Best of the Old Stuff

For those of you who have not seen my older work, here is the best of it. I'll be getting a professional photographer to do these up right soon. I have to colour down now, but the focus needs work.

This period is still the high watermark in my work. Although I did not paint a lot, I made every picture count. I had no money--the canvas is primed thinly with household latex, on whatever scraps of canvas I had. Crazy dimensions, paint put on with absolute love, delicacy and precision.

I'm moving on to bigger work, more diversity, and experimentation. But this period taught me how to see the world with eyes truly my own. The one of the boats started the whole thing. It is still an inspiration, and has a place of honour in my studio.

Enjoy:


"Small Boats--Conway Harbour" 1996. 18.125 X 12.75" Oil on canvas.

Still the huge little canvas when I painted it. How did I do this?? Somebody please tell me! If anyone wants this, well, I need the downpayment on an apartment.....


"Corner of a Sunset" 1996. 7.25 X 16" Oil on Canvas.

-15C. The hill across the highway from my trailer. No money, on welfare, walking home from town. I saw this, then went inside and painted it.



"Cattle Country--Wolf Ranch" 1997, 12.5" X 11.125. Oil on canvas.

This one and the next two were painted from photos I took on a bike blast up to Kamloops and back.


"South Thompson Country" 1997 14.5 X 11.25" Oil on Canvas.

If you squint at the sky in this one, the clouds start to move.... I stopped before finishing the weeds in the foreground. Perfect. This gave me the idea of leaving the foreground out of focus, which I have been using a lot in my most recent stuff.


"Hay and Sky" 1997. 15.5 X 17.5" Oil on canvas.


"Corner Field--Winter 2000" 2000. 8.375 X 15.5"

Oil on canvas. The same field as below, but in winter. Sat outside in the wind and melting snow by the corner of the garden to paint this one.


"Oats and Cloud" 2001. 12.125 X 14.5" Oil on canvas.

Dad had the field reaped the next day or two--I just got it in time. I think I painted this form a photo, but I can't remember.....


"First Cut" 2001. 10 X 13.5"

Sat in the driveway that summer morning with the smell of fresh-cut hay all around me. Lots of pink in this one from the glare, but it is a deliberate device, too. the old Massey bale-wagon on the left. I got the silvery, silky-ness of the knocked-down grass dialled.

I am unofficially changing my name to Nicholas Williams. My "nom de painture". Hopefully this will save all future explanations about the discrepancies between my given name and my signature. Since it is actually the same name, and I need to "brand" myself ;) I'm taking this step. I'll have business cards printed shortly. Lots of my poet friends call themselves what they want (Radar, Strong Cottonwoods, etc., so fair is fair. If you want the full explanation, go here.

OK, now I am going to go paint some more. Next up--some of my best drawings.

Best,
C