Bob Krysak Watercolours

Canadian Rockies-Lynx Track

2011-10-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful Fall day in the Rockies today. My family and I were hiking up Marble Canyon in Kootenay Park, there was a bite in the air and the sky was that soft blue with the sun beaming in at a lower angle. We were hiking up thru the 2003 Kootenay burn, where thousands of trees were torched, their black, shiny remains towering above us.

We stopped by a mountain stream to have a snack and enjoy our surroundings. My son and nephew walked up the stream not far from where I was sitting, marvelling in the new ice that was forming at the waters edge. At the same time they both saw animal tracks in the ice, and asked me to come look at them. My partner in life also saw the tracks and thought they were cat like. As I got up from the log I was sitting on and moved towards the stream I stopped.........there below me, glistening in the sun atop a rock, was a paw print. After looking at it for a few moments I took a picture, and when we got home I compared the picture I took to an image in Ben Gadd's mountain journal. We had surprised a Lynx, a member of the cat family, who had probably stopped to get a drink out of the stream.

We are so fortunate to be a part of this environment and share it with so many creatures. As we were walking back down the valley heading home I stopped to reflect on where we were and what we had seen. As I looked up the mountain slopes I saw two mountain goats perched on a ridge high above the valley.

In a few months we will be skiing up this valley and it will be great to experience all the adventure the mountains bring to our world.

Nova Scotia Fog

2011-08-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

While we were on the East Coast near Peggy's Cove we had a mixed bag as far as weather goes. One day it would be hot and sunny with the temp at 30c and the water temp at 18-20c, great for swimming. On other days, like the day I painted Nova Scotia Fog, the temp dropped to 18c and the water to 14c! There was a cool dampness over everything, and our coastal view came and went as the fog would roll in and out of the bay. Tough painting in these conditions as the paper does not want to dry and shivers were moving up and down my spine.

St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia

2011-08-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a few weeks on the East Coast in Nova Scotia. It is such a varied and different landscape from where I live in the mountains. Every day we were at the waters edge, catching crabs and watching the ebb and flow of the tide. Some days were scorching hot, while others the fog would roll in and a chill would settle around your bones.

The people, food and landscape were amazing, definitely a place I could hang my hat every summer.

I created this painting while sitting on the waters edge looking out at the weathered boat houses, seagulls flying overhead and the Atlantic lapping at the shore at my feet.

Windsurfing Maui

2011-07-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

When we were in Maui we travelled across the Island to Hookipa, the mecca of wind/kite surfing and sailing. My eight year old son Robson was in awe at how fast the sailors moved and how high they flew in the air. The next day he wanted to paint and I suggested painting somethiing he had seen on the Island.

Windsurfing Maui by Robson Krysak

Maui Lanai

2011-06-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a great holiday in Maui. Our mornings began with breakfast on the lanai, then walks on the beach, time in the pool, snorkeling excursions, boogey boarding, surfing, tennis then back on the lania for dinner. It is a simple lifestyle when all you need is shorts, t-shirt and sandals. This is the view from our lanai with the palms and ocean greating us every day.

Mahalo

Calm After the Storm

2011-03-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have posted any images/words on my blog.

Last summer my Uncle Frankie was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer. Through the Fall and into December he was hospitalized and exposed to some pretty harsh chemo treatments. On Feb. 16th, Uncle Frankie died. He was a young 59, full of love, life and spirit.

It has been hard to paint this past while, and right now my focus is on the Ride to Conquer Cancer to help raise funds to make Cancer History! I will be riding 200 kms. in June in Frankies memory.

From now until the Ride is completed at the end of June, 2011, 100% of the sales of my paintings will go to the Ride to help make Cancer History!

The brushes/paint/canvas are calling, soon I will paint again.

Thanks to all of you who have been a part of my journey.

Bob

Trees-Canadian Rockies

2010-12-21T20:53:00.000-08:00

You may have heard the phrase "You can't see the forest for the trees".

I love trees, they give us oxygen, nourishment, life. As we approach the Christmas season and the end of another year, I reflect back on my past year on this blog. Thanks to all of you who have followed my work, to those who have purchased my art, to my brother who helped me start my blog and most important to my son and partner in life (spouse) who have constantly supported me. And a special thank you to my Uncle Frankie who is battling Cancer, and is a supporter of so many people and causes. You are all the trees in my forest that have helped me grow, learn and create anew.

I look forward to presenting you with my new work in 2011.

The best to you and yours this Holiday Season,

Bob Krysak

Wide Open Spaces-Rocky Mountains

2010-10-28T20:31:00.000-07:00

I live in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, and at times travel to the city for a variety of reasons.....supplies, airport, to visit friends.

I am always anxious to come home, for in front of me as I drive is the prairie flowing to the foothills and reaching up to the Rocky Mountains......Wide Open Spaces.

Wide Open Spaces

22" x 30" $500

Indian Paintbrush-Canadian Rockies

2010-10-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

When you hike in the mountains in the summer you see flowers....sometimes acres of them! At the end of July I was fortunate enough to be hiking in the alpine and was surrounded by thousands of Indian Paintbrush, one of my favourite alpine flowers. How do you paint a thousand flowers?...........I decided to paint one.

Indian Paintbrush on Watercolour Canvas

24" x 18"

$350

Rundle Snowfall-Canadian Rockies

2010-09-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

It was the last day of summer yesterday in the mountains, with 15cms. of snow on the ground. New snow gives great definition to the surrounding landscape, as does painting in Sepia.

Rundle Snowfall

9 1/2" x 7" $150 Sold

Houndstooth-Bugaboos

2010-09-11T14:22:00.001-07:00

I just finished renovating the spare room in our home and have converted it into a full working studio. Thru the process, I realized it is the basics that make things work. My journey with art began with pencil sketches and has evolved into watercolour paintings. Here is a quick sketch I did of Houndstooth while I was in the Bugaboos. It's back to basics...pencil and paper.

Houndstooth/Marmolata-Bugaboos

2010-08-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

It's always rewarding painting outside, away from the studio. The wind, sun and in this case the mosquitoes and black flies dictate how much detail you do and how quickly you paint.

I was sitting on a high alpine ridge when I painted this image, and when the wind was blowing I was in heaven....when it stopped I was swatting and brushing insects off me.

Houndstooth/Marmolata-Bugaboos

8.5" x 10" $200

Bugaboo Spire and Cobalt Lake

2010-07-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a 4 day hiking trip with my family in the Bugaboo's. We reached the summit of many peaks, hiked along rolling ridge tops and sat by glacier streams. The weather was fantastic, bluebird every day, and the stars in the evening were some of the most impressive I have ever seen.

This painting is of Bugaboo Spire with Cobalt lake at its base. It's a magical place, one of my favourite spots in the world.

Bugaboo Spire and Cobalt Lake

8" x 10.5" $200 Sold

2010-07-11T21:35:00.000-07:00

I finish the painting with layers of blue for the water, detail the grasses with Burnt Sienna and create reflections of the grasses with the New Gamboge mix.

9 x 12 $200

Vermilion Lakes Autumn-Canadian Rockies

2010-07-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

A mixture of New Gamboge and Burnt Sienna is used to create the grassy areas in the foreground.

Vermilion Lakes Autumn-Canadian Rockies

2010-07-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

I paint the first layer of the water in the foreground, then add Sepia to the mix of blue and begin to layer in the trees.

Vermilion Lakes Autumn-Canadian Rockies

2010-07-11T21:28:00.001-07:00

With the addition of Ultramarine blue I then paint the darker mountains in the foreground.

Vermilion Lakes Autumn-Canadian Rockies

2010-07-11T21:25:00.001-07:00

The next step is to add Alizaron Crimson to my mix of blues. This changes the tone of the image and is used in the main mountain, Mt. Rundle.

Vermilion Lakes Autumn-Canadian Rockies

2010-07-11T21:12:00.001-07:00

To begin the process I create a mix of color with Ultramarine and Cobalt blue. I wet the sky area with water then add the mixtures of blue, placing more color in areas I want to be bolder.

Vermilion Lakes Autumn-Canadian Rockies

2010-07-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

I have been experimenting with painting watercolour on stretched canvas. You first need to paint on a Gesso liquid layer that allows the watercolour to sit on the canvas. It's an interesting process, but time consuming as it takes longer for the paint to dry.
I thought I would take you thru the process of how I create a painting.
First I choose a size, in this case 9 x 12. The I draw an outline of what I want to paint, usually no more than 5 lines. I either paint of sit or from a photo I have taken.

Windless

2010-06-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

I was just on the West coast of Canada last week, there was not a breath of wind and the ocean was smooth as glass.

It reminded me of a sketch I did when I was out kayaking a few years ago, not a breath of wind and all the sailboats were drifting aimlessly.

Surfs Up

2010-06-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

One summer I was kayaking outside of Tofino near Hotsprings Cove. The barometer fell sharply, the skies darkened and a huge storm hit the area. I was forced to stay huddled on the beach with my 17 foot kayak as huge waves crashed against the shore.

It was a good thing I stayed put, as 3 fishing trawlers, each over 60 feet long, sank during that storm.

This sketch is called "Surfs Up"

2010-06-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

I have spent a fair amount of time on the water on the West coast in sea kayaks. In a way you are like a turtle, everything you have is with you, your shelter, food, transportation. There are so many things to see when you are at ocean level in a kayak, but none more spectacular than catching a glimpse of the Orca whale.

You catch your breath, still your paddle and stare in awe as these graceful creatures pass by.

This sketch, "Orca", was created in Johnstone Strait near Telegraph Cove.

2010-06-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

I've lived on the West coast for part of my life and find there are always things to catch the eye. From sailboats to ships, orcas and seals, every moment spent on the water is a magical time.

This pen and ink sketch is called "Wind at your Back". The sails are full, the boat is keeled over, and the air is damp with sea spray.

2010-06-18T18:26:00.000-07:00

I've never been a fan of doing portraits of people.......I guess because the finished product is supposed to look like something that people can relate to/recognize. This is a self portrait in my early years as an artist, looking into a mirror. I was on the road as a ski rep, in some motel in some small town. Not a fan of TV, drawing was a great way to have some time for self.

2010-06-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

At some point in life we learn that less is more, and to keep things simple. When I first started working in a ski shop the owner was married to a woman from Switzerland. One day I was visiting at their home and saw a picture of her Grandfather.....it caught my eye right away.

This sketch is called "The Swiss Grandfather"

2010-06-16T19:57:00.000-07:00

I love to doodle (draw images on paper), I always have. Most of my books from school have drawings along the margins....I'm sure the book owners after me were wondering "What was this person thinking?"

This image is called "On my Mind", and started from an eyeball in the middle and morphed out into many things. It's fun to let the energy just flow and see what happens.

2010-06-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

Its been a few weeks since we came back from the Islands of Hawaii. When I was there I realized how simple life can be, and how I do not need much in my life to be happy. Since I've been home I've been struggling to pick up a brush and paint. I realize that in my art I also need to simplify, and not get caught up so much in the process but enjoy the journey. The past few days I have been looking thru old sketch books at pencil and pencil/ink sketches of mine. In those days I could not afford watercolours, brushes and paper, so used what was at hand......pencil and paper. In the next while I will be featuring these sketches from my past while I stir the creativity inside me and pick up the brush again.

Africani Man

We always had copies of National Geographic in the house. This image was created from an article on African culture.

Pencil and Paper

2010-06-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

I just spent two weeks in Maui with my family. Warm days, tradewinds and swaying palms....it was a magical, relaxing time. I did not take any of my paints with me, but my 8 year old son brought his watercolour travel kit with one brush that is quite small and a 4 x 6 watercolour pad. He and I did a few paintings/cards, and one afternoon while sitting on the lanai watching the surf roll in I painted Maui Palms. The palms represent my wife, my son and I, and how lucky we are to share this time together. Creating this painting reminded my how little we need in life to be happy and creative. In the next while I will be creating paintings/memories of this magical place.

Mahalo

Maui Palms 4x6 Not for sale

Changing of the Seasons in Banff

2010-05-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

It has been a long Winter in the mountains this year. We did not have a lot of snow but it has been cold and grey. Now as the snow is melting off the peaks there is the anticipation of new buds on trees, green grass and fields of flowers!

This photo was taken last summer on a bike ride not too far from home.

Ice Crystals-Canadian Rockies

2010-01-17T20:20:00.000-08:00

The other day I was out cross country skiing with my brother-in-law west of Banff. It was -20c , the sky was a beautiful azure blue and your breath almost froze in the air as it left your lips. At one point we stopped for a rest along a creek, and a collection of frozen crystals at waters edge caught my eye as the water flowed past our viewpoint. My area of concentration was so small, so perfect. We must enjoy the journey and not always seek the destination.

Rundle Sunrise-Canadian Rockies

2010-01-13T19:43:00.000-08:00

It's the New Year now, we celebrated a great Christmas and had lots of fun with family and friends. My brush has not been very active lately, but I have been working on one of my other passions....photography. Living in the mountains I am fortunate to have magnificent vistas all around me to savour every day.

This morning not too long after I got to work a tinge of color outside caught my attention. I went to the window and gasped, for the sunrise coming up behind Mt. Rundle was one of the most spectacular ones I have ever seen. I ran inside to get my camera and was able to capture Rundle Sunrise before it faded into the light of day and memory.

In the next while I will be sharing some of my photos as well as paintings as I move along the journey of self discovery and expression.

Snowbound-Canadian Rockies

2009-12-20T18:09:00.000-08:00

I've spent much of my time in the mountains, staying sometimes in tents, lean to's, under the stars.....and in rustic back country cabins. The painting "Snowed In" was painted after a stay in a back country wardens cabin in Banff National Park on New Years Eve. That day 6 of us skied in and it was -30c! We had a pulk (sled) we pulled with food, wine and all the essentials to survive in a very cold environment. When we got to the cabin it was iced over and deathly cold, but once we got the stove going, cleared a path to the frozen river for water and dried out our gear it was heaven. Later in the evening after dinner we went for a ski in the light of a full moon, and a white owl soared above us looking for its evening meal.

"Snowbound" is a haven, a place where you are safe and warm, with family and friends, celebrating the Holidays.

I thank you for following my Posts these past few months. I look forward to showing you my paintings in the New Year.

Merry Christmas, and have a healthy and Happy New Year!

Bob Krysak

Pemberton Valley Sunset

2009-12-14T21:32:00.000-08:00

In the early 90's I lived in Whistler, B.C., after spending a few years in Vancouver. Even in those days Whistler was a busy place, and to get away from it all I would travel down the road to the Pemberton Valley. The valley was flanked on each side by towering peaks, and there were many farms and acreages. On many trips to a secret natural hot springs I would pass this farm with an old barn at the edge of the field. One day on my way home the sunset was spectacular, and I had to capture it on my canvas. The sunset helped me focus on the barn, the rows in the field, and in the end my natural surroundings. Now at sunset, I stop what I'm doing and focus on the world around me.

9"x7" $150

Houndstooth Alpenglow-Canadian Rockies

2009-12-07T20:10:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I find it challenging doing commissions for people. I like to paint...if you like it, great, if you don't, that's OK. A while ago I had a commission to paint one of my favorite places, a cabin in the Bugaboos. In prep for that painting I created a few quick little paintings to test color, composition, and created Houndstooth Alpenlgow. From this I have created/sold many cards and have found that this simplest of paintings has been one of most widely accepted pieces. I guess it is true that good things come in small packages.

4" x 5" Collection of the Artist

Numa Pass-Rock Wall-Canadian Rockies

2009-11-29T15:19:00.000-08:00

Living in Banff I am so fortunate as there are hundreds of peaks in all directions to explore. About an hour and a half drive from Banff is the trail head to Floe Lake. After a 10 km uphill hike to Floe we climbed higher to Numa Pass and spent the afternoon exploring the area. As the sun began to set the mountains were on fire with color and light. This painting of Numa Pass tries to capture that "fire in the sky" or "alpen glow" that can only be experienced in the alpine of the mountains.

9.5" x 7" $150

Mount Robson-Canadian Rockies

2009-11-20T11:36:00.000-08:00

Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towering 12,972 feet (3,954m) above Berg Lake. Berg Glacier, a massive ice river that drops into Berg Lake, is one of the few living (or advancing) glaciers in the Canadian Rockies. When we hiked into Berg Lake the temperature was 32c, so we did a quick dip into it's icy waters to cool down.

This area of the Rockies is special to me, and one day I hope to take my son Robson there.

30" x 22" Sold

Seabright Sunset

2009-11-14T20:54:00.000-08:00

We travelled this summer to the East Coast of Canada and stayed at a cottage on the shores of St. Margaret's Bay. Visiting friends, sailing, swimming and walking the beaches filled up our days. The locals kept apologizing for the weather, but I found it offered a variety of moods throughout the day. This painting is at days end, where the dark clouds are softened by the vibrant color of the setting sun.

14"x10.5" $300

Solitary Tree

2009-11-08T15:55:00.000-08:00

I spend a lot of time in the outdoors, and one of my favorite pastimes is wandering in the forest. Everything is up close and personal, with many choices for subject matter. Solitary Tree was painted in the Valhalla's, across the lake from New Denver, B.C.

9.5" x 7" $150

Spar Peak-Canadian Rockies

2009-10-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite places to hike in the summer/fall is the Alpine area around Sunshine Village West of Banff. At times you walk from Alberta into British Columbia and back again. This painting is of Spar Peak, located in B.C. I was trying to capture that moment in time where the light changes, the sky/clouds/mountains are in a shroud of color...Alpenglow.

10.5 x 14.5 Sold

VERMILION AUTUMN-CANADIAN ROCKIES

2009-10-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

The days are getting colder in Banff, new snow covered the peaks this morning.

On a walk yesterday morning the grass crackled like broken glass, it was coated with dew then frozen in the early morning air. Eventually the sun warmed the valley, the colors of autumn bursting from every corner. At Vermilion lakes, in the shadow of Mt. Rundle, the waters were still, alpenglow painted the sky and everything is calm before the arrival of Winter.

11" x 7" $150

Mt. Assiniboine in Autumn

2009-10-21T02:50:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite times in the mountains is in the Fall. The air is crisp, there is new snow on the peaks. The contrast of the rich autumn colors to the cold rock and ice is striking.

This painting is from a trip to Assiniboine in late September.

14.5 in. x 10.5 in.

$300

Mt. Assiniboine

2009-10-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

Mt. Assiniboine

The Matterhorn of the Rockies.

I first stood in the shadow of Mt. Assiniboine in the late 70's. I had cross country skied in and had to carry a pack with all my belongings. I have also stood in the shadow of the Matterhorn in Switzerland. Both are powerful mountains.

This painting of Mt. Assiniboine was in the early morning, the sun just coming up, the air cold and crisp, not a breath of wind. Painted in Sepia, it offers great contrast of morning light and cold dark rock surrounded by glaciers.

10 x 14 Sold

Mt. Edith Cavell

2009-10-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

Located south of Jasper in Jasper National Park, Mt. Edith Cavell rises 11,033 ft./3,363m above Mt. Edith Cavell Lake. Both are named after Edith Louise Cavell, a World War 1 nurse who helped many prisoners during the war.

The base of the mountain is a place of power, with the mountain towering above you and the calm waters of the lake reflecting all around it. I painted this piece in sepia, hoping to catch the simple but powerful energy of this place.

10 x 14 Sold

Bugaboo Storm

2009-10-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I began painting only using the color Sepia. The effect is monochromatic, and people have said my paintings look like old black and white photos. By adding more paint, or different amounts of water, you can create very dramatic moods and tones.

This painting in the Bugaboos, one of my sacred ground areas, was done during a dramatic storm. The main peak in the foreground is Houndstooth/Marmolata, a massive granite wall that jumps out of the glacier.

18 x 24 Sold

Cabin Lake

2009-10-05T15:10:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite places to hike is in Mt. Assiniboine Park West of Banff. One day I came across this lake which was not on any topo map. The reflections of the surrounding area and the transparent views below inspired me to paint Cabin Lake.

10 x 14 Sold

Fleet's In

2009-09-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

I've been to the East Coast of Canada a few times now, visiting the Seabright area near Peggy's Cove. The weathered buildings with the contrasting brightly painted boats and roofs caught my eye, and inspired me to paint Fleet's in.

10 x 14 Sold

Rock Medley

2009-09-24T21:57:00.001-07:00

In 2000 I travelled to the East Kootenay's of British Columbia to spend a week with a painter named Les Weisbrich. In that week, I learned much about art, nature, painting.....I also learned a lot about myself.

Les has left us now and I'm sure he helps to create the magnificent sunsets we have in the Rockies, but from him I gained a true appreciation for water. Les was hired by Parks Canada one year to travel the country and paint water in the varied National Parks across our country.

I enjoyed painting Rock Medley in the company of Les.

9" x 7" $150

Rock Pond

2009-09-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

Water. It is such an integral part of our life.

70% of our bodies are water.

70% of the earth is covered in ocean.

Water.......

My next series of posts will focus on images of water, from my perspective, from stagnant ponds, to eddies in a river, to flowing streams, to snowfields...water. It is part of our soul, our , makeup, our existence. This is why I love to paint in WATERcolor so much. It is a part of me.

This image is of a pond full of rocks. Simple, clear, ....water.

Rundle Corner

2009-09-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

Living in the mountains and seeing them everyday, you begin to have your favourites. Mount Rundle is one of mine. Named after a missionary in the 1,800's, it rises above Banff and can be seen from all corners of the valley. One of my favorite views is from the Admin grounds in Banff, where Rundle fills the sky as it towers above the Town.

9" x 9.5 " $150

Mount Rundle In Winter-Watercolor Painting

2009-09-21T17:30:00.001-07:00

Mount Rundle In Winter
10 x 14
SOLD

Here is another watercolor I did years ago of Mount Rundle in the winter. The scene again is from the fantastic view of the mountain from the Vermillion lakes in Banff.

I never get tired of painting this beautiful mountain. It has many wonderful personalities throughout the seasons of the year.

I hope that you enjoy this watercolor as much as I enjoyed painting it.

Vermillion-Watercolor Painting

2009-09-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

Vermillion-Watercolor Painting

10 x 14

SOLD

First let me welcome you to my blog, and invite you to come back often and visit, as I share my watercolor paintings with you and invite you into my world of Watercolor Painting.

I am a watercolor artist living and working in beautiful Banff, Alberta Canada. As a self taught watercolor artist, I am inspired by the magnificant landscapes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and the joy and the wonder that they provide in this beautiful environment.

This watercolor is of Mount Rundle in the fall, with the Vermillion lakes in the foreground. Mount Rundle is perhaps one of the most photographed mountains in the Banff area, and is one of my favorites in terms of subject matter.

It is a joy to paint this mountain in winter, spring, and summer.

I hope you will sign up for regular updates to my blog, and come back and visit often, as I will be posting my watercolors for sale on an ongoing basis.