I joined the Ontario Canada plein air painters on a glorious sunny Friday to capture the Niagara River gorge from the other side. That's where the whirlpool turns and I could see the Spanish Aerocar pass over the river.
The Whirlpool from Ontario 16x12 oil c. K. Schifano 2024
The complex at Riverworks is constantly expanding up and out and becoming a great family site. We took our grandchildren for dinner and they enjoyed the variety of watercraft passing, including party boats and cruisers.
They didn't see this side until we were leaving so we took a few turns on the slowest Ferris wheel ever. It was magical. I've painted the LaBatts six pack twice and other views here too as there's always something worth studying
Riverworks Ferris Wheel 9x12oil on birch board
What's the big deal? After two months of recuperation from a knee replacement I'm finally driving myself to a painting event and seeing friends I've missed this Spring.
This is tiny Youngstown and the famous Jug, home of great music for decades.
Brown Jug or Ontario House? 9x12oil
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| Hortus Botanicus |
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| 6' Below Sea Level |
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| Keukenhof Tulip Garden |
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| No Parking |
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Having had a recent Total Knee Replacement, I settled for a scene near the car, while other painters went down the trail to find a bridge, wooden walks and lovely views. This is a park I will return to!
Lytle Preserve, Lockport, oil 9x12 oil 2024
A week after I painted the Blue Moon, the weather was lovely and the ride to Paint Youngstown again was sublime. With the coast Guard red roof in the background, this sailboat found its way onto my canvas, drawn with underpaints and I worked on the water and reflections before the weather changed the surface of the water. Well, it did change and the current turned the sailboat around before I was finished. The prow was now to the right. It wasn't going to come back to this position for a long time so I had to finish the picture looking at the opposite side and reversing in my mind using the underpainting as a guide.
I posted the painting on Facebook and it was forwarded by someone to the owner. I didn't see their comment but they came to the November NFLive event at the Niagara Falls Convention Center after Thanksgiving to see me.
The night before the show I had realized I should have a sample of my boat paintings in my table display and put it in an available right-sized frame. It was only a few weeks since it was painted so I offered to take care of it in the future as it wasn't fully dry for a few more months and I hadn't secured it tight enough for long term display. It went home that day with the family that owned the boat. And I learned where the name 'Plucked Chicken" came from.
Plucked Chicken 16X12 oil on linen
The end of September serves as the end of sailing season, taking the boats in and readying them for winter takes up a lot of fall days at the Youngstown Yacht Club. The biggest sailboats are brought in last and by then, the dock is covered with propped boats on blocks and trailers, all with masts in the sky, creating an aluminum forest.
I had admired this unusual sailboat and was determined to find time to paint it. Turns out, "Blue Moon" is a work boat for the yacht club, ferrying in the race markers from the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. I learned that the following week when it went to work before I could paint it larger.
It's just 7" tall by 5" and this painting is a new favorite.
Blue Moon, oil on canvas panel 7x5"
One more pastel before I return to using oil paint. It's a summer day and my friends are meeting at Three Sisters in Niagara Falls State Park for a warm day by the water to paint. There are so many angles at Three Sisters that are perfect for painting, so difficult to choose.
On this day I brought art supplies to the end, where the crashing surf racing down to the Horseshoe Falls makes the most noise. A few years ago this area was upgraded with natural plantings and handsome fencing but that keeps us away from the rocky eastern sections of the third island. I decided to show the massive rocks on the shore beyond the fence.
The Third Island at Three Sisters 12x9 pastel
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| Too tired. |
While painting the first bridge at Three Sisters Islands I was surrounded by newborn geese as well as 1-2 day old Ones In the first photo, the newest babies had a hard time crossing the path with their new legs. The second shows a family of duck critics in front of me.
The last shows my painting and the actual bridge from my view. Unfortunately the cat on a leash who decided the shade of my easel would be a good nap spot escaped the photo opportunity.
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| Regular critics. Quack |
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| The First Bridge 12x16 oil |
What a traditional view of the cataracts! The annual WorldWide Paint Out, sponsored by International Plein Air Painters was a huge success. NFPAP had at least a dozen artists on both Friday and Saturday. I had not painted here in a while and it was so satisfying to be right at the rail. Working in the heat was difficult, the swirls of wind from the gorge made an umbrella unsteady and I should have had more drinking water with me. But, by persevering I could complete this beauty. After a summer of good experiences and practice, my brushes just danced on this canvas.
The second WWPO day, we worked by Three Sisters Islands and I went into the shade near the first bridge. A bridal party appeared and had their vows to my left, across the water. Members of the wedding party came to see me at work and purchased the wet painting for the newlyweds. I took it home, attached it securely in a perfect pizza box and delivered to their hotel. They paid me, but included a nice tip for packing and delivering! What a wonderful gift and memory for this couple. And asking your local pizza place for a clean box 'for emergencies' is a tip for artists reading this.
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| September Morning Wedding |
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| Work in Progress! |
I was excited to paint in Youngstown at the end of the mighty Niagara, it ends at Lake Ontario with two forts, several dozen sailboats and two marinas and Canada all in view.
And then it rained, in fact it poured and was 1" deep under the tent which also started dripping underneath. No good for pastel painters, but I was using oils. The red roof shed was a perfect collection of shapes, so I started my painting...not planning to have my view blocked by the blue sailboat 'lifter' which wheeled in front of my view.
In Fall all the large and small sailboats are removed from the Niagara River and packed together, similar to cars at a busy mall on a Saturday holiday weekend. The huge masts create an aluminum forest, with ropes continually clinking on metal.
But, I persisted and happily completed my painting. How many more old buildings will I find?
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| RCR shed at Youngstown Yacht Club 9x12 oil c. 2022 |
September brings the sun a little lower and the glare on the water is almost difficult to watch or paint. Having sold all the bridge pictures of Three Sisters at Niagara Falls State Park, I selected a 16x20 canvas for my favorite spot.
As I painted this a group passed behind me and gathered across the water by the rocks and steps and I realized it was a wedding. Every painting has its own story and I enjoyed watching a very informal marriage ceremony as I painted. Afterwards some of the attendees asked to buy this painting. It wasn’t complete but we made arrangements to meet at their hotel later. I carefully packed the wet oil at home and signed it with their wedding date. The group had taken up a collection to pay for it and they included a tip! I’ll have to paint here again soon, these bridge paintings are my favorite and apparently others feel the same.
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| September Morning at Three Sisters 16x20 oil |
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| Photo by Rachelle Bisone |
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| Sunflower field, oil, 10x20, c. K.Schifano 2022 |
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| Here is a painting in progress, nearly finished. A few more rocks and some long shadows and it was done. |
We paint at least once a year at Bond's Lake and usually include the lake and the stunning colors of trees across the water in our pictures. Today I chose the path that is now blocked but leads to where we used to park. Purple loosestrife, a noxious weed, is nevertheless beautiful in late summer. Long shadows herald the approach of Fall as the sun appears low in the sky.
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Saturday at the Buffalo History Museum was a perfect Spring day and thousands turned out to see the blossoms. Five painters worked on a scene similar to this, set back from the crowds and walkways. Every painting captured sunlight, flowers and the joy of emerging spring. These trees appear to dance, with the classic architecture of the museum in the background.
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| 'Saturday's Cherry Blossoms' oil, 12x16 c. K. Schifano |
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| 'Sunday's Cherry Blossoms' oil, 12x16 c. K. Schifano |
'First Snow' oil, 8x10 c.2022
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| South Side Garden at Botanical Gardens |
The annual Buffalo Garden Walks offer opportunities for artists to paint in various gardens. At Vermont Street and 17th there is a public vegetable and flower garden and I reached out to NFPAP members to join me and Buffalo Society of Artists on a sunny July Saturday. The many visitors and especially children were fascinated to see us at work.
The back view of the tall Yarrow flowers drew my attention this time. Compared to the brilliant yellow flowers on top the underneath stems are deep rich greens and even blue in the shadows. I sat to paint to observe this view under the yellow Yarrow flowers.
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| Step by step in the community garden |
This little painting is my Spring Equinox contribution. Hellebores flower buds lay under the snow, starting in December and visible whenever the snow melts. Just a bit of sun and Spring and they perk up. My plant is particularly large and the flowers change colors over the weeks they are blooming. Creamy pink to start, they turn rosy and then a peachy tan. When the Japanese Maple overhead starts to leaf it provides cooling shade and my flowers are upright and beautiful through June.
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| Hellebores-2021 Equinox, 7x5 oil c. K. Schifano |
