Oil Artwork - Gwen Day

Springs of Living Water-9X12

Springs of Living Water, was painted alongside a creek up in Panarama Resort in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The tranquility and calm of this lively creek ,( I think is called Toby Creek), was such a blessing to me during the summer of 2021. I visited this spot a few times. It felt far away from the chaos of the world at the time. The sound of the flowing water simply soothes the soul. The way the sparkle of light hit the water and bounced about in the green plant life was a challenge to capture, yet it was what made me stop and want to paint it. To say it was dancing and teasing me is not an over statement. The name was an automatic to me, this was a fresh burst of living water.

Artwork size: 9″ X 12″
Finishing: Canvas Panel / Framed
Finished size: 11″X 14″
Medium: Oil – Plein Air
Style: Impressionistic Landscape

Simply Canola-6X12 ( Dyptich)

This was painted on location on a beautiful foothills of Alberta, on land we dub “the west property”. The small of canola ripping in the fields and the buzzing of the many bees kept me alive in a multitude of senses as I painted the afternoon away. This is the first time creating a diptych in plein air and I so enjoyed the challenge. Largely capturing the moment with a pallet knife while moving quickly so I didn’t loose the beauty of the light. The textures and the brilliant yellow colour simply draws your eye and captures your imagination.

Artwork size: 6″ X 12″ plus 6″ X12″
Finishing: Board, both are separately framed to be hung together
Finished size: 7.5 ” X 27.5″
Medium: oil
Style: Impressionistic Landscape

Whispering of Spring-9X12

This beauty was painted on site in a wonderful wetland in BC early one spring. The sound of happy birds filled the air. The lovely pink blooms of a distant tree caught my eye, along with the soft muted greens, that inspired me to create this plein air painting. I love this wetlands area and I visit it every time I’m in that part of BC.

Artwork size: 9″ X 12″
Finishing: Birch Panel / framed
Finished size: 11″X 14″
Medium: Oil
Style: Impressionistic Landscape

Prairie Breeze-12X12

I so enjoyed painting this lovely fall scene on the prairies of Alberta in the small town of Rosebud. The large grain elevators of today are different from the historical ones, however I still value the important role they play in our rural farming lifestyle. The leaves were rapidly falling as I painted this on a very windy day along side the shelter of my car. The textures and colours worked so well to tell the story.

Artwork size: 12″ X 12″
Finishing: Cradled Canvas Panel ( 1.5 ” depth) ready to hang
Finished size: 12″X 12″
Medium: Oil
Style: Impressionistic Landscape

Whisper in the Willows-9X12

This was painted on site in Kananaskis along the shores of the Bow river in early spring. I love the transition of seasons and the touch of snow that still remained yet the river had begun to flow again. The red willows certainly captured my eye with the Rocky Mountains in the background, it set itself up to be immortalized as a painting. The rick textures that working with a palette knife and oils allows also creates the feeling of the rugged environment of the west.

Artwork size: 9″ X 12″
Finishing: Birch Panel / Framed
Finished size: 9″X 12″
Medium: Oil
Style: Impressionistic Landscape

Autumn’s Dance-8X10

This fun little plein air painting was created on site in the height of an Alberta autumn in the foothills. The golden yellow leaves of the aspen trees were so bright and cheery when the first morning light captured my attention. Created again using oils and palette knife it enables me to move quickly and be very gestural before the light changes.

Artwork size: 8″ X 10″
Finishing: Birch Panel/ Framed
Finished size: 8″X 10″
Medium: Oil
Style: Impressionistic Landscape

Long Shadows-12X12

Inspired from a walk on a road on the west side of Columbia Lake BC in the fall. I painted these interesting pine trees and late day shadows, first on site in plein air as a small 6 X 6 study. Then re created it in the studio in this larger size, as I so loved the fall colours contrasted by the rich aqua colours of the lake. The colours simply sang to me and I just had to paint them. I enjoyed such a feeling of joy and calm as I spent time in this location.

Artwork size: 12″ X 12″
Finishing: On a Cradled Board / ready to hand unframed
Finished size: 12″X 12″
Medium:Oil
Style: Impressionistic Landscape

A Bear’s Playground-12X16

This plein air landscape painting was created at the base of one of the Rocky Mountains, called Mount Yamnuska, west of Calgary. The reason for the name of this piece is that we saw evidence of bears in the area, but we set up to paint anyways! It was easy to imagine them loving this area and playing in the fields and streams.

This beautiful late summer scene captured my interest in the many textures and variety of shapes. It features warm lighting with golden yellow marshland interspersed with evergreens and framed in by the mountains. The water glistened in the warm sunshine and we were entertained by many large dragon flies.

Finishing: none (unframed)
Medium: plein air oil
Substrate: canvas board
Artwork size: 12″ x 16″
Finished size: n/a

Winter’s Rest-9X12

I painted this scene on my farm from my car in about -30 degree temp. I was doing a 30 day painting challenge in January one year. I had to paint from life each day, not from photographs. I’d run out of views from my home windows and decided it was too cold to drive very far, so I just went down my lane. The warmth of the late sun shining across the hay field really doesn’t show how very cold it was. I have a steering wheel easel that I use for painting from the car that’s really quit a cool invention. The round hay bales dusted with snow is a familiar winter scene here on the prairie landscape.

Artwork size: 9″ X 12″
Finishing: Canvas Board / framed
Finished size: 13″ X 16″
Medium: Oil
Style: Impressionistic
Plein Air – painted on location

Winter Shadow Pathway-6X6

It was a warm chinook day in January, so I walked to this location from my home on the farm. I set up my plein air easel and painted for a couple of hours. Such an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. This is a small piece that holds the value contrasts so well. Created en plein air and with a palate knife in order to work quickly as the lighting changes fast as the afternoon sun goes down on the prairies. The warm yellows of the tall canary grasses contrasted by the dark shadows on the snow really captures this scene beautifully. I really enjoy the textures in this piece that was created using a palette knife.

Artwork size: 6″ X 6 “
Finishing: oil on wood panel -ready to hang
Finished size:6 ” X 6″
Medium: oil
Style: Abstract Landscape
Painted en plein air ( on location)