A LIGHT TOUCH ART SHOW

April 1 2022

A Light Touch April 1 – 15, 2022

Handworks Gallery 12 King Street, Saint John

I read that it is helpful to try a new medium as it can help you grow artistically. Pastels had always appealed to me but there were all the negative warnings…you have to frame behind glass…I might react to the dust…the expense…always having dirty hands…But for me, it was all worthwhile.   I struggled with landscapes. I could achieve what I wanted with still life and water but was looking for the wow factor in my landscapes. Using pastels, those delicious lush vivid colours the scene would blossom on my paper.

For six months, I became engrossed in painting with pastels. The show “A Light Touch” is an opportunity to showcase my new medium.   The painting above is dear to my heart. Not far from where I live is a beautiful area that floods every spring and in the later spring, summer and fall they would allow the cows to roam. Sadly, the cows and the barn are gone – signs of the times for many farms.   The online exhibit can be viewed at Handworks Virtual Exhibit of A Light Touch by Dale Cook

St. Martins, New Brunswick is one of my favourite places to visit in all seasons. This scene caught my eye as I loved the variation of colours and tones of the ice along the stream as it fed into the Bay of Fundy.   I love cattle fences. Sometimes they are green, sometimes orange but my favourite is red. The bushes behind were flush with the red colours as well now that spring was teasing us with warmer weather

Textures are enticing. Whether the soft sand, spiky grass, hard, half-buried rocks or waves rolling up the beach, there is always something to catch my eye along the shore.   My local town Saint John, New Brunswick is the oldest, incorporated city in Canada. Despite having two major fires, the downtown buildings have so much character.

What can I say about painting in autumn? Our river system is filled with colour and wildlife and there is beauty around every corner.   To be able to capture the light of the golden hour means being at the right place at the right time. The shrubbery glowed before our eyes.

You would never know that between my and this scene was a bustling bridge. We stood in a parking lot to capture this scene across the road.   Another autumn scene just down the road from my home. So often this vista provides delight to my eyes and warmth to my heart.

On the way to my cottage is this sweet home. I love how it sits perfectly into the landscape. I was lucky to catch the light at just the right angle this day.   Paths are intriguing. This scene looks so inviting. We painted en plein air as we listened to hunters in the distance shooting for ducks. And yes, we wore orange.

Some days we just drive around looking for the right scene to paint. This barn was nestled below the road line so we parked the cars and explored. maybe next time we will find the owner and ask permission.   A dear friend gets to enjoy this magnificent tree in her yard. Being along the coast, her yard can be bathed in gorgeous warm misty morning light.

Animals have not been a subject I have painted. But these two characters showed so much personality, I could not resist.

We have the standard dairy cows and steers in our area, but a highland cow is not common. This guy/girl just wanted to pose for us.   Do rams have attitude? I would say definitely yes. He thinks he is just the handsomest and I agree.

This is one of my larger pastel pieces taken from a plein air scene. It was one of those beautiful autumn days as a local park. So many friends have seen this painting and knew exactly the location.   I love the maritime coastline. we stood near a lighthouse quite high looking across at the cliff face. Painting en plein air allowed me to really see the bounced light in the shadows and it helped me to include it in my studio piece.