Category: General

I’ll be the first one to admit that I’m a sucker for a good barren. Every since I first drove through the White Pass in 1991, I’ve loved the Summit Lake area. Although, I will also admit that there were a few times when it was snowing so hard you couldn’t see a thing.

Summit Lake. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day #1786.

One of the distinctive landmarks in Whitehorse is Golden Horn Mountain, an extinct Pliocene volcano whose peak marks the southern boundary of the Whitehorse city limits. I’ve often painted Golden Horn in various times of year and times of day. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of its many moods.

Here it is on an early winter morning viewed from the bank of the Yukon River.

Golden Horn Mountain. Watercolour on paper, 8×10 inches.
Painting of the day #1785.

Actually, I did two paintings today; however, one is a commission for a CD cover and is embargoed until May.

Night path. Watercolour on paper, 8×10 inches.
Painting of the day #1784.

We had really nice northern lights the night before last. Although, when I caught them when I couldn’t sleep at 2 AM, they were only out for about five minutes. People who caught them earlier said the saw them for about 40 minutes.

I did manage to grab a few photos and used one of them for today’s painting.

Northern lights. Watercolour on paper, 11 x 14 inches.
Painting of the day #1783.

I spent two days this week as artist in the window at Yukon Artists @ Work gallery in Whitehorse. Yesterday, I completed this painting of Mount Conrad at Tagish Lake. This is kind of relevant to nothing in particular, other than I will probably be teaching a watercolour workshop for the Tagish Community Centre in the upcoming future.

Mount Conrad, evening. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day #1782.

I couldn’t turn down this one when I saw it in my Landscape Reference Photos for artists group. It does, however, make me think longingly of my halibut rod and the fact I haven’t gone halibut fishing in some time.

I’ve seen this site many times, usually anchored about 200 m to the left of this painting with a line over the side.

Eldred Rock Light, Lynn Canal, Alaska. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day #1781.

I often joke about some of the exotic locations I paint from. This is from my front step.

Porter Creek evening. Watercolour on paper. 8×10 inches.

I’m doing a workshop for the ElderActive Recreation Association in Whitehorse on February 7th. The theme is mountain sunsets.

I decided to spend yesterday and today coming up with a potential painting to do with the participants, considering there will be a wide variety of experience levels working with watercolour. I have two choices and will finally decide some time in the next week.

Here’s the choices.

Sunset, Little Peak. Watercolour on paper, 8×10 inches.
Painting of the day #1778.

Sunset in the Auriol Range. Watercolour on paper, 8×10 inches.
Painting of the day #1778.

I spent three days this week at Yukon Artists @ Work gallery in Whitehorse, working as the Artist in the Window. I used this time to do a few paintings.

Cloudy night, Dezadeash Lake. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches. Available at Yukon Artists @ Work gallery.

Mountain sunrise. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.

Snowy morning. Watercolour on paper, 8×10 inches.

I started this one at the gallery yesterday, but finished it at home this morning.

The outlet, Miles Canyon. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.

We’ve come to the end of another year and it’s time to look back. I’ve had a rather busy painting year.

For the first time, I have done at least one painting every day in 2024. I had two solo exhibits and participated in five group shows. In total, I did 389 paintings last year.

With preparing for exhibits, I did have to paint a lot. I had a total of 60 pieces in the shows. Quite a few were sold.

I tried to pick my favourite 10 paintings of the year. It’s not easy. So, here they are in no particular order.

Evening walk. Watercolour on paper, 8×10 inches.

The last sunrise of 2023, Yukon River. Watercolour on paper, 11×15 inches. Private collection.

Gull. Watercolour on paper, 5×7 inches.

Starry night, Kathleen Lake. Watercolour on paper, 11×15 inches. Private collection.

Night. Watercolour on paper, 11×15 inches. Private collection.

Sunset, Porter Creek. Watercolour on paper, 11×15 inches. Private collection.

Sunset island. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.

Sunset. Watercolour on paper, 12×12 inches. Private collection.

Winter wonderland. Watercolour on paper, 8×10 inches.

Windy Arm, Tagish Lake. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.

Winter forest. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches. Private collection.

Happy New Year, everyone!