A bit windy lately?

We have some had some strong winds lately blowing over trees and downing power lines. We lost power but luckily only for about 12 hours.

Here are some pictures I took on a windy day earlier this month. We were on a Ferry travelling between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo when I got these pictures of sailboats enjoying some very good winds.

The temperature was hovering around the freezing mark so I hope they were dressed warmly. Brrr....

 

These boats were sailing in Howe Sound to too far from our starting point of Horseshoe Bay.



 

It must have been a pretty exciting sail, the boats moving and a really good clip and tipped over a bit further than I would be comfortable with were I in their positions.

 

Luckily I was on the upper deck of a large, very stable ferry.

 

I this one I managed to catch one the small ferries just emerging from a sheltered cove.

 

A thrilling day!

 

Is this sailboat in trouble?

 

I don't think so, even though it looks as if there is a boat approaching to check. 

 

 

Just a change of tack (coming about) I think because below all appears to be well.

 

 

I took this picture partly because I thought the beacon on the shore looked like a person standing at attention watching the action.

 

 

That's all the boat pictures I took, my hands were getting too cold so I went inside and had a nice hot cup of tea.

 

Once we arrived at our destination, Fanny Bay, the ocean was smooth as glass. That is Chrome Island  in the distance, looking like a sailing ship travelling the coastal waters.

 

I have been working on Christmas presents and commissions recently so I thought I'd share a negative painting exercise that I did recently.

 

What is negative painting? Painting with a bad attitude? No, actually negative painting (or negative space) means that rather than painting the object itself, the painter creates its shape by painting around it. 

 

After splashing different colour washes and some salt on my paper I waited for it to dry and then "imagined" some holly emerging:

 

 

 

... so I thought maybe a bit boring, so this is the same painting with a "palette knife effect":

 

 

... and a stained glass effect, thought this was particularly appropriate at this time of year

 

.. and finally I added a zoom burst effect.

 

 Which do you like best?

 

Well that is all I have for this week, hope you are all keeping well, take care of yourselves, it is a busy time of year, it is important to save yourself some "me" time.

 

Happy Whimsy Wednesday,

 

Gillian