'SHELL BED' - Killdeer /Oil on prepared birch panel / 7" x 4.5" Although Killdeer are included in the shorebird group, they are often seen far from the water. This individual was observed among the fossilized shells of a phosphate mining site in Florida. Ellen and I, along with her brother Frank who served as our guide, were on site to look for Pleistocene period fossils. While we were engaged in digging, this single Killdeer made its way quite close to me, and in doing so offered one of the closest views of this bird in the wild as I have ever had. Both bird and setting impressed upon me an image that lingered long afterward. Anticipating a painting upon return to the studio I collected a variety of shells to serve as reference, as well as photographing close ups of the shell bed to remind myself of the casual patterns made by shells and shell fragments. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #fineartpainting #birdpainting #birdart #beautifulbird #observationalart #gorgeousbird #killdeerbird #killdeer #shorelinebirds #fossilizedshells #fossils #shells #shorebird #florida #livedexperience #fineartoilpainting #birdencpunter #birding
SKETCHBOOK: Killdeer / Graphite / 11" x 14" I have enjoyed watching Killdeers near my home and studio in the Kawartha Lakes district of Ontario, as well as in the sub-tropical climate of Florida. Regardless of the location, they are easily recognizable, beautiful in appearance, and interesting by way of their behaviour. The 'broken wing' display is a bold strategy to draw predators away from the nest, and once having done so they miraculously recover, fly off, and circle back to the original nest site.. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #canadianart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphitesketch #observationalart #sketchbookart #sketchstudy #threefigures #birdart #birddrawing #killdeerbird #killdeersrawing #killdeer #beautifulbirds #wonderfulbirds #birdbehaviour #brokenwing #cleverbirds #observationaldrawing
'SANDY CREEK SPRING' - Tree Swallow /Egg Tempera & Gouache on Fabriano /20" x 16" / 1993 During the years when I had an agent in Japan I developed an appreciation for the Japanese love of a gentle and restful subject complimented by generous open space or vacancy. We had quite a few tree swallows nesting along the creek then, and they seemed just the type of subject that would lend itself to this approach. At that time I was also beginning to use egg tempera but was not entirely secure in painting with it exclusively. So I tried adding a bit of it to my gouache paint which I was very familiar with, as was the Fabriano paper. The confidence gained by this unorthodox approach allowed me to quickly undertake purely egg tempera painting on panel, and I produced many paintings in that medium over a five year period. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #fineartpainting #birdpainting #serene #mixedmedia #fineartmixedmedia #fineartgouache #finearteggtempera #birdart #beautifulbird #observationalart #gorgeousbird #atmospheric #warmandcool #treeswallow #swallowbird #closetohome #artistprocess #creating #japaneseinfluence
'DRIFT' - Snowy Owl / In silver gilt frame Original painting available for sale at the Algonquin Art Centre in Algonquin Park Ontario. Doors open for the season on June first. For more information: /Phone: 1 855 221 2278 /email: [email protected] /website: www.algonquinartcentre.com #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #fineartoilpainting #conservationart #snowyowl #snowyowlinwinter #winterpainting #snowypainting #wintersnow #birdart #owlart #magesticowl #algonquinartcentre #forsaleart #artworkforsale #artforsale2024 #algonquinpark #newart
'DRIFT' - Snowy Owl /Oil on prepared birch panel / 1" x 7.5" Snowy Owls are daytime hunters, arctic dwellers that on an irregular basis winter southward when food in the north becomes scarce. Adults are mostly all white, while immature birds have dark patterning such as the one depicted here, and they also tend to move farther south than the older birds. This painting will be available for purchase at the opening of the Algonquin Art Centre in Algonquin Provincial Park, June 1st 2024. For more information: Telephone: 1-855-221-2278 e-mail: [email protected] / / www.website algonquinartcentre.com #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #fineartoilpainting #conservationart #snowyowl #snowyowlinwinter #winterpainting #snowypainting #wintersnow #birdart #owlart #magesticowl #algonquinartcentre #forsaleart #artworkforsale #artforsale2024 #algonquinpark #newart
'EYE TO EYE' - Eastern Wolf Portrait /Oil on prepared birch panel /x 8" x 9.25" Wolves have engaged the imagination since ancient times, from terrifying stories from bygone days, to a much more sympathetic modern viewpoint of admiration and as a hopeful symbol of wild places. Regardless of the time period, the gaze of the wolf is as intense and mesmerizing as ever. 'Eye to Eye' is an exploration of that feature, seen head on and close up for best effect. This original is now available for viewing and purchase through the Algonquin Art Centre in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. The Art Centre Gallery opens June 1st 2024 for the season. For further information tel:1.855.221.2278 email: [email protected] website: algonquinartcentre.com #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #fineartoilpainting #conservationart #mesmerizingart #headonportrait #eyetoeye #animalportrait #gorgeouswolf #easternwolf #wolfart #wolfpainting #wolfhead #wolfportrait #algonquinartcentre #forsaleart #majesticwolf #algonquinparkcanada
'MORNING STROLL' - Wild Turkey (male) /Oil on prepared panel / 16" x 12" In the late 1980's I worked closely with the OFAH and the Ontario Provincial government in a program to reintroduce the Wild Turkey into the province. An exchange of Minnesota Wild Turkeys for Ontario Moose formed the heart of the project, as was a fun-raising effort to offset costs. To that end I created a painting called Ontario Homecoming which featured a flock of turkeys, and a limited edition of it was sold in support of the efforts to bring back a bird once native to this part of Canada. It was very exciting to be able to witness the release of the birds, and, as time went by, to also realize just how successful it turned out. This painting was done in 2002, during a time in which wild turkeys were becoming fairly commonplace sightings, with some even venturing into our backyard to pick up seed from our feeders. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #oilonpanel #birdart #beautifulbird #observationalart #wildlifeconservation #wildturkey #OFAH #ontarioconservation #beautifulturkey #reintroducedspecies #wildturkeyproject #gorgeousbird #backyardbirds #maleturkey #irridecentfeathers #atmospheric #warmandcool
'EARLY BLOOM' - Gold-crest & Blossoms /Oil / 6" x 8" A family trip to England one March, found spring preceding by nearly two months compared to our home area in Canada. This small painting is based on the experience of visiting Leeds Castle, also known as 'the Ladies Castle', and seems rather appropriate a painting to celebrate Mother's Day. Some of you might recognize the Gold-crest depicted here, as the European counterpart to the Golden-crowned Kinglet of the Americas .... a beautiful bird regardless of where it is found. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #oilonpanel #leedscastle #mothersday2024 #englishbirds #cherryblossoms #birdart #goldcrestbird #goldcrest #europeansongbird #europeanbird #britishbird #beautifulbird #miniaturepainting #smallpainting #observationalart #littlebirdpainting #birdandblossoms
'ALL ENTWINED AND WAITING': American robin on nest /Oil on prepared birch panel / 7.5" x 9" / Custom framed by the artist. AVAILABLE FOR SALE NOW AT MASTERPIECES IN MINIATURE https://www.picturethisgallery.com/masterpieces-in-miniature/ SHOW CONTINUES TO MAY 24 'All Entangled and Waiting' is currently on display at Masterpieces in Miniature and available for purchase through Picture This! Gallery Sherwood Park, Alberta. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #originalforsale #paintingforsale #oilonpanel #picturethis!gallery #picturethisgallery #picturethis! #robin #beautifulrobin #birdart #robinonnest #nesting #customframe #masterpiecesinminiature2024 #miniatureart #masterpiecesinminiature #miniaturepainting #artshow
'ALL ENTWINED AND WAITING': American robin on nest Oil on prepared birch panel / 7.5" x 9" AVAILABLE FOR SALE NOW AT MASTERPIECES IN MINIATURE https://www.picturethisgallery.com/masterpieces-in-miniature/ SHOW CONTINUES TO MAY 24 'All Entangled and Waiting' is currently on display at Masterpieces in Miniature and available for purchase through Picture This! Gallery Sherwood Park, Alberta. A framed image will be posted tomorrow. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #originalforsale #paintingforsale #wildlifeart #oilonpanel #picturethis!gallery #picturethisgallery #picturethis! #robin #beautifulrobin #birdart #robinonnest #nesting #masterpiecesinminiature2024 #miniatureart #masterpiecesinminiature #miniaturepainting #artshow
'RIM-ROCK' - Reclining Cougar Oil on prepared birch panel / 5.5" x 3.5" ORIGINAL AVAILABLE FOR SALE NOW AT "MASTERPIECES IN MINIATURE" https://www.picturethisgallery.com/masterpieces-in-miniature/ SHOW CONTINUES TO MAY 24 2024 'Rim-Rock is currently on display at Masterpieces in Miniature and available for purchase through Picture This! Gallery Sherwood Park, Alberta. Show continues to May 24 2024. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #bigcats #cougarpainting #recliningcougar #originalforsale #paintingforsale #wildlifeart #bigcatart #gorgeouscougar #oilonpanel #picturethis!gallery #picturethisgallery #picturethis! #masterpiecesinminiature2024 #miniatureart #masterpiecesinminiature #miniaturepainting #artshows
'RIM-ROCK' - Reclining Cougar Oil on prepared birch panel / 5.5" x 3.5" ORIGINAL AVAILABLE FOR SALE NOW AT "MASTERPIECES IN MINIATURE" https://www.picturethisgallery.com/masterpieces-in-miniature/ SHOW CONTINUES TO MAY 24 2024 'Rim-Rock is currently on display at Masterpieces in Miniature and available for purchase through Picture This! Gallery Sherwood Park, Alberta. A framed image will be posted tomorrow. Show continues to May 24 2024. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #bigcats #cougarpainting #recliningcougar #originalforsale #paintingforsale #wildlifeart #bigcatart #gorgeouscougar #oilonpanel #picturethis!gallery #picturethisgallery #picturethis! #masterpiecesinminiature2024 #miniatureart #masterpiecesinminiature #miniaturepainting #artshow
Flowering Birch and Maple /Graphite / 10.75" x 14" One need not go to far to find something of interest to sketch. These branches of birch and maple in flower, were gathered from the trees in our backyard and brought inside to sketch at my leisure. Beyond the joy in drawing, there is the need to observe closely, and this in turn creates a much deeper understanding of the subject than I otherwise would have. That in itself is reward enough, but quite often sketchbook drawings are also used as reference for final paintings. Most, however stand alone as examples of things that simply interested me enough to add another page to my sketchbook. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #canadianart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphitesketch #ruralart #rurallife #springtime #observationalart #sketchbookart #fineartsketch #floweringmaple #floweringbirch #mapleflowers #sketchstudy #springfloweringtrees #floweringtrees #botanicalart #backyardtrees #beautifulblossoms
SKETCHBOOK PAGE: Red-winged Blackbird / Male and Female /Graphite / 8.5" x 11" The stand of cattails across the creek from our dock is alive with the sounds of birds busy with establishing territories and nest building. Common grackles and sparrows are joined by several red-winged blackbirds, adding their voices to this avian chorus. All three species visit our deck to take advantage of an easy meal in the form of sunflower seeds liberally scattered for easy access, as well as fewer confrontations. Although we see the male more often, the female also makes an appearance, giving me the opportunity to portray both on the same page. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #canadianart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphitesketch #ruralart #rurallife #onthewater #avianart #birdart #birdsong #fineartbirds #pairofbirds #redwingedblackbirds #springtime #femaleredwingedblackbird #maleredwingedblackbird #observationalart #sketchbookart #fineartsketch
BFFs on and off screen 💅 💭🌟 #sketchedout #cultureslate #wonderstar #michaeldumas #kelseybilyeu #bffchallenge
'MORNING ON SANDY CREEK' /Graphite on Strathroy Bristol / 6" x 4" Sandy Lake is a body of water in the Kawartha Lakes Region of Ontario. It is known for it's beautiful turquoise colour that is one of a kind in our area. The outflow from it winds placidly through mixed woodland and marsh, finally passing in front of our property as it merges with Upper Buckhorn Lake. There are sections of the creek that remind me of Algonquin in some ways, with large white pines dotting the shoreline where soil is dry, and tamarack trees nestled where it is wetter. This is all enhanced when canoeing along silently when the morning mist is still rising. This small drawing, measuring only 6" x 4", was prompted by just such an outing. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #canadianart #observationalart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #livedexperience #ruralart #rurallife #onthewater #sandylake #sandycreek #canoeing #landscapeart #fineartlandscape #landscapeminiature #appreciatingnature #miniaturelandscape #tranquillandscape #treesandwater
'HEAVY HEAD' - Axe & Chopping Block /Graphite / 10.5" 14" Another tool whose utility has survived into modern times, and like the can't-hook, was also standard equipment in the logging camps of Algonquin Park back in the day. During my time as an Algonquin ranger, the axe was indispensable, with hardly a day going by when it wasn't put to use. It was an implement that I learned to use at an early age, first in splitting kindling wood to start the fire in our wood burning stove, and later to split hardwood that would burn longer and hotter. Beyond the connection I have with this sort of subject, I also find their shapes, scars, and patina that comes from long use quite appealing. In these features there is a narrative of sorts, with the more they are used the deeper is the story associated with them. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #canadianart #observationalart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #woodaxe #parkranganger #storiesobjects #livedexperience #canadianheritage #maple #outdoorstilllife #fineartstilllife #nostalgic #algonquinpark #ruralart #bushlife #rurallife #findingbeauty
'CANT-HOOK & MAPLE LOGS' /Graphite / 10.5" x 14" The items shown in this drawing were on my brother's property in Whitney. For those not familiar with the cant-hook, it is used to roll logs into position, and was a standard tool in the early logging camps of Algonquin Park. I have one myself, and it has come in handy a number of times when a large tree on our property has needed to be taken down and put into position to cut into pieces. In doing a drawing like this, there is a sense of nostalgia mixed with present day utility that I still utilize and that is in common usage in rural areas. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #observationalart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #canthook #logging #maplelogs #loggingtools #canadianheritage #maple #outdoorstilllife #fineartstilllife #nostalgia #nostalgic #loggingcamps #algonquinpark #ruralart
'AVIAN MENAGERIE': /Limited Edition giclee / Mono-print 1/1 'Avian Menageries' was created in 2012 for a conservation fundraiser. At the time I was so busy with other projects that I just didn't have time to paint something new for the cause. An idea that I had been interested in seemed like an acceptable solution, and that was to create a digital mono print meaning one of a kind produced as a single giclee print (i.e 1/1). I began by painting a large background of a colour and tone that I felt would work with what I had in mind. This was photographed digitally and entered into a program on my computer. Using this as a base, I then dragged in portions from digital images of my paintings and stripped out their backgrounds, leaving each individual figure ready to arrange as I pleased. After quite some time trying out different compositions, I settled on one, and then paid attention to the many details and adjustments that would integrate each figure into the background until I was satisfied with it's appearance. This digital file was then used to create a hard copy in the form of a giclee print on canvas .... a one and only physical art object which I then signed and numbered 1/1. This became the feature offering at the auction, and the process was explained in detail so all would know precisely what they would be bidding on. It created a lot of interest that resulted in a successful bid of $1,600.00 #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #fineartoilpainting #birdpainting #birdart #multifihuralart #manybirds #limitedpallet #alteredimages #collage #avianart #menagery #digitalart #1/1 #fundraiserauction #conservationart #beautifulbirds #artforacause
'IN THE PINK' - male Cardinal /Oil on birch panel / 7.75" x 9.5" I worked with a very limited palette to produce this painting, just the three primary colours plus black and white. In addition, I took clues for treating the rest of the painting from the bird's colouration itself. The black of the cardinal's mask was used to create a strong presence by providing the deepest tones of the tree branch. Tints and shades of red established the pinks found in the blossoms, while the lighted sections of the branch and background tones are made up of all the colours, making sure to emphasize a subtle but evident blush of red to hold it all together. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #observationalart #beautifulpainting #fineartoilpainting #fineartoil #birdpainting #oilonpanel #springtime #springart #cardinalbird #birdart #yardbirds #malecardinal #redbird #hardandsoftedges #redcardinal #cherryblossoms
'A TOUCH OF SPRING' - Female Cardinal /Watercolour on Arches / 11" x 14" / 1991 It was quite few years after we first moved into the Kawartha Lakes District that we observed cardinals in the area. Over time, a single bird now and then, became much less rare, and now we have the pleasure of them being regular visitors to our feeders and raising a new generation near at hand. This watercolour on Arches paper was in tribute to the first female cardinal that we know for sure had raised her brood either in our yard or very close to it. She showed up one day with five fledglings and introduced them to the readily available supply of sunflower seeds. We have not been without at least one pair wintering over ever since, and the young of that season making their appearance in our backyard in summer. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #observationalart #beautifulpainting #fineartwatercolour #fineartwatercolor #watercolourpainting #watercolorpainting #springtime #springart #femalecardinal #cardinalbird #femalecardinalinspring #watercolourcardinal #watercolorcardinal #lovinglydetailed #birdart #yardbirds
'STONE GROUND' - White dove & flour sacks /Gouache drybrush / 8" x 10.5" / 1996 Rows of grain-sacks stand along the interior stone walls of Bellamy's, an 18th Century flour mill. The great circular milling stones will take in a steady spill of grain between them, rotating and grinding the kernels into a fine flour, and this in turn is re-bagged awaiting the sewing up of the opening and the affixing of the mill's identifying label. This small painting was done in gouache (an opaque watercolour), applied in thin coats and slowly building up the tones and detail. This technique involves dipping the brush into the diluted colour, squeezing it between thumb and forefinger to separate the brush-hairs, then dragging the relatively dry pigment across the paper's surface. I chose to do it this way for the dry textural appearance that develops, which is very sympathetic to the nature of the objects portrayed. It is a labour intensive method, but for certain subjects the effort seems well worth it. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #observationalart #historicalbuilding #beautifulpainting #lightandshadow #18thcentury #historicmill #floursacks #whitedoves #doves #gouachepainting #fineartgouache #gouache #atmospheric #artistsmethod #flourmill #drybrush
'SPRING IN THE SUGAR BUSH' - Gray Squirrel /Graphite on Strathroy Bristol /5.5" x 8" As the sap begins to flow in the sugar maples every spring it is a common sight to see pails suspended from their heavy trunks. This year seems to be a year not especially favourable for a sudden rush and full flow of sap, and the lack of tapping pails has been noticeable by their absence in our area. This drawing, done in 2002 depicts an early spring of ideal conditions, with many of the large maples having more than one pail attached. A neighbour who follows a tradition of tapping and boiling down the sap over an open fire produces a wonderfully smoky syrup. In highly productive years Ellen and I are very pleased to be recipients of a jar or two for our personal table. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #observationalart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #squirrelart #northamericansquirrels #livelysquirrels #squirrels #squirrellove #greysquirrel #sugarbush #maplesyrup #sugarmapletapping #springtime #canadianspring #sugarmaple #beautifulgreysquirrel
SKETCHBOOK: Red Squirrel /Graphite / 10.5" x 14" We have three species of squirrels in our area, the red squirrel, eastern gray squirrel (in both gray and black colour forms), and flying squirrels. Of these, the red squirrel comes across as the more 'cheeky' of the three, prone to wild chattering, tail flipping, and feet stamping. As spring progresses the new generation will show up, smaller than their parents and with wonderfully smooth, silky coats. The adults shown here are still wearing their shaggier winter coats, but they too will soon be wearing their sleeker and more red summer wear. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #observationalart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #sketchbookart #sketchbookpage #fineartsketch #sketching #fineartsketchbook #multifigural #squirrelart #northamericansquirrels #redsquirrel #livelysquirrels #squirrels #redsquirrels #squirrellove
'FULL MOON' - Chase's Hill /Graphite on Bristol / 5.25" x 4" Between the recent interest in the eclipse, and the sudden and recent, but very impermanent dusting of snow that came and went rather quickly, I recalled this small graphite drawing that I did in 2003. The location is not too far from us, and on the occasion of a full moon, I had stopped on my way home to have a better look. I turned off the car and the resulting rush of silence came in deep and heavy, save for an occasional 'tick' from the cooling engine. That too faded away, leaving me standing and slowly becoming a part of the moonlight and the cold, the silence, and the deep shadows of pines on the crest of the hill. I drew 'Full Moon' the following day. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #observationalart #fineartdrawing #gorgeousdrawing #nightscene #mindfulness #landscapedrawing #fineartlandscape #nocturn #nightsky #ruralart #fullmoon #beautifulmoon #moondrawing #moonlight #moonlitscene #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing
'CHINA GOLD' - Giant Panda with cub /Egg tempera on panel / 24" x 19" / 1988 After numerous sketches of adult Giant Pandas done from life at the Calgary Zoo in Alberta, I then worked up several pre-studies, more carefully drawn and composed images exploring the possibilities for a final painting. With aid from World Wildlife Fund Canada and their contacts on the ground in China, I was provided with a selection of photographs of cubs, as well as details of bamboo and ground cover. Having decided on the final poses and composition, considerable time was devoted to a foundational drawing and the many layers of egg tempera pursuing a specific image in my mind's eye. Working in egg tempera is a laborious process, especially in creating soft blended tones. Three months in, I came to the conclusion that I'd strayed too far from my goal, and the discouragement was so great that I scrapped the entire piece. A week later I started again, unfortunately arriving at the same impasse a month and a half later .... another scrapped piece. After a cooling off period of two weeks I began a third effort. By this time I had learned from my experiences and the painting progressed very smoothly, finally coming encouragingly close to what I had hoped for. My behaviour had been a surprising and inexplicable thing to my family and friends who saw two paintings thrown out, but on completion of the third everyone agreed that my shocking behaviour was at least somewhat justified. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #worldwildlifefund #giantpanda #pandas #pandacub #motherpanda #pandafundraiser #savethepandas #thegiantpandaproject #fromlife #chinagold #thirdtimesthecharm #eggtemperapainting #fineartpainting #finearteggtempera #pandapainting #motherandcub #canadaandchina #wwf #pandaart
PRE-STUDY FOR 'CHINA GOLD' - Giant Panda /Graphite and gouache on panel / 12" x 5.5" / 1988 For many years I worked with World Wildlife Fund Canada, providing them with artwork for a variety of purposes, including drawings for their annual reports, educational posters, print programs for fund-raising etc. The Giant Panda project entailed a two-part limited edition, with the most closely related pre-study chosen to complement the large print of the completed painting to make a pair with matching numbers. Before the pre-study I did numerous sketches of the adults that were housed at the Calgary Zoo in Alberta at the time. The zoo staff was very helpful, allowing me behind the scenes access to the panda enclosure, and providing me with an official zoo jacket so as not to raise questions from the viewing public. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #masterartist #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #fineartdrawing #mixedmediastudy #pandaart #fineartstudy #worldwildlifefund #calgaryzoo #giantpandas #pandalovers #fineartmixedmedia #tinteddrawing #fineartgouache #beautifulstudy #gouacheandgraphite #graphiteandgouache #pandafundraiser #savethepandas #thegiantpandaproject
SKETCHBOOK: 'EVENING STORM' -King's Landing, New Brunswick /Graphite / 7" X 10.5" I did four sketches of King's Landing, this one being the last of four, the previous three having been posted before now. A bright day of racing clouds took on a more foreboding appearance as clouds moved in from the sea replacing sunlight with shadow. The conditions forced me to work more quickly than was the case with the first three drawings, and I relied far more heavily on tone. Looking back on it, perhaps this aided a lot in the conveying much of the moody feeling that was descending on the scene. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphite #graphitedrawing #beautifuldrawing #sketchbookart #fineartdrawing #landscapeart #fineartlandscape #canadianlandscape #kingslanding #newbrunswick #cloudyskies #graphitelandscape #sunlightandshadow #tone #graphitetone #moodylandscape
'OCTOBER SUN' - Black-capped Chickadee /Watercolour on Strathmore WC paper / 9.5" x 3.5" This watercolour was painted in 1996, and started out as a sketch in a watercolour pad. I liked the way the composition was working, as well as the interpretation of the very complex setting, so I continued on with the process in transparent watercolour. No white paint was used in it, just the untouched white paper to represent the brightest areas. **The image file quality is not as good as it could be however. In the original the whites are much more softly integrated with the colour, and the details are sharper, but the general idea of the piece still seems to come across. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #fineartpainting #masterartist #canadianart #chickadee #blackcappedchickadee #observationalart #birdart #autumbnal #autumbleaves #fineartwatercolour #fineartwatercolor #watercolor #watercolour #chickadeeandleaves #beautifulwatercolor #beautifulwatercolour #fallcolors #fallcolours #sunandshadow
'SKETCHBOOK' - Black-capped Chickadee /Graphite / 11" x 14" Black-capped Chickadees are year round residents in our area, braving the long cold winter months, only to greet the return of spring with good cheer and begin the busy preparations for the nesting season. I've sketched them numerous times, to the point that I have become familiar enough to be able to interpret the many interesting activities they go through in their daily lives. This page is perhaps one of the most indicative of my being comfortable with the attempt of capturing postures that are little more than momentary impressions. The sketches are inventive to a great degree, of course, but they appear to my mind as reasonable interpretations of what I observed. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #birdart #fineartwildlifeart #avianart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphite #graphitedrawing #beautifuldrawing #sketchbookart #sketchbookpage #fineartsketch #fineartdrawing #actionposes #blackcapoedchickadee #chickadee #threebirds #birdsinflight #studysketch
'SKETCHBOOK' - 'Cordwood' King's Landing, New Brunswick /Graphite / 11" x 7" I seldom draw wide-view landscapes with buildings, but King's Landing in New Brunswick presented inspiring views of just this sort of thing, and I responded immediately to it's charm. This particular view was also enriched by the logs and split wood in the foreground that created a zig-zag pattern leading from lower left and into the middle ground where a small out-building overlapped a barn From there, along a strip of fence and horizontal line of a field beyond, provided a visual link to the farm house. The day was one of sunshine and fast moving clouds, causing running shadows that constantly shifted across the scene, allowing a free and easy way of placing bright whites and deep darks wherever it pleased me. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #birdart #fineartwildlifeart #avianart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphite #graphitedrawing #beautifuldrawing #sketchbookart #sketchbookpage #landscapesketch #fineartsketch #fineartlandscape #fineartdrawing #landscapedrawing #cordwood #kingslanding #ruralscene
'WINTER SUMAC' - White-breasted Nuthatch (life-sized) /Oil on birch panel / 16" x 10" (*cropped version shown) This White-breasted Nuthatch was observed hunting for insects and their larvae hiding within the complex seed cluster of stag-horn sumac. The design concept of the painting is based on re-occurring curved components, overlapping in such a way as to create both tension and a rhythmic grace. At first glance it has a simple structure, but the trick is in precise placement of every item and their relationships to one another. Finding that 'sweet spot' where one thing less is not quite enough and one thing more is simply too much, requires considerable contemplation. The uppermost short curving shape was the final addition. Without it, it seems to me, would make it one thing less than optimum. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #fineartpainting #fineartoilpainting #lyricalpainting #masterartist #canadianart #observationalart #birdart #nuthatches #whitebreastednithatch #commonposes #birdpostures #winterart #wintersumac #sumac #tonalbackground #perched #nuthatchonsumac #gracefulnuthatch #consideredcomposition
SKETCHBOOK - White-breasted Nuthatch There are two species of Nuthatch in our area, white-breasted and red-breasted. The white-breasted is the large of the two, but both exhibit an accomplished agility, most often seen as they hang sideways or upside down from branch or tree trunk. By scattering sunflower seeds on the deck railing outside our living room window, I am afforded close up views of these birds. I have taken advantage of this over the years as evidenced by the many pages depicting them in my sketchbook. The upside down posture is what they are known for, starting high up on a tree trunk and making their way headfirst downwards in search of insects hiding in the rough texture of bark. Of course they assume upright positions as well, and the two lower sketches explore a couple of options found in those postures. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #graphitesketch #fineartdrawing #sketch #fineartsketch #fineartsketchbook #sketchbookpage #observationalart #sketchbookdrawing #sketchbookdrawing #threebirds #birdart #nuthatches #whitebreastednithatch #commonposes #birdpostures
'DAYDREAM' - A Portrait of Paige /Oil on birch panel / 5" x 7" I first saw Paige while Ellen and I were visiting Lang Century Village in Keene, Ontario. She was in full 19th Century costume and working in the kitchen of the old Keene Hotel. We got into a conversation with her and found out that she was preparing to enter her first year at university come the fall. As we talked, I became aware of the great distinction between listening to Paige's future hopes and the contrast of the old and aging building we were in. A visual idea began to form, and after walking around the village a bit more, we went back, and I approached her with the idea of sitting for a painting. She was delighted. On the day we'd mutually agreed to she turned up in the casual clothes I'd asked her to pick out for the sitting. The setting is the upstairs of the hotel, with a sloping ceiling and windows that come down nearly to floor level. On that floor is a series of straw filled 'mattresses', a bare minimum accommodation for single men requiring a place to sleep for the night. That too was an intriguing contrast of bygone days and the modern world. So with these things fresh in my mind the painting seemed to find it's own direction, and one that I let lead me where it would. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #observationalart #fineartoilpainting #portraits #portrait #paintedportrait #portraitinoil #portraitpaining #pirtraitofyoungwoman #pioneer #langpioneervillage #pastandfuture #historicalbuilding #casualportrait #beautifulportrait #beautifulpainting #lightandshadow
'INTO THE LIGHT' - Cottontail Rabbit /Oil on Canvas / 8.5" x 5.5" Rabbits in the wild are cautious creatures, as well they should be. They are a food source for a variety of predators, from birds of prey to mammals such as fox and coyotes. Keeping quiet and hidden is a primary means to stay safe, with erratic and speedy leaping when that fails. Venturing forth into the open and well-lit spaces can be a dangerous thing, and the individual in this painting, true to it's nature, is doing so with ears and eyes alert. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #observationalart #atmospheric #fineartoilpainting #cottontail #cottontailrabbit #rabbit #rabbits #rabbitart #inthewild #alertrabbit #painterlybackground #paintedfur #bunny #rabbitsofinstagram #earthtones #intothelight
SKETCHBOOK - DOMESTIC RABBIT /Graphite / 8.25" x 11" Rabbits come in a wide variety of types, in size, proportions, and colouration. There are white rabbits that stay white all year round, and not to be confused with the varying hare that changes from summer brown to winter white. The domestic rabbits in the sketch most closely resemble the wild cottontail in colouration, but with a variation in proportion and shape distinctive to them. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #graphitesketch #fineartdrawing #sketch #fineartsketch #fineartsketchbook #sketchbookpage #sketchbookart #rabbits #domesticrabbits #rabbitdrawing #sweetrabbits #cuterabbits #bunnies #observationalart #sketchbookdrawing
'MOONLIGHT' - Yellow Walleye /Oil on birch panel / 12" x 24" *cropped version shown Moonlight glistens on the surface turbulence as the water of Sandy Creek flows through the culvert and into the lake. Small fish gather in the shallows of the culvert, as if seeking shelter from the light and whatever might be gathering farther out in the deeper, darker, waters. This is no trivial response, for as the water of the bay grows ever colder, Yellow Walleye are actively seeking food before the coming long freeze of winter. The Walleye is so named for it's large, opaque silvery eyes, the result of light reflecting off a membrane in their retina, and which aids in night vision. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #observationalart #atmospheric #freshwaterfish #yellowwalleye #walleye #underwater #fishart #aquaticart #anglers #moonlitwater #moonlight #paintedfish #paintedmoonlight #fineartoilpainting #bluepainting #northamericanfish
'RISING MIST' - Laughing Kookaburra / Oil on Birch Panel / 5.25" by 9" Although the vast majority of my nature artwork has to do with things I see within natural environments, or those in which species, such as House Sparrows, have adapted themselves into new habitats. There are exceptions of course, especially when depicting rare, endangered, even extinct species as part of conservation fund-raising projects. Every now and then though, I see a subject that invites a closer look and ultimately a sketch at the very least, perhaps even a full painting. Birds in aviaries are a good example of this, and the combination of a jaunty character and the backlight glow displayed by this Laughing Kookaburra was certainly enough to translate the observation into paint. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #birdart #birdpainting #perched #oilpainting #observationalart #fineartoilpainting #aviary #avianart #backlit #backlitglow #atmospheric #risingmist #dreamypainting #laughingkookaburra #kookaburra #wabisabi
'MID-MORNING LIGHT' - House Sparrow /Oil on birch panel/ 5.5" x 7.5" The lack of a solid black bib indicates this male House Sparrow is in his non-breeding attire. Nevertheless, he, and others of his kind, both male and female, as well as the young of the recent generation continue to take advantage of stables, barns, and other human constructions for both shelter and food. This stable shows it's age by way of wear and tear from the animals it is designed to house, and the forces of nature enacting upon it. Summer heat and winter cold contracts and expands the wooden beams, opening once tight joins, and splits even the staunchest hand-hewn supports. To my artist's eye, coupled with vivid memories and a sense of time passing, is at once bittersweet and inspirational. It can be a very emotional thing. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #birdart #birdpainting #perched #earthtones #ruralart #oilpainting #observationalart #fineartoilpainting #nonbreedingmalesparrow #housesparrows #housesparrow #malehousesparrow #sparrowsofinstagram #sparrowart #sparrowconservation #emotionalart
SKETCHBOOK: House Sparrows at Cook's Livery /Graphite / 10.5" x 14" House Sparrows bustle with energy as they search for food, engage in courtship rituals, squabble now and then over territory, and raise hungry broods. These activities, such a matter of importance to the birds themselves, goes pretty much ignored and unnoticed by the people going in and out of the stable and fenced enclosures. This secret life is secret only by way of being considered trivial by humans, and therefore invisible. It has, however, been an engaging interest to me for many decades, and my sketch books record that fascination accordingly. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #graphitesketch #fineartdrawing #sketch #fineartsketch #fineartsketchbook #sketchbookpage #sketchbookart #birdart #sparrowart #sparrows #housesparrows #sparrowconservation #lifeofbirds #sparrowsofinstagram #beautifulsparrows
'EASY PICKIN'S' - Brown-headed Cowbird and White Cabbage Butterfly /Oil on birch panel / 7" x 5" Around the buildings and fences of Louke's Farm, a busy community of birds are engaged in activities all their own, with little thought to humans passing by, or the animals in their pens. The most numerous are house sparrows, a chirping, bustling bunch that are the most noticeable to anyone happening to take note of such things. There are, however, other winged creatures who also take advantage of what the farmyard offers. Among these are Brown-headed Cowbirds, dressed in sombre colours, but with an opportunistic attitude that serves it well. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #birdart #birdpainting #perched #cowbird #brownheadedcowbird #whitecabbagebutterfly #warmandcool #ruralart #uniquecomposition #butterflyart #oilpainting #observationalart #uniquepainting #fineartoilpainting #birdandbutterfly
'TUNDRA SPRING': Snowy Owl (Female) 1994 /Transparent Watercolour on Arches / 12.5" x 15" Snowy Owls are such dynamic birds, and I've painted them numerous times. During winters when conditions north of us are especially hard, they are sometimes among those that move into our area where they hunt open fields, easily picking up mice and other rodents. The individual shown here is a female, told by the dark markings that stand out against her white feathers. Males are either very sparsely marked, or completely white. This painting was done in transparent watercolour, meaning that now white paint was used. As with a graphite drawing, the only white is that of untouched paper. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #fineartpainting #fineartwatercolour #fineartwatercolor #watercolor #watercolour #winterscene #winterart #arcticbirds #owl #snowyowl #birdart #birdpainting #owlart #perched #whiteandblue #transparentwatercolor #transparentwatercolours
SKETCHBOOK: Winter Fields & Roadside Maple /Graphite / 11" x 14" During winters when we have had a lot of snow, and it is especially difficult for birds to find food farther north of us, we sometimes get an influx of owls. Open fields like this one offers a great opportunity for owls to pick up mice and other small rodents. Having heard reports of a Snowy Owl frequenting this area one winter, Ellen and I went for a drive in hopes of spotting it. We didn't have any luck that day, but the trip was worthwhile in terms of subject matter for my sketchbook. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #graphitesketch #fineartdrawing #fineartsketchbook #sketchbookpage #sketchbookart #winterscene #baretrees #winterfeild #fineartlandscape #ruralart #mapletree #feildsndtrees #regionalism #landscapedrawing #treeart #snowyowl
'SKETCHBOOK': Young Elephant Seal /Graphite / 8" x 5.25" On one of our landings before heading back north across Drake Passage, we stopped at Lion's Rump on King George Island to see a colony of Elephant Seals. We struck off overland to a sheltered cove where large numbers of these seals gathered, announcing their presence by an abysmal odour long before they came into sight. It would be difficult to under-estimate the powerful assault on our sense of smell, but only a handful of our group ventured close enough to photograph them. When we arrived back at our point of landing, a young Elephant Seal had taken a liking to one of our rubber Zodiac rafts, mistaking it for a much more sleek and far less smelly member of the neighbourhood wallow. After some coaxing, raft and seal were separated. We pushed off into a sea of rising swells that hid the sight of the ship when we levelled off at the bottom of each trough, only to reveal it again when we gained the summit of the next. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #graphitesketch #fineartdrawing #fineartsketchbook #sketchbookpage #sketchbookart #fromlife #expeditionart #youngelephantseal #youngseal #elephantseal #antarcticanwildlife #lionsrump #drakepassage
SKETCHBOOK: Gray-Headed Albatross Chick /Graphite / *" x 5.25" A short distance from where the Striated Caracaras hunting Prions on Isla Gonzalo, we came across the nesting area of Gray-Headed Albatross. With the tremendous amount of rainfall that falls at that time of year, it is imperative the chicks be kept dry. To that end, the nest is made up of a highly piled stack of mud and fibrous grass stalks to create an elevated nest more than a foot off the ground. In this, a single downy chick sits in it's personal nesting pot, patiently waiting for it's parents to return with food. They are quite a contrast to the elegant curves and smooth plumage of the adults, but each in their own way are surprisingly beautiful. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #graphitesketch #fineartdrawing #fineartsketchbook #sketchbookpage #sketchbookart #greyheadedalbatross #grey-headedalbatross #albatross #birdart #albatrosschick #birdchick #fromlife #observationalart #downychicks #beautifulalbatross #twochicks
SKETCHBOOK PAGE: Striated Caracara /Graphite / 8" x 5.25" In 1990 I traveled with a group from Cornell University, boarding the Society Explorer in Punta Arenas, southern Chile. The ship was one previously owned by the National Geographic Society, a double-hulled vessel that made it ideal for getting us safely to our final destination inside the Antarctic Circle. Long before that however, we made shore stops along the Straits of Magellan, the Beagle Channel, Cape Horn, and the Diego Ramirez Islands, before heading across Drake Passage to Antarctica. The Striated Caracara shown in this sketch is one of the predatory birds that make their way to these southernmost islands to take advantage of the many seabirds nesting during the Austral summer. A favoured prey is the Prion, a small Petrel that nests in burrows, and which the Caracaras patiently wait for emerging and arriving birds to snatch up. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #birdart #fineartwildlifeart #avianart #fineartdrawing #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #striatedcaracara #diegoramirezislands #australsummer #birdsofprey #caracara #expedition #nationalgeographicsociety #beautifuldrawing #beautifulbird
'SECRET GARDEN' - Ruby-throated Hummingbird & Hybrid Daylily /Oil on birch panel / 7" x 9.25" My mother was an avid gardener, with both vegetables for the table, and flowers for the simple joy of their beauty. It seems I have inherited this latter trait, particularly when it comes to all manner of blooming plants, ferns, etc. My wife, Ellen, shares this love, and we look forward each year to expanding and improving the many gardens on our property. Hybrid day-lilies were not available to my mother in her day, but over the years there has been a dramatic development in their size, shape, colours, and blooming times. Although not of much interest to the hummingbirds that frequent the garden for nectar yielding species such as Bergamot, they offer convenient perches from which to watch and safeguard their favourite feeding areas. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #fineartpainting #masterartist #birdart #fineartpainting #beautifulpainting #flowerart #rubythroatedhummingbird #malehummingbird #hummingbird #hybridlily #yellowandpurplelily #gardenlily #perchedhummingbird #fineartoilpainting #beautifuloilpainting #fineartwildlifeart #avianart #northamericanbirds #birdandflower
'JANUARY THAW' : Near Stony Lake, Ontario /Graphite on Bristol / 6" x 10" We cross the stream flowing into Stony Lake en route to Petroglyph Provincial Park. It is a trip we make several times during the year, but winter also brings with it an influx of white-tailed deer that 'yard up' in the area. Their numbers keep trails open to food sources and bedding areas when the snow becomes very deep. This year, the snow barely has an influence on their comings and goings, and the stream was never fully frozen over. This drawing was done in 2004, during a thaw in mid-January, the water flowing crisp and clear, eroding the edges of overhanging ice shelves into beautifully sculpted shapes. I was also attracted to the sinewy pattern of dark water set against the pristine snow and echoing the darkness of the shadowy forest beyond. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #fineartgraphite #graphitedrawing #fineartdrawing #snowyscene #landscape #snowylandscape #stoneylake #ontariowinter #petroglyphprovincialpark #forestandlake #icylake #winterart #canadianwinter #januarythaw #thawingice
'AVIAN ANTIQUITY' - Common Loon Family Egg Tempera on panel / 13.5" x 24" / 1987 As I look at this image 37 years after the painting was completed, it is easy for me to distinguish it as a separate period in which I was using egg tempera, with my approach tending towards a more hard-edged style than I paint with now. Even so, the reflection and water effects predict a change in direction that would eventually develop more fully. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #loonart #loonfamily #beautifulbirds #loons #loon #comonloon #upperbuckhornlake #loonfamily #birdart #fineartpainting #eggtemperapainting #eggtempera #beautifulpainting
SKETCHES & PREPARATORY DRAWING : Common Loons /Graphite / 1987 Recently, while going through a box of files, I came across an early preparatory drawing from 1987, and a few field sketches of Loons done some time later. The sketches were done on Upper Buckhorn Lake, while observing the birds from my canoe. The compositional drawing (top) is the result of time spent in search of something different from what I'd previously done in portraying Loons. As I recall, it was the putting together of the wing-spread pose that encouraged me to continue with it. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #fineartdrawing #prepatorydrawings #fineartsketch #sketches #loonart #beautifulbirds #fineartprocess #loons #loon #sketchdrawings #upperbuckhornlake #fielddrawing #fromlife #loonfamily #birdart
'SOUTH SIDE' - American Robin / 1990 /Gouache on Illustration Board / 5" x 7" This small painting was done 34 years ago, a time in which I did quite a bit of my work in gouache (gwash), which is an opaque form of watercolour. Between this and the illustration board that I used, everything tends to be harder edged when compared to more recent work. The underlying graphite drawing shows through in some places, creating a gritty texture that I felt went well with the age-worn window sill on which the Robin stands. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumasArtist #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #robin #americanrobin #birdart #beautifulbirds #perched #avianart #songbird #brightsun #graphiteandgouache #ageworn #gouachepainting #fineartgouache #hardedges #windowsill #oldwindow #sweetrobin #paintedsunlight
GREAT BLUE HERON STUDY / 7" x 5.25" /Graphite & Transparent Watercolour on Printmaking Paper Our area provides many opportunities to observe Great Blue Herons, and I find new opportunities for studies as well as finished work in the variations found in their behaviour and posture. A simple thing like a momentary lifting of one long leg to scratch an itch, transforms a static pose into one far more dynamic. Of course, the far more often observed hunched back and coiled neck arrangement seems to be quite irresistible, and a version of it has found its way into a lot of my work. It is especially attractive when combined with the trailing head and lower neck plumes during breeding season. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #fineartmixedmedia #fineartgraphite #fineartwatercolour #fineartwatercolor #transparentwatercolor #transparentwatercolour #greatblueheron #greatblueherons #herons #largebirds #birdart #beautifulbirds #gracefulbirds #perched #avianart #waterbirds #rookery
SKETCHBOOK PAGE: GREAT BLUE HERONS / Graphite / 12" x 14" The flight path to and from the lake and a heron rookery located a short distance away, brings these wonderful birds overhead at regular intervals during their nesting season. Later in the summer, some of them find seclusion and a quiet place to doze off under the overhanging cedar branches along our waterfront. #michaeldumasartist #MichaelDumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #canadianart #sketchbookpage #sketchbookart #graphitesketch #fineartgraphite #graphitepencil #fineartsketch #greatblueheron #herons #largebirds #birdart #birdsketch #beautifulbirds #gracefulbirds #birdsinflight #flyingbirds #birdflight
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'SUNDOWN' - Paudash Lake /Oil on Birch Panel / 10" x 6.25 By the time we came to Paudash Lake, on an evening drive home from a day spent in Algonquin Park, sunset painted the sky a deep rose blush. I kept making mental notes of the colours, something that I knew ahead of time I just didn't have the skills to record them faithfully in a photograph. Trusting to memory, I slowly worked the layers of oil paint, gradually bringing things in line with the impression of what I had observed. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #conservationart #sunsetpainting #Algonquin #Algonquinpark #podashlake #sunandshadow #pinkandorange #coralcolor #coralcolour #winterscene #winterart #canadianwinter #algoquinsunset
'SPARROW'S REST' - House Sparrow pair /Oil on Birch Panel / 23" x 10.75" In painting 'Sparrow's Rest', the concept was to express the simple harmony of everyday things. In a shed behind Bellamy's Mill, two common House Sparrows perch on a pile of discarded flour sacks. Some areas of the cloth are ablaze in full sunlight, while others are only softly illuminated; the rest drop back into deep darkness. Oh, beautiful! There are many people who pass by, but no one seems to notice. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #fineartwildlifeart #fineartdrawing #beautifuldrawing #canadianart #birdart #birding #northamericanbirds #multifiguredrawing #morrisburgontario #birchpanel #fineartgraphite #sparrows #beautifulsparrows #sparrow #finishedpainting #fineartpainting #fineartoilpainting #sunandshadow
Detail section from 'SPARROW'S REST' /Oil on Birch Panel Two House Sparrow's, male on the left and female on the right, take a momentary rest from their busy day. They have found a quiet place where empty flour sacks from Bellamy's Mill lay stacked in a three-sided open-fronted shed. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #fineartwildlifeart #fineartdrawing #beautifuldrawing #canadianart #birdart #birding #northamericanbirds #multifiguredrawing #morrisburgontario #birchpanel #fineartgraphite #sparrows #beautifulsparrows #sparrow #detailofpainting #fineartpainting #fineartoilpainting #earthtoneart
'SPARROWS AT REST' - House Sparrows /Graphite on Birch Panel / 11" x 8" This drawing was done in preparation for a painting where the birds were the focal point within a much larger and more complete setting. I had observed many of these birds at the historical site in Morrisburg, Ontario, and the proposed setting seemed to come suddenly in a flash, immediately upon observing their comings and goings in and around Bellamy's Mill, a working 19th Century flour mill. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #fineartwildlifeart #fineartdrawing #beautifuldrawing #canadianart #birdart #birding #northamericanbirds #multifiguredrawing #morrisburgontario #birchpanel #graphitedrawing #fineartgraphite #sparrows #beautifulsparrows #observational #prepatorydrawing #sparrow #sparrowdrawing
'FIRST LIGHT' - Great Egret Study /Oil on Birch Panel / 9.5" x 7.5" This quick study in oil was done with a very limited palette, just three colours, black, yellow, and purple. The white areas are untouched panel. I was interested primarily in lighting, dominant forms, and the mood created by such a minimalist approach. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #wildlifeart #birdart #beautifulbirdart #fineartstudy #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #oilstudy #oilpaintingstudy #studyinoil #conservationart #greategret #birdstudy #egret #limitedpalet #blackyellowpurple #threecolours #lightingandmood
'RIDING THE GAUNTLET' - American Kestrel /Oil on birch panel / 7.5" x 10.25" This painting is based on a captive bird that was being displayed at one of the Artists for Conservation International Exhibitions in Vancouver, British Columbia. I've often referred to captive birds to acquire information, sometimes sketching from life, and sometimes with the camera. As is usually the case, any reference material gathered is mulled over, considering ways in which it might be presented in a painting. This usually entails a lot of separate drawings of variations in posture, lighting, and clarification of anatomy, such as the expressive potential found in what at first might seem a minor structure, that of toes and talons. Most often this is integrated into a natural setting, but this particular bird seemed so connected to its handler that I opted to focus on that particular trait, glove, tresses, and all. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #wildlifeart #birdart #beautifulbirdart #northamericanbirds #fineartpainting #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #americankestrel #verticalcomposition #birdsofprey #conservationart #kestral #birdhandler #falconry #falconer #trainedbird #ideasforart
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SKETCHBOOK PAGE: American Kestrel /Graphite on Strathroy / 9.75" x 14" There is a proliferation of American Kestrel studies in my sketchbooks, a subject I've returned to time and again. In looking over these images, I am reminded how this species has drawn my attention both locally and far afield. I see them often in open country in the Kawartha Lakes Region of Ontario where we live, occasionally further north in Algonquin, and have come across them south, all the way down into Florida, on into Mexico, Central and South America. Their range also spans the continent east and west from the Atlantic to the Pacific, so perhaps it is not so surprising that they also appear in my sketchbooks as often as they do. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #fineartwildlifeart #fineartdrawing #beautifuldrawing #canadianart #threebirds #fineartdrawing #sketchbookpage #sketchbookart #drawingsketch #kawarthalakesregion #algonquin #kestrel #americankestrel #sketches #birdart #birding #sketchingbirds #northamericanbirds
'VERTICAL WORLD' - Red-breasted Nuthatch /Oil on birch panel / 3.75" x 5.5" Red-breasted Nuthatches are regularly seen on our property, and can be observed very close up in the winter when our offering of seed is laid out. With some persistence they can be coaxed to take hand-held food, though not quite as readily as Chickadees do. This particular bird was on the huge trunk of a spruce tree, and I couldn't help but think if the tree looked that enormous to me, what must it appear to such a tiny little bird measuring only 4" or so from tip of beak to end of tail. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #wildlifeart #birdart #beautifulbirdart #birding #northamericanbirds #fineartpainting #oilpainting #fineartoilpainting #verticalcomposition #redbreastednuthatch #nuthatch #smallbirds #sprucetree
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'BALSAM GROVE' / 6" x 4" / Black & white clay pencil on tinted Stonehenge paper This grove of Balsam trees was visible from my studio window when I turned around and looked directly behind where I work. I had done this small drawing in black and white clay pencil on tinted Stonehenge paper, with the intent of producing something much larger and more finished. Before I got to it, a late winter storm blew every one of the trees down, falling them like dominoes all in a row. Even though I had the sketch, without the trees still in place, I lost interest and went on to other things and never came back to it. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #winterdrawing #winterscene #winterlandscape #fineartlandscape #treesandsnow #drawingsnow #snowart #snowladen #winterart #balsamtrees #fineartdrawing #blackandwhiteclaypencils #claypencil #tintedpaperdrawing #ontintedpaper #stonehengepaper #snowybalsams #landscapedrawing
SKETCHBOOK: 'Balsams in Snow', -Algonquin Park /Partial sketch / Graphite / 11" x 14" This sketch was done alongside Hwy 60 in Algonquin Park while sitting in my car. Since we have been discussing the drawing of snow, I thought there might be an interest in seeing a life sketch with part of it completed and part just indicated. Those simple, basic shapes in the lower half of the sketch act as a general guide for the overall impression of shape, proportion, and structure. It isn't much, just the briefest shorthand version of what I am looking at, but it's enough to establish something to expand on. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumas #MichaelDumas #beautifulart #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #masterartist #fineartgraphite #winterdrawing #winterscene #winterlandscape #fineartlandscape #treesandsnow #algonquinpark #untouchedpaper #drawingsnow #snowart #graphitesketch #snowladen #winterart #fineartsketch #fineartsketchbook #sketchbookart #sketchbookpage #balsamtrees
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Les marques-pages sont arrivés ! Offerts aux 100 premières personnes qui commandent mon livre "A l'aube d'un nouveau jour". Vous pouvez dès à présent me contacter pour réserver votre exemplaire. Plusieurs dizaines de personnes ont déjà réglées le leur et participent ainsi à aider une petite fille dans le delta du Mekong, dont je suis le parrain, à qui je finance sa scolarité, en partie grâce à une partie des bénéfices de mes livres. Merci pour votre soutien. Belle journée ✨️ #livres #livre #book #books #auteur #michaeldumas #ganesha #ganeshaeditions #litterature #ecriture #édition #bienetre #santé #ikigai #voyages #alimentation #respiration #rencontres #amour #amor #conscience #spiritualité #spirituality #laciotat #provence #provencealpescotedazur #paca #13 #photographie #photography
'ANCIENT LINEAGE' - Common Loon /Watercolour & Gouache on Paper Fabric /11" x 14" / 1986 Another rare event concerning observations of the Common Loons on the lake, was a truly memorable one. It all came about because of a neighbour down the shore aways, who kept his spotting scope set up and focused on a nest on a small little island directly out from his cottage. Knowing of my interest, he phoned me one day, and in an excited voice told me that something was definitely happening out there, and did I want to come over and see. I left immediately and was none to early, as the first egg was just in the process of hatching, followed very shortly after by the second one. It was amazing to watch, and a source of wonderment at how quickly these new born little balls of fuzz were able to be in the water and swimming with their parents. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #wildlifeart #birdart #beautifulbirdart #birding #northamericanbirds #commonloon #loon #loons #gracefulbirds #motherandchicks #loonchicks #waterclour #watercolor #fineartwatercolor #fineartwatercolour #loonpainting #paperfabric
'SKETCH PAGE' - Common Loon /Graphite / 11.5" x 14" When we moved to our home on Buckhorn Lake, one of the first things we spent time enjoying was exploring Sandy Creek and the bay it flowed into. Loons were, and still are, a fairly common species here. Many of my observations of them were a mere five minutes by canoe. This page of sketches marks the occasion of a loon that dove repeatedly, near enough for me to observe as it passed more than once directly beneath my canoe. Other close encounters became part of my experience with these amazing birds over the years, but this particular sequence of events never did repeat itself. #michaeldumasartist #michaeldumasart #MichaelDumas #michaeldumas #canadianart #canadianartist #contemporaryrealism #contemporarycanadianart #contemporaryfineart #fineartrealism #fineart #beautifulart #masterartist #wildlifeart #birdart #beautifulbirdart #birding #northamericanbirds #commonloon #loon #loons #underwaterswimming #sketchbookart #sketchbookpage #fineartsketch #gracefulbirds #fineartgraphite #graphitesketch #sketchbookdrawing #divingloon