Mt. Rundle-Canadian Rockies-Merry Christmas

It is hard to believe that the Christmas season is upon us and 2014 is a few weeks away.

I want to thank all my family and friends for a great 2013. It has been a year of adventure and discovery, and I am thankful for all I have been able to do and experience.

Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year to you all!

Bob Krysak

MT. RUNDLE SURPRISE-CANADIAN ROCKIES

Today for all of us life is pretty hectic….work schedules, kid schedules…hockey, guitar lessons, tutoring, time with friends, time for self…it all becomes a blur at some point. It seems we need an equalizer to get us back on track, back to a perspective of what is important.

This spring someone who I know who is a guide was in a catastrophic avalanche in Europe, one that was so bad that in parts of his ride in the avalanche his ski boot was hitting him in the face. His body was so beat up and ravaged that at some points people were not sure if he would survive….but he has. And he is walking, and he is smiling…even though all of these things are a major challenge and very painful.

Last week I donated Mt. Rundle Surprise to a fund raiser to raise funds to help him on his recovery back to what you and I call "A normal life".  My surprise was the painting sold for $500, and there was even a bidding war going on for it. When I painted Rundle Surprise I had an accident in the painting process that altered the painting…..something in the end I accepted and someone else liked.

I can only hope that from his accident going through an altered process my friend also finds something he likes, a new beginning.

 We are coming in to the season of giving (which should be every day of the year). If you can help someone, please do so. If you need help, please let those around you know.

All the best,

Bob

Three Sisters-Canmore-Canadian Rockies

It is a bittersweet moment when I finish a painting. In one way I am excited that it is complete, in other ways sad the process is over. As you spend so much time in the planning and creating, it has become a friend, and in some ways it is hard to part with it. Tonight is the fund raiser for a friend in Banff as I mentioned in an earlier post. I  hope whomever buys Three Sisters Canmore enjoys it as much as I did creating it.

Three Sisters Canmore

12 x 36

Three Sisters-Canmore-Canadian Rockies

One key part of painting is to map out how much of a colour or shade you will need. There is nothing worse than creating a vibrant colour and then halfway thru your painting realize you do not have enough to finish it. The next batch may be off by a few shades and not have the same vibrancy/contrast as the first one. Now the Second Sister pops from the painting and is more visible with it shadows and detail.

Three Sisters-Canmore-Canadian Rockies

A painting is made up of many layers, not that different from an onion. Now I have mixed my Sepia with the Windsor Blue to create a stark contrast between dark and light. As Sepia is a staining paint that is very unforgiving you have to decide before hand where you will place it as once it is on the canvas it is there for good. The Third Sister is now taking shape and stands out from her siblings.

Three Sisters-Canmore-Canadian Rockies

Creating a painting is no different than putting a barbecue together, making a cake, building a house....you need plans or a plan. On this next stage of Three Sisters I have added Windsor blue to snowy areas that are in the shade. I have also put a layer of Sepia over areas that are rock. One key thing to decide is where is the sun/light coming from, and make sure the opposite side of a slope out of the sun is darker.

Three Sisters-Canmore-Canadian Rockies

It's been a busy summer, lots of stand up paddle boarding, biking and a bit of golf. Time to paint again. A friend of mine broke her neck in an accident a month or so ago. In the end we think she will recover well, but in the short term a group of friends has organized a fund raiser for her to help her thru this journey. This is the first stage of Three Sisters....we all need our friends and family in our lives, and this group of peaks always reminds me of that.

TIme to get back to painting, the fund raiser is in 2 days;)

Bob

Three Sisters Canmore

12" x 36"

$400

Canadian Rockies-Rundle Reflection

I just returned home today after a week of traveling with my son in the West Kootenays of BC. We had lots of fun, saw some wildlife, played some golf and sang at the top of our lungs to Blue Rodeo as we were driving down the road.
After we got home I inflated our stand up paddle boards and decided to go for a days end paddle about 8:30 pm. When I got to Vermilion lakes the water was like glass, the Canada Geese were honking and all was good with the world.
This photo of Mt. Rundle was taken as I returned to shore.
I live in a remarkable world for sure, and though I had a special adventure away it is always great to return home.
Bob

Canadian Rockies-Vermilion Lakes-SUP

One of my passions is SUP, stand up paddle boarding. Whether it be on a lake, river or the ocean, it is something that brings a big smile to my face. This image was taken April 14th , 2013, on Vermillion Lakes in Banff National Park. Temp was 0c, fresh snow on the ground with a bit of a wind. Chilly for sure, but fun. Can't wait for it to warm up in the Rockies;)

Rogers Pass-Canadian Rockies

I was travelling a few weeks ago thru Rogers Pass on my way home to Banff in the Canadian Rockies. It was tough focusing on the drive as it was a bluebird day, the mountains were covered in a coating of new snow and every peak was calling out to be photographed and skiied.

I finally had to pull over on my approach to the summit of Rogers Pass to take this picture of Mt. Sir Donald, 10,774 ft (3,284 meters) of ice and rock. With its Matterhorn like shape, it towers over the valley. Another great image to be recreated in watercolour.

Mt. Rundle Surprise-Canadian Rockies

It's the New Year, 2013, and I have been busy looking at subject material and painting. I try to keep a fairly clean work space, making sure only the tools I need are close at hand. I never leave water on my work table....until a few days ago. I had just finished the sky on my latest painting, and was waiting while it dried. Moving around my studio, I came back to see how the paint was drying and bumped into my table, where a small glass of water was sitting above my work. A small wave of water washed over the painting, leaving me frozen in time for a minute going "Noooooooooo"!!

I quickly picked up the painting, let the water run off, and for a moment I was tempted to take a brush and smooth things out, removing the streaks and lines caused by the water. After a moment I decided to to do nothing and see what the outcome would be. I liked what I saw and finished the painting.

A lesson learned, first, keep a clean work space, and second, even accidents can turn out to be something special.

Mt. Rundle Surprise

24" x 18"

$500 SOLD

Canadian Rockies-Grizzlies

Happy New Year!

Another page turns, another year passes. The other night I was with friends on New Years and someone asked, "What are your resolutions for the New Year"?  I had just  come home a few hours earlier after travelling for 6 hours from one of our lodges, so I had some time to think about the New Year and my resolutions. My reply back was, "Be Nicer, be Kinder, to family, self, friends...to people I do not know". That is my resolution, to make a difference in this world of ours. The image here is of a family of grizzlies that my family and I saw in June, 2012. My goal is to be kinder to their world, and hopefully I won't see them again because they are playing in the alpine, far from our eyes and ears and living their lives.

Enjoy the journey.

Bob Krysak

Jan. 2, 2013