Rundle Grizzly-Canadian Rockies

At my sale in November, there were two raffles. All the proceeds from the raffles went to the YWCA. One raffle was for a three hour watercolour lesson. The other was for a commissioned painting. I went to the winners house, and over a java discussed what they were interested in. We also looked at  a couple of locations in the house where the painting would go.

The subject matter choice was of Mt. Rundle in early morning, pink sky, tall trees and a grizzly in the foreground. After much thought, practice sketches etc., I created the painting. A week or so ago I took the painting to the winner's house. It's always hard to read people's reactions, but overall I think the painting is appreciated. A few days later I saw the winner by the Post Office and they said they "Loved" their new painting.

Rundle Grizzly
Watercolour on canvas
22" x 30"
Robert Krysak

Merry Christmas 2017-The World Needs Some Help

Merry Christmas

It's -14c outside tonight. I'm warm in my home, my belly is full, and I am sipping on a glass of wine. Christmas is a time with family and friends. It is a time of happiness and bounty. A time of joy. Why am I sad?

The world is going thru a lot of turmoil right now, and Mother Nature is not happy with its inhabitants. Raging fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, flash floods, extreme drought......it is all happening. This concerns me, but what really saddens and concerns me are the following stats:

795 million people are starving every day

2.1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water

100 million people are homeless and 1.6 billion people do not have adequate shelter

100 million kids are homeless

We need to help change these stats. I made a donation from my art show in November, but it is not enough. I need to look at my lifestyle and see how else I can help others.

This Christmas, I wish you and yours the best. My only gift for Christmas is that we all help humankind in any way we can.

Robert Krysak

Bob Krysak Watercolour Cards-Canadian Rockies

     

$4 EACH OR 3 FOR $10  5.5" X 4.25" VISA/MASTERCARD ONLY

TO ORDER EMAIL:

alignmentsportsbanff@gmail.com, listing quantity/card name

Shipping charges will apply to orders outside of Banff, Alberta, Canada

                                

                                                                       BUGABOO CABIN                                        

CASCADE HORIZON

HOUNDSTOOTH

LAKE LOUISE ALPENGLOW

RUNDLE AUTUMN VERMILION

RUNDLE MOON

RUNDLE SKY

RUNDLE SNOWFALL

RUNDLE SURPRISE

RUNDLE VERMILION WINTER

SNOWBOUND

THREE SISTERS RAINBOW

The Five Senses-Canadian Rockies

"The Five Senses"
Life is an interesting journey. I remember the day, 3 months ago, when I decided to have the art show, "The Five Senses". Since that day, I have spent hundreds of hours thinking, planning and creating. Many nights I was up until 1 a.m., painting and listening to CKUA or Radio Paradise.

The show is now in the rear view mirror, it is past history. It was a success in many ways. First off, it was great to see many friends and meet new ones. It was gratifying to see people talking about a piece I had created. It was a validation of my work, to have a few pieces find new homes. It was rewarding to see people excited about the new piece of art they had acquired. It was humbling and an honor to have so much help from my family, friends and sponsors.

I would like to thank my partner in life Nancy, and son Robson, for all their help and understanding these past few months, as I created in my studio. Also, thanks to them for their help during the show.
Thank you to my friends Tony and Anne, Connie and Tom, Lynne and Bill, Murray and Annie and Casey and Hannah, who all helped with setup, were there during the show, and with tear down.

Thank you to Mandi, Jane and Eamonn who entertained us with wonderful, live music.

The show would not have been a success without the help and support of our sponsors.
Thank you to Brian and Katherine Smythe of Chalet Grocery and Tunnel Mountain Beer and Wine, Norm and Martin from The Banff Roasting Company, Matt and Keith from Wildlife Distillery, and Germaine from Bare Bistro. Also, thank you to Patti's Pantry from Banff who catered the event.

It is said the journey is more important than the destination. In this case, the show, the destination was of most importance. I would like to thank all of those who purchased my paintings and cards. With your help, I am able to make a sizable donation to the YWCA.

In closing, I would like to thank Connie MacDonald, CEO of the YWCA in Banff.  Connies offering of a venue and help with marketing etc. helped to make the show a success. A long time friend, Connie works tirelessly for improvement of life for many in the Bow Valley.

Robert Krysak

The Five Senses-Canadian Rockies

The Five Senses
Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch
This is the name of my Art Show this Friday, November 17th, 6-9 pm in Banff, in the YWCA Great Room

Sight- There will be a collection of 34 of my paintings, plus 25 etchings and sketches and 12 of my cards created from paintings.

Sound- Live music from Mandi and Jane. As well sounds of wolves howling, a Winter storm and the sounds of the sea.

Smell- There will be gentle fragrance of appetizers from Patties Pantry, fresh brewed coffee from Norm at the Banff Roasting Company and hints of cedar and pine in the air.

Taste- Wine donated by Brian and Katherine Smythe from Tunnel Mountain Beer & Wine and Chalet Grocery, granola bars from Bare Bistro, Vodka from Matt Widmer from Wildlife Distillery and coffee from Norm at Banff Roasting Company.

Touch- The cold, sharp feeling of rock, the edgy texture of a pine cone, the soft, smooth feel of stones from a river, the feeling of bark from a tree.....there will be many things to pick up and enjoy.

If you are in the area please stop by.

Robert Krysak

Grizzly-Canadian Rockies

It's snowing lightly in the mountains today. I'm wearing a flannel shirt to ward off the chill in the air. My coffee cup has a fresh brew in it, and I'm listening to CKUA radio. Life is good.

I completed "Grizzly" yesterday. As I look at it closeup, I remember all the brush strokes, the testing of colour, the thought process as the painting grew before my eyes.

I'm putting my brushes down for the rest of the week. My art show, "The Five Senses", is this Friday in Banff. Lots of preparation to make sure it is a success. I hope people like "Grizzly".

Robert Krysak

Grizzly
Watercolour on Canvas
12" x 36"
$375

Grizzly-Canadian Rockies

The Grizzly is growing on the canvas. As I add layers of Sepia, a very dark staining colour, the Grizzly appears before me. I use a couple of brushes that look like fans. When used, there are multiple brush tips that dance across the canvas. My goal is to replicate the furry coat that a Grizzly has.

It's mid November in the mountains. As my Grizzly grows on the canvas, the real Grizzlies are bedding down for the Winter.

Robert Krysak

Grizzly-Canadian Rockies

I live on the edge of a wildlife corridor on the edge of town in Banff, Alberta. Wildlife encounters is a part of daily life. We have elk, deer, cougars, coyotes and wolves passing by regularly. I have only seen a Grizzly bear twice behind our home, in 20 years of living here.

In my life playing in the mountains, I have always felt a closeness to the Grizzly bear. In some ways I feel it is one of my spirit animals. I have seen it's fresh paw prints in the mud and in the snow. I have come across large piles of steaming bear crap at trails edge. Numerous times I have seen Grizzly from the window of my car as it grazes in the long grass at the edge of the forest.

I have created quite a few paintings for my upcoming art show, November 17th, in Banff. Many are local scenes that I hope people will enjoy. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and paint Grizzly. A new challenge, something for me.

My first task is to lay down some layers of color in lighter tones. I want to try and capture the look of the coat of the Grizzlies fur.

The gauntlet is down.

Robert Krysak

Mt. Assiniboine Sunrise-Canadian Rockies

Sometimes when you are painting you totally dive in.........you can't stop until it is completed. That is what has happened with Mt. Assiniboine Sunrise. I layer in more of my blue mixture to capture shadow and the cold rock and ice. I then begin layering on the rock with Sepia. A rich, dark staining colour, it really brings out the contrast in the morning light, the cool ice and the morning sky.

I paint layer after layer of Sepia. I find it is very important to step back and look at the painting from different distances and angles.
When I am satisfied it is complete, I sign my name.

Mt. Assiniboine Sunrise
Watercolour on Canvas
30" x 24"
$495

Mt. Assiniboine Sunrise-Canadian Rockies

As I mentioned in an earlier Post, I am having an art show November 17th in Banff. There is a piece I created back in 2014 of Mt. Assiniboine. It is from a photo I took there in the early morning. As the sun is coming up, the Eastern slopes of the mountain come alive with a heavenly glow.

We have the painting in our living room, and I told my wife I was going to put it in the show. She quickly said she wanted to keep it in our collection. So I have recreated the image on a larger canvas, putting a lot of emphasis on the colour of the morning glow.

Robert Krysak

Assiniboine Sky-Canadian Rockies

My Watercolor Show, "The Five Senses", is less than 2 weeks away.
It will be in the Great Room at the YWCA in Banff, Friday, November 17th, 6-9pm. 25% of the proceeds from the show will go to the YWCA in Banff.

I have been painting every day. My smallest canvas is 4" x 4",  and the largest is 24" x 30".

This latest piece is of Mt. Assiniboine, one of my favorite places.

Assiniboine Sky
Watercolour on Canvas
12" x 9"
$95

Rut is Over-Canadian Rockies

We live on the edge of a wildlife corridor. The other day I came home, and my wife told me to look out the window. There, at the back of our house, was a bull elk with full rack.

The woods have been echoing the past few months, with the sound of bugling bull elk. The bulls fight for the rights of mating with all the female elk. It is a wonderful experience to be laying in bed, the window open to let the cool mountain air in, and hear the bugling of the elk.

This bull rested for at least three hours beside our home. I then heard a barking dog, kids excited voices, and he was gone.

Robert Krysak

Vermilion Tarn-Canadian Rockies

I am having a show of my work Friday, November 17th, 6-9pm at the Banff YWCA. 25% of the proceeds of the show will go to the YWCA and their programs.

I have been painting religiously every day, creating a variety of paintings in various sizes. I have also gone thru some of my past works...some finished and some not. I came across an unfinished piece. Vermilion Tarn.

Vermilion Lakes are on the outer perimeter of Banff. Between the second and third lakes is a small tarn, or lagoon. It is a favorite place of mine. I have spent hours there, sitting quietly while the residents of the tarn go about their business. I have seen weasels swim amongst the half submerged logs, tadpoles playing in the shallows and a variety of birds sharing the pond. In 2010, I began a painting in the Fall. My goal was to capture that Cobalt blue that is in the sky, and the Raw Sienna,  Burnt Umber and Yellow Ochre that comes out in the bushes and grass. I worked on the painting from the top down to the pond. Then I stopped. For some reason I couldn't wrap my brush around how to paint the logs in the foreground. I went back to the painting three or four times. Each time I walked away, not sure how to complete it.

Last week, after seven years, I signed my name on Vermilion Tarn. (This happens when I complete a piece). I reduced the overall size of the painting. I then went out to the Tarn and really absorbed the image of the logs in the water in to my mind. They really haven't changed much in seven years. I have.....and I put my brush to paper and painted them into the piece.

Vermilion Tarn
Watercolour on paper
14" x 10"
$150

Bow Lake-Canadian Rockies

I was travelling the past couple of days to the Cariboo Lodge, west of Valemount BC. On the journey back I was driving down the Banff Jasper Highway. I was near Bow Summit. On my right side on the slopes, I could see new ski tracks. The ski season has begun!

As the road levelled out, Bow Lake came into view, with the Crowfoot Glacier at the back of the lake. Soon Bow Lake was on my right side, and I quickly pulled over. The lake was like a mirror. There was not a breath of wind. I could hear a Raven caw off in the distance, and the whistling of a Marmot.

There are times in your life that are very special.....one of a kind......a memorable moment. This was one of them. I raised my face to the sun, closed my eyes, and let out a howl. It is great to be alive.

Robert Krysak

The Cariboos-Canoe Glacier

Creating a painting for me is not unlike going on a road trip. It’s the journey that counts in the end…. more than the destination. In this case, I have really enjoyed the journey, but I am also very happy with the destination…the finished painting. 

I sent an email with this image to a friend who guides in the Bugaboos for CMH Heli-Skiing, and has spent many years in the Cariboo area. This is his reply back:

"Hi  Bob, 

That looks like an amazing painting of one of my most favorite views in the world, of the Premier range and Sir John Thompson. Perhaps you would consider a large painting of a favorite Bugs scene that we could hang here and that could be advertising for you to sell paintings and notecards! Let's talk! All the best, Dave."

To receive such strong validation for my work, from someone who knows the subject matter well, humbles me. It also inspires me to create more and pursue new challenges. I have an art show in Banff, Friday, November 17th. Time to get painting!

Robert Krysak

The Cariboos-Canoe Glacier

Watercolour on canvas

36" x 18"

$400 SOLD

The Cariboos-Canoe Glacier

I’ve been painting up a storm….or glaciers and mountains I guess. The process is to paint in the background and gradually work your way to the foreground. It’s interesting to watch the image grow as paint is added and new definition is put in.

 Shades and shadow really help the painting to take shape, having a sense of realism, while still being art. At this point, I spend more time looking at the piece from a distance. I'm looking to see if all the shadows tie in with the direction of the sun. It's also important to capture the shadows of the glacier. Those icy, dark, cold crevasses that drop untold distance into the ice. While beautiful from afar, these sharp chasms in the ice are a challenge to the mountaineer.

I am in the final stretch now to completion. It’s been a fun journey.

Robert Krysak

The Cariboos-Canoe Glacier

There’s a point in a painting where you fall into the abyss………. you have to just keep painting, as every brush stroke brings out something new. That’s where I am right now. I’ve started to add in the mountains…. the definition of rock set amongst glacial ice that really provides a contrast. As the image grows before my eyes it’s interesting where the thoughts go. Could I ski that line….what would it be like to hike that ridge……lots of options.

Robert Krysak

The Cariboos-Canoe Glacier

The painting is really starting to evolve. As the sun is shining from the left, I add in dark shadows that the peaks cast on to the glacier. I also start adding in shades of blue to capture the glacial ice. My goal is to leave a fair amount of white space to capture the snow/ice. To do that, you need to build in the shadows. As this is fairly large piece, 36" x 18", I find I have to plan in advance where I will place my color.  I move from one side of the canvas to the other.

I am enjoying the journey with this new creation.

Robert Krysak

The Cariboos-Canoe Glacier

A friend of mine works at the Cariboo Lodge, up the road from Valemount, B.C. in the Cariboo Mountains. I was at the lodge a month or so ago and we were outside, looking down the valley at the Canoe Glacier and the Cariboo Mountains. We talked of my art, I showed him some of my recent works from files on my computer, and he asked if I could do a painting for him. There is a large photo in the lodge featuring the peaks and ice of the Canoe Glacier. A stunning photo.......he asked me if I could paint it. I do not usually paint from other people's works, but this presented a huge challenge due to the size and detail of the photo. I said yes.

I took some photos of the picture from a variety of angles. It was difficult to capture the right image, as it is framed with glass that reflects all the light/images in the hallway it is in. Once home, I spent quite a bit of time studying the various photos I took, getting a feel for the landscape, the vastness of the scene, and planning out how I was going to do the painting.

My friend wanted a fairly large canvas, so I began work on a 36" x 18" piece. The first step is to draw a few lines of the horizon, also capturing a few key parts of the foreground. I then painted masking fluid by brush on the line between mountain and sky. 

As you work on a painting it takes on a personality with each brush stroke and addition of color. I painted in the sky, and once it dried, peeled off the masking fluid. There is now a crisp definition between earth and sky, and the mountains really start to take shape.

The next stage is to start looking at shading in areas to show where the sun is coming from. Also, with all the ice/snow/crevasses, I will start mapping out all the different shades and hues.

Robert Krysak

First Snow-Banff, Canadian Rockies

I live in the Canadian Rockies.
We had our first snowfall yesterday. Flakes the size of your thumbnail slowly swirled out of the clouds, dancing thru the crisp air and landing on the earth. I went for a walk to town.........the falling snow tickled my cheeks and stuck to my eyelashes.

This morning when we awoke our world had a coat of white. Winter has arrived, and we are ready physically, if not mentally. The patio furniture is covered on the back deck. The wood pile is stacked and ready for those evening fires. The snow tires are on and the van is winterized. The front stairs to the house have chicken wire stapled down to prevent those icy slips. The summer toys have been put away, and the garage is ready for our van. There is a new filter in the furnace, in preparation for lots of use.

There are still warm days to come, though we will continue the slide into Winter.

Robert Krysak

Seabright, Nova Scotia

In my earlier blogs I mentioned we were in Seabright, Nova Scotia for our friends wedding. We will be back again next year for another wedding! The daughter of our good friends at Seabright got engaged by the shore, the day after the wedding we were at. We have been invited to be a part of her and her fiance's celebration next year.

She asked me to do a painting for her so I created this image from the deck of the boathouse at Seabright.

I am looking forward to the trip already. The combination of friends, food and the sea is magical. A special place where one can recharge the soul and connect with the ocean.

Robert Krysak

Fall Colours-Canadian Rockies

It's Fall in the Rockies. The days are crisp and clear in the morning. As the sun heats up the earth, the jacket comes off. The body yearns to bask once more in the energy of life. If you step out of the suns rays, there is an instant cooling, especially if there is a breath of wind in the air.

I did a day trip into the Bugaboos a couple of days ago. As I drove up the 50km mountain road from the highway, the wind was blowing lightly and leaves were launching themselves from the trees to land gracefully on the ground. A few times I stepped out of the truck to breath in the autumn air. Each breath was a pungent inhalation of life that is almost over. The autumn fragrance filled my nostrils. Even as I drove, though there was a distinct chill in the air, I had my windows open.The leaves will soon be covered in a blanket of new snow. Winter will put it grasp on the earth, and new life will be at a standstill. 

This is a special time of year. Even more than the New Year. I find it is a good time for personal reflection. Where have I been.....where am I going.

Enjoy the Fall.

Robert Krysak

Peggy's Cove-Nova Scotia

We were in Nova Scotia this past summer for our friends wedding. The bride is from the Netherlands, and it was her parents first trip to Canada's East Coast. I wanted to give them a memento of the East Coast, something they could take back home with them.

At the beginning of our trip we went to Peggy's Cove, one of my favourite places. As the parents also visited Peggy's and fell in love with it, I thought it only fitting to create this gift for them. Although it is a very busy place in the summer with visitors, I love the boats coming in and out and the fishermen unloading their catch. The colorful boathouses brighten the spirit, even on a dark and stormy day.

Robert Krysak

Diamond W Ranch-Foothills Canadian Rockies

Good friends of ours bought their Uncles ranch that has been in the family for around 75 years. It is located in the foothills, on the outer edge of the Canadian Rockies. We went there on the weekend to a party they had to celebrate life and to show all their friends the ranch. There were around 140 people there for the pig roast. 40 of us slept over in tents and campers and danced in the barn to Western music. The next morning 4 of us cooked a breakfast of coffee, blueberry pancakes, sausages and fruit for the gang.

I wanted to give them something special, a memento of the party and all their friends. I created Diamond W Ranch, a painting of their barn, the surrounding forest and the mountains off in the distance. The painting is fairly large.....30" x 40", with white space below for all the guests to leave a message in colored pens. People were shy at first to touch the canvas. By the end of the night it was full of congrats, great job, etc!

Thanks Diamond W. We will be back again!

Robert Krysak

Seabright Celebration

There were a lot of celebrations when we were in Nova Scotia this past August. The Mother of a good friend of ours was celebrating her 89th Birthday! What do you give someone who has lived 89 years? Family and friends as well as health are most important.

I was told she loved flowers, boathouses etc. I created this card for her the morning of the celebration. It is a view from her daughters front lawn, capturing the 3 boathouses, docks and water.

Seabright is a special place. We will be back again.

Robert Krysak

Seabright, Nova Scotia

We have had a busy few weeks in our world. A week after my son and I were in Mexico, all of us flew to Seabright, Nova Scotia for a wedding. Sailing, swimming, boating, fishing, lobster, mussels, fish and chips, scallops.....we had the full East Coast experience.

We have an amazing group of friends in Nova Scotia who are more like family. Many hours were spent socializing by the sea in the warm sunshine.

The painting above was a card created for Birgit and John who were the wedding couple. They spend part of their time in Nelson, BC, skiing and enjoying the mountains. This summer they have been in Nova Scotia living in a boat house on the shore where they got married. I wanted to create an image that captured the mountains, sea and their love for each other.

In the next while I will post other paintings I created while we were on the East coast.
Robert Krysak

Canadian Rockies-Guadalajara Mexico

My son and I were just in Guadalajara, Mexico. In school year 2015-16, there was an exchange student from Mexico in our small mountain town in Canada. He and my son became good friends, and last September his family invited my son to come to Guadalajara for 3 weeks. As he is only 14, I was not ready to send my son thru the US to Mexico by himself. 3 weeks ago we both flew to Guadalajara (GDL), with a 6 hour layover in Houston, Texas. The flight itself is only 6 hours, but between getting to the airport early in Calgary to clear security, 4 hour flight to Houston, 6-7 hour layover in Houston and 2 hour flight to GDL it is a long day.

We were spoiled by the family in Mexico. The hospitality, friendship and exposure to their culture was over the top. The image above is from the courtyard of the Chamber of Commerce in Tequila, Mexico. This is the birthplace of Tequila, and we had an incredible journey there.

This huge wall mural shows a goddess in the  middle, with the agave plant above. From the agave plant and water comes life, music, recreation, families, birth and death. Expand the image, and take the time to really study this work of art.

On the journey 60 kms. NW of GDL ,we were soon surrounded by fields of blue agave. Once in Tequila, we boarded a bus that took us on a tour of 3 factories. The first one was Orendain, one of the largest distilleries in Mexico. I had never heard of this Tequila ( I am a Tequila fan) yet it is one of the largest producers of Tequila in the world.We first saw a huge pile of agave, some as big as medicine balls you balance on while working out. They can weigh from 10 to 40 kgms, and it takes 7-8 years before the agave plant can be harvested. (It takes around 5 kgms of agave to make one liter of Tequila)The workers had flat, sharp, shovel like tools they cut the leafy fronds off with. They then took sharp axes and cut the artichoke like balls into smaller pieces. This was then placed into huge ovens where the agave is cooked at a high temperature. We had a chance to taste the agave and it was not unlike cane sugar, hence its use for Tequila. Once the pods are heated they are then crushed in a huge machine. The juice from the agave travels in one direction and has water and yeast added to it, and the remaining fiber is gathered and stacked onto the back of large trucks. This fiber is recycled, used for floor mats, book covers etc.

The large vats of agave juice, water and yeast are then allowed to ferment. You can actually see bubbles popping off the surface of the vats as the fermentation process takes place. This liquid is then strained into large tanks and boiled at a high temperature. Our first taste of tequila was from a vat where the tequila is 55 proof! It is boiled again and again.......each time tested for its alcoholic content to get it to 40-45 proof.

The Tequila is then stored in steel or oak tanks, and there are many varieties of Tequila.

The first is Tequila Silver, or Blanco, Plato, White or Platinum. This is the Blue Agave spirit in its truest form. It is clear and typically unaged. It can be bottled directly after distillation, or stored in stainless steel tanks to settle for up to 4 weeks. It definitely has a true "Kick" to it.

Tequila Gold-Joven-Oro is typically a Mixto, where colorants and flavorings have been added prior to bottling. These "young and adulterated" Tequilas are less expensive and used in many bars and restaurants for mixed drinks.

Tequila Resposado is the first stage of 'rested and aged". The Tequila is aged in wood barrels or storage tanks between 2 and 11 months. The spirit takes on a golden hue and the taste becomes a good balance between the Agave and wood flavors. Many different types of wood barrels are used for aging, with the most common being American or French Oak.

Tequila Anejo (extra aged)
After aging at least one year, Tequila can then be classified as an "Anejo". The distillers are required to age Anejo Tequila in barrels that do not exceed 600 liters. This aging process darkens the Tequila to an Amber color, and the flavor can be smoother, richer and more complex.

Tequila Extra Anejo (ultra aged)
A new classification added in the summer of 2006, labelling any Tequila aged more than 3 years, an "Extra Anejo". The distillers must age the spirit in barrels or containers with a maximum capacity of 600 liters. The Tequila becomes much darker, more of a Mahogany color, and is so rich that it becomes difficult to distinguish it from other quality aged spirits. These Extra Anejo's are extremely smooth and complex.

On our tour we also tasted Tequila blended with either pineapple, coffee and other flavors. The goal of the industry is to expand its reach with Tequila with a variety of flavors.

As I write this, I am sipping on a Tequila blend of Anejo and coffee.

In the next few weeks I will add small paintings/pictures on my blog of our journey to Guadalajara.

Buenas Noches.

Robert Krysak

Happy Birthday Canada-Canadian Rockies

Happy 150th Birthday, Canada!
It is the end of the school year. My son just graduated from Grade 9, and after a summer of adventure will be entering Grade 10 in the Fall. He is going to Mexico for almost 3 weeks, to visit a friend he met who was an exchange student in Banff. We are all then going to Nova Scotia in August for a wedding and some East Coast time.

I remember Canada's 100th Birthday.......I was 13 then. I also remember the excitement of the end of school.....the adventures of summer laid out before us. At the end of Grade 3 I was promised a new bike. I still remember coming home and seeing this bright red bike with streamers coming off the handlebars. It was freedom having a bike. We lived closed to the Glenmore reservoir in Calgary...... there was lots of wilderness, long before the developers took hold. We would pack a lunch in our backpacks, peddle across 14th st. which was gravel, and venture out on the trails. Swimming, hiking, biking, hotdogs over a fire, we did it all. We had no cell phones, no distractions, just lots of time out doors with friends. This was a special time in my life, and it touched my soul deeply.

I now live in the mountains, and as an adult feel very lucky to have this life. Around me are bubbling brooks, towering peaks, lodgepole pine that sway in the wind, trembling aspen leaves and a chorus of bird song that fills the air. I am Canadian, and I appreciate that more and more each day as the challenges of the world get bigger and bigger.

This watercolor sketch was created years ago. I was sitting by a stream, across Slocan lake near New Denver, BC. I was on a watercolor course and we were trying to capture the bubbling stream as it danced and splashed over rocks, trees and branches. The wind was blowing softly, the air was heavy with the heat of the day and there was a booming down the lake. A storm was approaching and we needed to boat back to New Denver before the storm.

As I sit here typing this on a hot, sunny afternoon, there is booming down the valley. An approaching storm, some rain, then the freshness as the earth revels in its shower from the heavens.

Happy Birthday Canada

Robert Krysak

Samoens, France-Canadian Rockies

Like any journey that comes to an end it is a bittersweet moment. As I near completion of Samoen, I put final details into the clock tower. I finish all the greenery and add the metal fence in the foreground. It is important to stop and step back and look at your work. You can overpaint a piece and lose the simplicity and beauty of "less is more".

After looking at the painting I sign my name.........the signal that the work is completed.

We had our friends who we stayed with in France over for dinner a few days after I completed Samoen. We gave it to them as a sign of our appreciation for the time we spent with them in France.

I hope they enjoy the painting in their home as much as I enjoyed creating it. I miss France....we will be back again.

Robert Krysak

Samoen, France
Watercolor on canvas
24" x 30"

Samoens, France-Canadian Rockies

The challenge as you come to the end of a painting is to not rush the process. I put more detail into the village and the clock tower. Adding Paynes grey to the road gives some contrast to the surrounding landscape. I also paint the bricks into the clock tower.......I still remember looking up many times from my bike rides impressed how the tower, though large in size, was dwarfed by the mountains behind.
There are many special places on this earth. I have my top five favourites of those I have been to. France is in the top 5 for sure.
Robert Krysak

Samoens, France-Canadian Rockies

It's been an interesting journey painting Samoens, France. As I focus on the painting, each brush stroke takes me back to our trip there. Cycling in the morning to get fresh croissants.....stopping at the local bakery in the afternoon to get the best sandwiches I have ever had.....sharing a fondue dinner with friends that is to die for. Oh....the wine was beyond good!

After I painted the mountains, I began to work on the town...shades of Burnt Umber and Sienna for the rooftops, New Gamboge for the walls of the local apartments, and Paynes Gray for the road that winds thru the village.

What a great trip....what a fun painting to create.
Robert Krysak

Samoens, France-Canadian Rockies

We live in the Canadian Rockies.. Last year friends of ours moved to Samoen, France, for the year. They asked us to come over to visit so we made the journey last July, 2016. Located an hour by car from Geneva, this ancient village, famed for its stonemasons, is part of the Grand Massif ski domain.
When we drove into this beautiful valley in the French Alps, this mountain village in Haute-Savoie resembled our home in Banff. Towering above the town is Les Criou, a beautiful mountain that resembles Mt. Rundle that flanks the town of Banff, Alberta where we live.

Every morning we would bike to the local baker to get fresh croissants and baguette. As we cycled back thru the narrow streets, the view in front of us was the local clock tower with Les Criou towering above. When they were back home our friends said that landscape was their favorite in Samoen....I promised myself I would paint that for them.

Fast forward nine months. Nancy said she had invited our friends over for dinner......a belated thank you for the great time in France. Time to do the painting! This is one of the larger pieces I have worked on....24" x 30".

I first penciled in an outline of the landscape, and once that was completed used a masking fluid to separate mountain from sky, roof tops from mountain. The goal is to keep colors from blending into each other and keep lines crisp. Once that was done, I blended a mixture of cobalt and cerulean blue for the sky. I wanted to create a feeling of clouds, so before the paint dried I dabbed the sky with kleenex, pulling off some color. Next I used a light layer of payne's grey for the mountain walls and the road winding thru the town. I put a layer of light vermilion green on the upper slopes of the mountain. Then, to replicate the trees up high, I dabbed bubble pack into phthalo green and pressed this onto the green slopes. My trees were done!

It's a very special journey with this painting. Each brush stroke takes me back to the fabulous trip we had in France. A special time together as a family and time with friends.
Next I will finish the mountains and work on the roof tops of the village.

Joshua Tree National Park-Desert

We just spent the past week in Palm Springs and area for Spring break. Daily temps of 33c were the norm, as were shorts, t-shirts, swimming, a bit of golf, great mexican food, margaritas and tennis after sundown. 

One day we ventured up to Joshua Tree national Park. The temp went from 89F to 64F with a breeze that cooled everything down. The park has two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado desert. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the wonder of this vast wilderness.


On one hike we did, we came around the trail with Face Rock in our full view. A collision of boulders standing almost 200 ft high and thousands of feet wide was before us. On one side, there is the unmistakable collection of rocks that look like an elephant. As you gaze across the landscape more images appear: bulbous noses, protruding chins and glaring eyes. The landscape here with all the flowers and cactus in bloom is amazing.



It was a special trip travelling with the family. We are now home with the morning temp at -1c and new snow on the ground. We will be back to the desert again.


Robert Krysak

Canmore Eagles Tier 1 Champions-Canadian Rockies

HI there

The main goal of my blog is to share the journey of my painting. A huge part of my life and painting is my family and the journey we share together. Here is a part of the journey we have been on for the past six months.

Our hockey season ended yesterday.

It has been an incredible journey this past year. Robson was in his second year of Bantam and really found his place on the team. From being a passionate team mate to fast skater, tape to tape passer and a sniper with his goals, he has had a memorable season. The culmination of his season is his team won the Bantam Tier 1 banner yesterday in Medicine Hat, part of the Central Alberta Hockey League. Robson’s first banner in 8 years of playing.

As I sit here this evening reflecting on the past two days and the season overall, it is with a bit of sadness. His season is over. His hockey future is uncertain at this time.

What is certain is that the drives thru snow storms and hanging out in chilly arenas may have come to an end. The taste of the best breakfast sandwiches in smalls Ville Alberta is history. The countless stops at Tim Hortons, Edo and Subway are behind us. The alarm clock ringing at 5:30 am so we can get up and drive 400 kms. for a league game (and then drive back) are behind us. The lament “Dad, I forgot my neck guard, or shin pads or elbow pads” is in the rearview mirror. I will miss it all.

Just for fun, I went on to our CAHL website and added up some statistics. We live closer to BC but we play in the Central Alberta Hockey League, and play teams from Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. Here are the numbers for our team;

Won 15 games

Tied 4 games

Lost 5 games

From Banff we travelled 5,247 kms/return to all our games

As 2/3 of our practices were in Canmore we travelled 2,200 kms.

It was a great year. Thanks to the coaches, parents and most of all the players who helped to make it so much fun.

And Thank You Robson for making me a hockey Dad.

Robert Krysak