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

Mt. Rundle Together-Canadian Rockies

I am fortunate to live in a small mountain town, where every day you walk down the street and see friends and stop to chat. As I walk or drive thru town I always see other people I do not know, over and over again. You do not know them, but they are familiar,  you nod, smile, and think how happy they look. There is a person who I have seen in my town the past few years who is always smiling, always happy, She is a caregiver, and on any given day she will have a variety of different kids in tow, laughing, giggling, on to the next adventure. She also works as a server in a local restaurant. I recently heard she has Cancer. She has not told many of her friends, thats just the way she is I've been told. But some of her friends have learned the doctors have told her she can not work with kids and can not work as a server....her immune system is very weak because of chemo. Her friends have organized a fund raiser for her to pay the bills, and I decided to create this painting for her cause.

Mt. Rundle Together

Watercolour on Canvas

24" x 36"

$500
SOLD

Mt. Assiniboine-Second Layer-Canadian Rockies

I have been having discussions with different people about life today and life in the time of Michelangelo, Davinci, Picasso and all of the amazing artists of those times. Someone said to me "They had exactly the same hours in a day as we do, the same amount of time". I agreed with this, but also disagreed. Today we do have the same hours in the day as the Masters, but not the same time. They did not have to deal with 80 emails a day at work and 20 at home. They did not have to text, answer cell phones etc. I guess I don't have to deal with it all if I decide not to.

They also did not have the iPad, where you can take a picture and then bring it into your studio and use it as your study image.
This photo was taken in my studio, showing my paints, the second layer of a painting and my iPad with my study image.
The challenge today is to use technology wisely, to be creative.......but to also keep creating.
As always, I am enjoying the journey.
Bob Krysak

Mt. Assiniboine Sepia-Canadian Rockies

As the days are getting colder and Winter approaches I find more time to spend in my studio. Lately I have been working with watercolour paints on canvas. You first prep the canvas with a white gesso coating that allows the paint to settle on the canvas. After a few coats the canvas is ready to be painted. It is more challenging than traditional paper as the paint initially does not sink in so you have to plan your washes and level of colour in an area carefully. I love the challenge, as well as experimenting with larger surfaces with different shapes.

Mt. Assiniboine Sepia was painted with a mixture of sepia and ultramarine blue.

12" x 36"

$350