NANAIMO NATURALLY

"Nanaimo Naturally" is name I have given to a series of paintings I am working on in 2011 and 2012 - celebrating the natural beauty around Nanaimo.

Swy-a-lana Lagoon Park - October (2012 - Oils - 40"x30")

This is a large painting of the ornamental cherry trees that line the path on the south side of Swy-a-lana Lagoon. The lagoon is the centrepiece of Nanaimo's beautiful downtown waterfront park. In the fall, the leaves on the cherry trees turn yellow. Meanwhile the leaves on the tall trees behind turn scarlet. For a short time every fall, pink and gold leaves carpet the ground.

Chip Barges off Gabriola Island (2012 - Oils - 30"x40")

This is my first large painting in the Nanaimo Naturally Series. The subject is a tug with three barges full of wood chips on their way to the Harmac Mill. It was a lovely summer day and we were on our way home from a cruise in the Gulf islands. Everything in the scene was blue - except the bright green and red barges and their cargoes of yellow wood chips.

Nanaimo Seawall and the Bastion (2012 - Oils - 24"x30")

This is a painting of the seawall along the Nanaimo waterfront. It focuses on Nanaimo's iconic Hudson Bay fort known as "the Bastion." The view is from the walkway on Cameron Island. Although it is early spring and the oak tree branches are bare, the sun is shining and the flags are waving in the brisk breeze.

Gulf Troller 2 (2011 - Oils - 30"x20")

This is a local gulf troller seen against the backdrop of Newcastle Island with the Harmac plume in the background. Gulf trollers are commerical owner-operated fishboats which troll for wild salmon using individual lines and hooks.

Gulf Troller 1 (2011 - Oils - 30"x20")

This is a local gulf troller heading out across the Straight of Georgia.

Newcastle Island Maple - April (2011 - Oils - 24"x36")

This is a painting of a big leaf maple in flower early in the spring. Big leaf maples are a native species on Vancouver Island. They are huge dramatic trees with large leaves that turn yellow in the fall. Their trunks and branches are often covered in moss. In the spring they are covered with small maple flowers. This tree was lit up by the spring sunshine and seemed to glow like a candle in the forest on Newcastle Island. This painting has been through several versions.

Path to Ammonite Falls - December (2011 - Oils - 24"x36")

This painting is from a winter afternoon walk on the path through the Vancouver Island University Forestland on the way to Ammonite Falls in the Benson Creek Falls Regional Park . This painting has been through several versions. The trees have very straight trunks because they are cared for by the VIU silvaculture program. There is a mauve haze in the air because night will soon be closing in.

Nanaimo Harbour - Harmac Plume (2011 - Oils - 28"x22")

This painting is of the plume which rises from Harmac Mill. Harmac is a pulp mill - one of several on Vancouver Island. The plume is mainly water vapour and hangs in the skies south of Nanaimo most days of the year.

Boats in Newcastle Channel (2011 - Oils - 28"x22")

The boats are at Stone's Marina with the blue roofs of the Public Market in the background.

Nanaimo Harbour by Moonlight (2011 - Oils - 30"x24")

Looking from Newcastle toward the Nanaimo Waterfront on a beautiful summer evening with the sun just setting and a full moon above.

Nanaimo Harbour - Buoy "P12" (2011 - Oils - 30"x24")

This painting is of the narrow drying passage between Newcastle Island and Protection Island which form a barrier which protects Nanaimo Harbour. All navigation aids are numbered and this red buoy is "P12." You can see the wake of our boat rippling past the buoy. The clouds look a bit like birds.

Arbutus and Gabriola Galleries (2010 - Oils 30"x24")

This painting depicts arbutus and fir trees on Newcastle Island. In the background is Gabriola Island with its cliffs or galleries. To the right is Dodd Narrows - entrance to the Gulf Islands. I finished this painting in 2010. It was my first painting after a hiatus of almost 30 years.

NOTE

The paintings appear on this page more or less in the order that I completed them. My most recent painting is at the top of the leftside column.

I currently show my paintings at the Show Cases held at Nanaimo Arts Council Gallery located in the Nanaimo North Town Centre Mall (near Sears) and at the Port Theatre. You can see my paintings at my home studio in Nanaimo. Send me an email if you are interested.