From our backyard looking into the summer sky

It was humid and towards afternoon it looked like  a storm was inevitable. A quick oil sketch from the backyard in the afternoon when the lush green of the trees silhouetted against the bright summer sky.

A window view on the summer morning

Hard to not to paint a view like this on  such a beautiful sunny morning despite sleepiness from working overnight.

Quiet back alley with summer green foliage

Went behind the hedges realizing how lush green the foliage of the trees is in the full morning sunlight! A quick oil sketch of the shed and the lone tree behind the hedges on Balmoral Bay

Fengping's flowerbed in full morning sunshine

Looking out of the window in the morning , I did a quick pochade of her flowerbed in full sunlight.

another view of Ping's flower bed

With more flowers starting to bloom, Fengping's flowerbed takes on a new look with each passing day. Here is one more oil sketch done amid vicious mosquitoes attack.

Trying out her new recipe

A quick oil sketch of Fengping trying out her new recipe she had received from the Canad Inns chef's cooking demonstration at the summer fair. Standing by the window, she struck quite a nice silhouette against the summer green colour out of the window

Ping's flowerbed starting its summer blooming season

A quick oil sketch in the afternoon of Ping's flowerbed cultivated for the blooming season.

Roses from our flowerbed

Roses started to bloom from our flowerbed adding to the feel of summer.

Summer green

The intense green foliage greeted me as I looked out of the dining room window in the afternoon. Picked up  a palette knife and did this quick oil sketch with it.

The Alpine Express

The Alpine Express German music  band comes onto stage to perform early in the afternoon. It is a quite a challenging task for me as there are quite a few people in the group. However, as soon as they start, their beautiful performance makes  my painting process move along so smoothly and somehow I can feel their music in my brush.

The moment of blues

After four paintings done on the spot and in front of an audience I really felt exhausted and did not feel like painting any more. However,sitting down and listening to Brandon's Jake Leg band playing on the stage, I was deeply touched by their soulful blues music , I rushed again to my easel and did this quick oil sketch as their music swirled and flowed around me.

The three Irish Beauties

The few young ladies from Hutton Academy of Irish Dance give such a spirited performance of Irish dancing that their rhythmic dancing steps echoed with the cheers and applause from the big audience. It also made my brush dance on the canvas as well. Hope I did capture the joy and beauty of the moment.

Flirting their way around ?

The three ladies from Sensation International group danced their way around an old gentleman in chair tempting him in a flirting way with a great sense of humour.

Metis Square Dancing moment

Winnipeg Metis Infinity Steppers band came to perform a square dance. I set my easel ready and did  this oil sketch in a few  minutes as long as the dancing lasted. Hope I captured something light footed merriment in their steps.

Practicing jumping fences

It is quite a beautiful sight to watch as young  men and women on horse back started their rounds of practic against the intense blue summer sky at noon on Keystone grounds.

Two Island Vibe Dancers

A quick oil sketch of the two Island Vibe Dancers coming to perform at UTC Pavilion at the Keystone Centre for Manitoba Summer Fair yesterday evening

When the crescent moon was rising over the summer sky

A quick oil sketch of Brandon Summer Fair scene at the Keystone grounds from the doorway of UTC Pavilion yesterday afternoon

Fiddling on the stage at Manitoba Summer Fair

I did an oil sketch of Jason Lepine fiddling on the stage at Olde Tyme Dance Party this evening in UTC Pavilion for the summer fair. Jason is a well know Portage based master fiddliest.

Another music moment at the Summer Fair

An oil sketch of the Larry and the Classic band whose music echoed with the joyful mood of the summer fair moment.

A cooking demonstration at Manitoba Summer Fair

An oil sketch of Canad Inns Chef JD Braid 's demonstration at UTC Pavilion yesterday evening on the occasion of Manitoba Summer Fair. I have a selection of over 80 paintings on display at UTC Pavilion on Keystone grounds on the same occasion.

looking out of our window in the evening

It rained heavily outside making it impossible to paint outdoor. An oil sketch of a window view towards evening

In the last light of the day

an quick oil sketch glancing over the fence of hedges in the last light from our patio.

A view on Ron and Salley's backyard

Ron and Salley's home is just a few minutes away from the city limit. On Sunday at noon I drove over and did an oil sketch of their backyard with the blossoming tree ablaze with vibrant color in the sun.
However, while painting there I was constantly swamped   by mosquito and tiny flying bugs which eventually found their way to my canvas and got stuck there! Ron and Salley just became the proud grand parents a few days ago of a beautiful baby girl! I painted this painting to mark this special occasion in their lives.

Our house back lit in late afternoon sunshine

A quick oil sketch of where we live on Balmoral Bay early in the evening. It is  June 4th again. It is hard to ignore this memorable date. What happened 22 years ago in China on this particular date will never be erased from our collective memory. I personally feel indebted to what happened 22 years ago. Without that event, there would not have been a new sense of home which we enjoy as a family here in Canada. Pray for those who lost their loved ones on that sleepless night.

Garage sale at Colin Corneau's place on 12th Street

Colin Corneau, the most well-known Brandon Sun photographer threw a garage sale party at his place today on 12th street. I went to join him there and did this oil painting on location there. What a delightful painting experience. Colin is a very talented photographer. Here is his website http://www.colincorneau.com/reserved

Our patio in the late afternoon sunshine

With the full sun on our patio in the afternoon, I did a quick oil sketch in our backyard. It was so nice to see the sunny sky.

Silhouetted against a bright sunny sky

Sitting on our patio and looking at the western sky, sunny and bright, I did a quick oil sketch. However  a few minutes later the sky again turned so dark that rain started to pour down again with lightening across the evening sky! What a day!

Blossoming across the street

I would never have anticipated we would have a sunny ending for today judging by what we have gone through , a storm of pounding rain and hails with crashing lightening against such a  dark sky right  in the middle of  morning. A quick oil sketch after supper when the full sunlight is on the walls of the houses and the blooming tree across the street.

In the last light

A quick oil sketch looking west from our patio in the last receding light of the day. Got my first mosquitoe bite for this year while painting this view.

A distant view of Brandon from North Hill

Drove to Coral Centre to do some shoping after supper, and, then I drove up the 18th Street North to find myself a quiet spot on a parking lot overlooking Brandon with swallen Assisiniboine River glimering in the distace.