#2914 "Harold's Flag over Killbear"

#2914 "Harold's Flag over Killbear"
11x14 inches oils on canvas
Started January 19th, 2025
 in the Singleton Studio.

#2914 "Harold's Flag over Killbear" 11x14 inches oils on canvas Started January 19th, 2025 in the Singleton Studio.

These photos were taken by my good friend Cam who I have known since 1985 when we moved to Schomberg, Ontario - right after the Barrie Tornado. One of the tornadoes along the cold front passed a couple of kilometres north of the home we had just purchased on Western Avenue. It was a stressful time. 

Cam knows what stimulates my art and I welcome the photos that do not require me to travel repeatedly to my favourite haunts. Georgian Bay is a special place but quite a drive from the Singleton Sanctuary.

I have been to this location many times. This view would have only been paintable from a boat. An easel is quite a challenge to position in twenty feet of water - unfathomable in fact to think that it might be even possible! I have painted several times from the terra firma of Harold's Point. The shoreline is also great for swimming.  

The flagged pines are a favourite of mine. They speak of endurance and perseverance in the face of the elements - including the onslaughts from man. These trees thrive and provide opportunities for countless other species within a special habitat. 

I presented "Tom Thomson Was A Weatherman" at most of the Ontario Provincial Parks. Killbear is a tremendous facility mainly as a result of the wonderful staff! One time the Killbear Park employee did not realize that Tom had actually passed in 1917. She thought that Tom Thomson was actually appearing in person to talk about his art. Oh my, that would have been a show that I would not have wanted to miss. 

I have frozen my hands several times while winter painting and getting deep into the artistic zone. As a result, I stay in the Singleton Studio when the windchill gets severe. Here is me "roughing it" while working on #2914 "Harold's Flag over Killbear". 

For this and much more art, click on Pixels or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint 2024 Collection. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2025. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick 

#2913 "Pining for Windsor"

#2913 "Pining for Windsor"
14x11 inches oils on canvas
Started January 16th, 2025
in the Singleton Studio 

These photos were taken by my good friend Cam who I have known since 1985 when we moved to Schomberg, Ontario - right after the Barrie Tornado. The following paintings were based on these photos. The locations aside from those along the Chikanishing Trail in Killarney, would have only been paintable from a boat. An easel presents an unfathomable challenge in twenty feet of water. 

I have been to this location several times. I was looking for fresh material to inspire me while the winter weather strongly encouraged me to paint within the comforts of the Studio. Cam knows what stimulates my art and I welcome the photos that do not require me to travel repeatedly to my favourite haunts. Georgian Bay is a special place but quite a drive from the Singleton Sanctuary. 

There is no known name for this particular island but the next one headed toward Franklin Island toward the east is clearly identified as Windsor Island. Cam picked the title of this painting in reference to the pines and the view toward Windsor Island. 

Flagged trees are a favourite of mine. They speak of endurance and perseverance in the face of the elements - including the onslaughts from man. These trees thrive and provide opportunities for countless other species within a special habitat. We need to protect them. 

There is still much to learn about the ecology of the forest. I have read countless nature-oriented books including most of the books by Peter Wohlleben: "The Hidden Life of Trees", "The Inner Life of Animals", "The Weather Detective", "The Secret Wisdom of Nature", "The Heartbeat of Trees" and "The Power of Trees". That is a considerable amount of reading about nature and forests.

I recently read "Our Green Heart" by Diana Beresford-Kroeger who also lives in eastern Ontario near Merrickville. She is almost a neighbour. Her writings provided many gems I had not yet discovered! She even touches on quantum mechanics - quantum lifting is mentioned on Page 65 describing how photons interact with chlorophyll in photosynthesis. Amazing. 

Every painting is another opportunity to learn. They do not all need to be masterworks although I give the brushes and oils everything I can, everytime! 

For this and much more art, click on Pixels or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint 2024 Collection. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2025. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick 

#2912 "October Sunset Convection"

#2912 "October Sunset Convection" 
11x14 inches oils on canvas
January 8th, 2025

Autumn sunsets tend to be special. The air masses can still be unstable. Backlit convection at sunset is always striking. 

A warm conveyor belt typical of a mid-latitude weather system filled the western sky. A thin layer of cirrostratus was being chopped up into gravity wave bands. A patch of higher-level cirrocumulus was apparent only in the upper left. Thicker layers of more opaque altostratus approached on the lower horizon. The convection on the line to the left could have even been a thunderstorm but I forget those details. The sun was barely above the tree line at Wicks Pick Lodge. 

The long wavelengths of these gravity waves suggest that these are swells within the atmospheric ocean originating from strong winds closer to the approaching weather system. A wind wave pattern was embedded along some sections of these swell crests suggesting that Singleton was on the anticyclonic portion of the deformation zone flow downstream from the col. The cloud patterns were drifting southeastward. The accompanying graphic labels the interesting elements in this sunset sky. Don't be concerned - there is no exam. 

Langmuir streaks in the surface of Singleton revealed that the wind must have been brisk southwesterly during the day. Those breezes rapidly weakened as the sun set and the radiational inversion established itself. This southwesterly "cold conveyor belt" indicates that the approaching weather system was either faster or weaker than average or both... I forget if that forecast was verified. 

There are always lots of environmental clues that reveal the weather if we are tuned in and have time to watch, listen and learn. Every sky presents another opportunity to study nature. 

The porch light had been left on at Dale's place. A late-season fisherman also headed slowly back to the dock at Singleton Campground. The quiet of sunset is another favourite time of the day.  

For this and much more art, click on Pixels or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint 2024 Collection. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2025. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick 

#2911 "Underlit September Altocumulus Swells"

#2911 "Underlit September Altocumulus Swells" 
11x14 inches oils on canvas
Monday January 6th, 2025

We try not to miss a sunset. Even an overcast sky can be breathtaking at the end of the day. This is another sky that really caught our eye and I thought it deserved to be translated into oils. The sky colours were equally strong on the rippled surface of Singleton Lake. 

The sunset light was catching the undersides of the altocumulus. The layer of moisture that created the altocumulus was thin. Blue sky tones separated the brilliant gravity wave crests where the cloud resided. The troughs of the gravity waves were cloud-free. The swell's wavelength was quite long, creating a broad separation between the brilliant bands of cloud. Strong atmospheric winds were shaking that layer of moisture like a bed sheet. 

The long wavelengths of these gravity waves suggested that these were swells within the atmospheric ocean originating from strong winds closer to the approaching weather system. There was no obvious wind wave pattern added to the swells suggesting that the col of the deformation zone flow was approaching Singleton Lake. The cloud patterns were simply advancing and not deviating noticeably either to the left or right. The following graphic explains these patterns but don't be concerned - there is no exam. 

Some faint shafts of virga were backlit by the last rays of the sun west of Wicks Pick Lodge on the western shore of Singleton Lake. The cloud had to be thicker further to the west but the sun was still illuminating it from below. 

These colours only last a few minutes before the sun sinks below the western horizon. I tried to keep the spontaneity in the brush strokes. Painting this inspiration in real-time would allow only a few bold strokes before the colours vanished. There were a lot of oils on the brush strokes that I rolled across the canvas as I tried to relive that September sunset.  

For this and much more art, click on Pixels or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint 2024 Collection. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2025. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick 

#2910 "October Sunset on Fire"

#2910 "October Sunset on Fire"  14x11 inches
Oils on canvas started Monday January 6th, 2025.

Christmas was just put away so I decided that it was time to paint. The experience was an epiphany so to speak. Indeed, the 6th of January when I picked up my brushes is known as epiphany. January 6 is observed as a church festival commemorating the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ. 

I prefer to use the word "epiphany" as "an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure", "a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something" or "an intuitive grasp of reality through something (such as an event) usually simple and striking". The world needs more epiphany moments... a lot more! I am an eternal student so am always on the hunt for the next epiphany.

This sunset was from Tuesday, October 8th, 2024 at 6:30 pm. The sky caught our eye and I had decided that the moment needed to be interpreted in oils. It was minus 16 Celsius outside so the decision was easy given that I have already frozen my hands too many times. I had the fire on in the wood stove. The tunes were also playing on my vintage Radio Shack amplifier from 1976. Life is good! 

As always it was the structure of the clouds that caught my eye. The filtered sunset light was striking the undersides of the more distant cloud. The bases of the closer clouds were already in the Earth's shadow. There was no hint of winter on the horizon! 

I record a lot of warm conveyor belts. They display the most interesting cloud types and structures. Thunderstorms may be interesting but do not display the meteorology of a conveyor belt. My view was looking southwesterly into the anticyclonic flow of the approaching system. Shreds of alotcumulus rippled in the gravity waves of the warm frontal surface, evident in the thinner cloud to the north of the strong upper flow. 

The sky was overcast in thin cirrostratus. The solid deck of altostratus was opaque. Langmuir streaks were evident in the cloud revealing the southwesterly winds above the warm frontal surface. The surface winds were easterly. The cold conveyor belt drawn into the approaching low revealed that the system was stronger than average. The forested Singleton shoreline sheltered the eastern bay of Singleton from those winds. Waves gradually built with the fetch across the lake causing the surface to be much more rippled on the far shore. Those waves reflected the blue of the overhead altostratus. The nearby calm waters glancingly reflected the bright light of the setting sun low on the horizon. That sun below the horizon could only illuminate the undersides of the more distant cloud.  

For this and much more art, click on Pixels or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint 2024 Collection. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2025. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick 

#2909 "Christmas Holiday Sunset Contrails"

 

#2909 "Christmas Holiday Sunset Contrails"
14x11 inches oils on canvas

Water Vapour Image

It was almost the shortest day of the year. The afternoon sky told the story of the next weather system. It was 3:45 pm on the afternoon of Thursday, December 19th, 2024. Contrails stretched across the Singleton sky. Jets were carrying people to and fro all around the globe for the holiday season. The upper-level air mass was moist due to the warm conveyor belt of the approaching storm. Such contrails can be very persistent as they drift with the upper winds. These contrails were sliding southward under the anticyclonic companion of the warm conveyor belt. 

The energetics of the atmosphere would also result in the rapid development of a storm in the Gulf of Maine. The classic storm would threaten the plans of holiday travellers. Our family from Nova Scotia caught an early Friday morning flight out of Halifax and avoided all indecision and turmoil. They were supposed to arrive late on Saturday evening. That flight eventually took off about 5 hours late arriving in Ottawa early on Sunday morning. Happily, everyone had happily already arrived at Singleton before noon on Friday. 

This painting is all about lines. Multiple contrails mixed in with the cirrostratus. The dominant contrail on the left ascending from Pearson International was below the cirrus deck. A secondary contrail was headed into CYYZ and was not catching the last rays of daylight. That line in the sky was much less obvious. 

The deformation zone leading the warm conveyor belt was the biggest line in the sky. The cirrostratus leading edge had already passed to the east of Singleton. Swells within the atmospheric ocean explained the banding displayed by the thicker swaths of cirrus. 

Other lines in the sky were either Langmuir streaks aligned with the upper winds or more gravity waves. I just painted what I saw. There is really no need to explain further. There was a winter storm on the way and it was time to hunker down at home in front of the wood fire.

Another line across the ice was a mystery. My first guess was that the pack of coyotes had crossed the ice. The answer appeared with the family of otters frolicking, slipping and sliding along that icy path. They were on their way for another meal of Singleton fishes. That trail was a well-used highway. The otters are the welcomed comedians of Singleton. 

The painting was also a study of subtle colour changes in both the cirrus and the surface of Singleton. If the colours are not right, the landscape can not ring true.  

For this and much more art, click on Pixels or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint 2024 Collection. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2025. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick 

#2906 Black Eyed Susan Friends

#2906 Black Eyed Susan Friends
16x20 inches on gallery mount canvas

The world needs more "joy" to quote Fred Eaglesmith. We recently enjoyed a "Concert of Small Halls". Fred Eaglesmith and his band played in nearby Athens and it was a night of music to remember. Fred had almost died from an undisclosed illness that he mentioned during the concert. Tif Ginn, his wife (2014) and lead guitarist being the one and the same, nursed him back to health. His message that night was to embrace what you have and the simple things in life. He summed it up in one word "joy". I could easily be a "Fredhead". 

Fred Eaglesmith is the stage name of Frederick John Elgersmar. Fred is known for writing songs about trains, rural life, down-and-out characters, lost love and quirky rural folk. He has produced 20 studio albums over his 30-year career with more on the way. We plan to go again to another show!

There is much that needs fixing in the world. Climate change, broken political processes, disease, and a host of other environmental threats are issues that those in power choose to either ignore or simply do not understand. There are no easy solutions although scientists and humourists have tried to educate for the last couple of centuries - a mere microsecond in the 4.5 billion-year history of the universe. "Preaching to the choir" does not change the world controlled by a few oligarchs and a web of wealth and deceit... 

 I do not fully understand quantum mechanics but have come to grips with the multiverse. I even appreciate qubits and quantum computing. Classical physics and quantum mechanics are compatible but there are still many questions and much to learn. 

A simpler approach to life can be found nearby. The joy of nature surrounds us every day. One can never have enough flowers either. Important answers can be discovered by simply slowing down and appreciating the nature that survives despite humans.  

A winter storm with snow dominated the weather pattern.  I decided to stay in the Singleton Studio on a blustery day. The outside work and play in the forest could wait. The photo of a group of black-eyed Susans had been on my list of inspiration for almost a decade. The day had arrived to be inspired. And the world needs more flowers anyway.

Black-eyed Susans are officially named rudbeckia hirta. The flowering plant is in the Asteraceae family, native to Eastern and Central North America. It has spread to the west and even somehow lept the Pacific Ocean into China. It has now been found in all 10 Canadian Provinces and all 48 of the states in the contiguous United States. Rudbeckia hirta is the state flower of Maryland.

Sometimes the story behind the painting can be important. This is more than just another flower painting. During my 35-year career with the Atmospheric Environment Service and Environment Canada, one of my favourite expressions was "you gotta laugh" in response to some of the inexplicable decisions being made. It was impossible to fix the bureaucracy so I decided to chuckle and focus on joy and nature while trying to make a difference with my art. 

A co-worker recently graciously reminded me of my  "you gotta laugh"  mantra as he witnessed what was happening in the world - a narcissistic period of human behaviour controlled by oligarchs in a quest for ever more power and wealth in the Century of Fire. Leave it to the artists to tell the truth whether they be musicians or cartoonists. 

This particular canvas had been in the Studio for years and its time had also come. I am not fond of gallery wrap canvases as it encourages one to focus too much on the sides when really, only the front matters. 

My Studio "office chair" was also starting to fail. I was happily painting away and suddenly noticed that I was below chin height at the bottom of the canvas. I tried a couple of quick fixes but then decided to just stand. The details of the flowers were less important than the freedom and joy they can impart so I let the oils really fly! 

This painting was on and off the easel for more than a month. The final touches of the brush were applied in January 2025... We will see what the future brings but I plan to bathe in the forest and the lake and protect the natural beauty of Singleton for as long as I can...

Thank you for reading these thoughts if you made it this far. I strive to remain positive...

 For this and much more art, click on Pixels or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint 2024 Collection. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick