. I love looking at the smooth surface of the water on a calm and bright summer day, but I also enjoy watching the scene when the fog is rising or when frost has covered everything in a coat of white glaze. Then, there are the spectacular sunsets and the activity on the ice in the winter, when many fishing huts are creating a small village on the ice.If you go onto the island, you will find beautiful spots to watch the turtles, frogs, and birds. I am not so interested in the beach side of the island (except for having a picnic), but enjoy the wild vegetation on the west side of the island.

Lily Pads, oil, 8" x 10"

I have painted on the island in every season, but prefer the last summer and early fall days, when the colourful leaves are reflected in the water. Even though I have painted many Petrie Island sunsets, I had never painted them on site. A couple of weeks ago, I went with my watercolours but brought mixed media paper instead of watercolour paper. The result was not satisfying: the colours were rather dull as the paint was absorbed quickly into the paper, so quickly that washes were impossible. The colour basically stayed where it first touched the paper. Blending was not possible. I had planned to go back a week later to give it another try but the weather thwarted my plans. Hopefully, I will have another chance before the end of the summer. I had wanted to paint a sunset on site for such a long time. I am really excited to try it, because it will be a challenge to work so quickly as the changes in the sky and on the water happen in fast motion.

If you continue along the Ottawa River, there are many spots that are very picturesque. In May, my friend Janis, Helene, and I went to the end of Champlain Street in Orleans, where I painted the small swamp on the south side of the pathway.

 

Crisp Fall Morning, acrylic, 8" x 10"

Further to the south from the parkway is Mer Bleue, which is the largest bog and natural area in Canada’s Capital Region and the second largest bog in southern Ontario. It has a northern ecosystem that is more alike the Arctic than the Ottawa Valley.There are many nice trails in the Mer Bleue area where you can walk or go cross-country skiing and snowshoeing during the winter. I have painted several scenes from the boardwalk as well as at the beginning and end of the trail that leads to and from the boardwalk to the parking lot. The changes of the season and the weather make always make it an interesting outing for our painting group.

If you enjoyed my blog please share it with family and friends. For the next two weeks, I will present you with some more ideas for a staycation, if you are from the Ottawa region. I hope you make the most of the sunny summer days. Because of the amount of rain we had, the vegetation is especially lush this year.

If you are looking for original artworks to bring you continuous joy every time you look at them, I would like to let you know about my painting sale that I have in preparation for our move next year. Every Monday, one of my paintings will go on sale for a week, with a reduction of 15% off the original price. Shipping and handling fees are added, except if you pick up the artwork or live in the Orleans area. I usually do not discount my artworks, so this is a great way to buy an artwork you like while saving some money.

This week's painting is "19 3/4" x 27 1/2" acrylic painting on canvas "Quiet Country Life". The original price is $500. You have until next Monday, August 14, 2017 at noon to purchase it for $425. The sides of the painting are painted in the colours of the painting. This painting is from my early plein air painting days, when I still painted outside with acrylic paints. The fast drying time had the big advantage that I could work on a big painting like this without having to worry about any transportation issues.

To buy the painting, please send me an email to kpeters@domingoinformatics.ca. Payment can be made in cash, by check or e-transfer. Photos of each new painting are posted every Monday on my website www.KerstinPeters.ca as well as on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KerstinPetersPaintings/.

As promised here is a photo of my finished painting from the Humanics Institute Sculpture Park:

"Luscious Greens", acrylic, 12" x 9"

Beautiful Places in my Neighbourhood

Mainville House, acrylic, 16" x 20"

Blog 32

As August is still a holiday month for many, I decided to write about some scenic spots in the Ottawa area that I have visited for plein air painting but that are also worth the visit to take a walk while enjoying different aspects of our beautiful city.

If you are like me and many friends I have talked to, you know most of these spots and intend to visit them but somehow never go, except if you have out of town company.

As I live in the east end of the city, I will start with the spots around the Cumberland area. The one that will probably become a new favourite of mine is the newly opened Humanics Sanctuary and Sculpture Park, 3468 Old Montreal Road, Cumberland, Ontario, K4C 1H9 (http://www.humanicsinstitute.org).

The park with its walking trails contains many sculptures of different religious faiths as well as those representing families, friendship, and human state of minds. There are some beautiful areas of tranquility to clear your head and meditate.

Hélène and I painting (photo of Humanics Institute)

Last Sunday, my friend Hélène and I went there to paint along the little creek. It was just wonderful, even though we were surrounded by mosquitoes. During my walks, I had not noticed them too much but if you are sitting still, you definitely need a good mosquito repellent.

Here is a photo of my painting at the time we left our spot because we had enough of the mosquitoes. I still have to add the dark colours as well as some bights to bring out the contrast and give the illusion of space. I will show you the finished week in next week's blog.

The second place worth a visit is the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, 2940 Old Montreal Road, Cumberland, ON, K4C 1G3. This outdoor museum contains many buildings of the 1920s and 1930s (and in the summer even some farm animals) and gives you a glimpse of the life at the time. Regular events make an outing fund fur the whole family.

I enjoy going there to stroll through the village, especially during the Christmas season when the whole museum is lit with thousands of lights. I have already painted many of the buildings as well as one of the vegetable gardens but still have some building to capture on canvas, especially the sawmill and the the blacksmith forge.

If you enjoyed my blog please share it with family and friends. Next week, I will present to you two other spots in the east end. Hopefully, I have inspired you to head out to do some sightseeing in your own town. If you have any special spots you like to visit in the Ottawa area, please share them with me. It is always interesting to find some new scenes to paint.

If you are looking to add some original artworks to your home to bring you continuous joy every time you look at them, I would like to let you know about my painting sale that I have in preparation for our move next year. Every Monday, one of my paintings will go on sale for a week, with a reduction of 15% off the original price. Shipping and handling fees are added, except if you pick up the artwork or live in the Orleans area. I usually do not discount my artworks, so this is a great way to buy an artwork you like while saving some money.

This week's painting is "Wolkenspiel - Cloud Formations", the painting that I wrote about in last week's post. The original price is $375. You have until next Monday, August 7, 2017 at noon to purchase it for $318.75. The painting is painted on a gallery canvas with the sides painted in the colours of the painting.

To buy the painting, please send me an email to kpeters@domingoinformatics.ca. Payment can be made in cash, by check or e-transfer.

Photos of each new painting are posted every Monday on my website www.KerstinPeters.ca as well as on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KerstinPetersPaintings/.