by Joy | Sep 6, 2019 | Joy McCallister
For “Cliffside Shadow”, I wanted this image of a bird soaring beside a smooth weathered cliffsideto have a dreamy feel about it. As I worked at building the cliff, a smokey feeling emerged which I really liked. When I discovered Schminke produces gold and silver watercolour paints, I decided to try them on this painting. At risk of ruining the piece, I used both gold and silver selectively on the cliffside and added some touches of silver to the bird. I was happy with the subtle richness of these two Schminke paints. Used as accent colours, they lifted this painting to the level I wanted. It’s framed in a black float frame.
by Joy | Aug 25, 2019 | Joy McCallister
My “Io Moth” (Automeris io) is a 10″ x 10″ painting on gallery canvas and is framed in a black float frame. Last year I saw this male Io Moth (pronounced Eye-oh) on the walkway out front of our home. The female has a reddish brown colouring but I’ve never seen one. Both the males and females have large eye spots on their hind wings, a defence mechanism to deter predators. The adults live 1-2 weeks and are purely nocturnal. The wing span is from 2.5″ to 3.5″. It’s truly a stunning and eye-catching moth. I was fortunate to see a male on two occasions. The caterpillar of this moth is green with spiny projections and is poisonous to the touch. I was inspired to paint this beautiful insect as a precursor to a painting I have planned of butterflies and dragon flies. I’ve seen so many butterflies lately as this is the time for many of them to emerge. Birds and Animals Gallery
by Joy | Jul 27, 2019 | art exhibit, Joy McCallister
Saturday and Sunday, September 28-29 I will be participating in a local art show hosted by the Kirkfield and District Historical Society (KDHS). Times are 1:00-4:00 pm both days. Everything I have on display will be for sale – handprinted Christmas ornaments and artwork. I hope to see you there.
Location: The Kirkfield and District Historical Society Museum (KDHS), 992 Portage Road in Kirkfield. For more information KDHS Facebook page. For directions, see my web page Exhibits
by Joy | Jul 20, 2019 | Joy McCallister
“Balancing Rock, Nova Scotia”, 36 x 12″ gallery canvas, acrylic
Balancing Rock is a Nova Scotia coastal geological formation in DIgby County. It’s a must-see attraction for visitors to this area of Nova Scotia and is located on the St. Mary’s Bay side of Long Island at the tip of Digby Neck. It’s a 9-metre high columnar stack of basalt rock that appears to be balancing although it’s narrowly attached to its base. Only by viewing it from water’s edge can you see half of it is actually attached. It’s thought to have been like this thousands, if not millions, of years. There are many such basalt formations along the coast of St. Mary’s Bay. Water erosion has caused many to tumble.
There are two islands at the tip of Digby Neck. The Bay of Fundy is on one side of the Neck and its two islands while St. Mary’s Bay is on the other side. Petit Passage separates Long Island from mainland Nova Scotia. The island is accessible by a short ferry ride. Grand Passage separates Long Island from Brier Island. It was Samuel de Champlain who named both of these passages between the Bay of Fundy and St. Mary’s Bay. The rock can be seen from a viewing platform at the end of a 2.5 km trail that can be walked in just over an hour. Scapes Gallery
by Joy | Jul 10, 2019 | Joy McCallister
This is “Tyson”. His portrait is the result of my first attempt at painting an animal in watercolour. It wasn’t as stressful as I had imagined it would be. I enjoyed painting his endearing face. The only time I have painted a dog portrait was in 1998. In comparing the two experiences, I can comfortably say painting this one was a cake walk compared to the other one. Mind you, the 1998 painting was a commission done as an exterior wooden sign, so considerably more stressful by definition. Birds & Animals Gallery
