Across Bow Valley

Across Bow Valley - 6x8 - Oil on Linen Panel

Click Here to BidOK, I'm really falling for Canada here. Between the endless mountain peaks and free healthcare, there could definitely be worse places to be an artist! I think I would miss the smell of sagebrush in the spring, though. =)

This is the view from Whitehorn Mountain off of Highway 1/93, the Trans-Canada Highway. On Google Streetview there's HD imagery all the way up the snow covered ski runs, giving stunning views across the Bow River Valley and into a sea of mountain.

Fork in the Bow

Fork in the Bow - 6x8 - Oil on Linen Panel

Click Here to BidI'm not really sure why the title entertains me as much as it does. This is a fork in the Bow River of Canada, I guess having two tool names is amusing? Or maybe because the two words, bow and fork, indicate very different paths for a river? It makes me happy to say out loud, and that's all the justification I need!

Of course, I do need to be careful with things that entertain me without my being able to put a finger on why. My somewhat sheltered upbringing lends itself to unintentional innuendo. =)

Across Minnewanka

Across Minnewanka - 6x8 - Oil on Linen Panel

Click Here to BidI hate to admit this, but my file of reference photos seemed to stop speaking to me the past couple weeks. It happens, I guess! But I so badly felt like I *should* paint something from them that I kept trying. Nope! If there's no spark, there's no painting, or at least not one worth keeping!

So I went back to my old trusty block-breaking go-to: Google Maps. I finally came across this stunning scene on Lake Minnewanka (and how can you NOT want to paint a spot with that name?) near Banff, Canada. Now there's somewhere I need to visit someday!

I think after I paint enough pine trees my inner desert rat will come out again!

Thompson River View II - Canadian Landscape Painting by Melanie Thompson

Thompson River View II - Oil on Panel - 6x6 - Landscape

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Here's the Thompson River again, from a slightly different perspective. Again, the clouds just cast these amazing shadows, it was really fun to capture the lighting.

Thompson River View I - Fine Art Oil Landscape by Melanie Thompson

Thompson River View I - 6x6 - Oil on Panel - Landscape

When on my virtual tour through Canada I came across the Thompson River, and knew I had to paint it. Not only was the river named Thompson, but the clouds were casting the most amazing shadows on the distant hills. It was so nice, I painted it twice, the next one will be up tomorrow!

Cowboy Trail III - Canadian Landscape Painting Oil on Panel by Melanie Thompson

Cowboy Trail III - Oil on Panel - 6x6 - Landscape

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The final Cowboy Trail painting! I like this one best, I think because I like the way the contours of the hill feel. I'm scouting around now for new views from Google Street View, if you have any favorites let me know!

Cowboy Trail II - Canadian Landscape Painting Oil on Panel by Melanie Thompson

Cowboy Trail II - Oil on Cradled Panel - 5x5 - Landscape

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Bend in a Canadian road!  Another from my virtual trip over the northern border on the Cowboy Trail. Unlike my other panel paintings this one is 5x5 and is cradled to make it 1.5" deep.

Cowboy Trail I - Canadian Landscape Painting Oil by Melanie Thompson

Cowboy Trail I - 6x6 - Oil on Panel - Landscape

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I don't like being all cooped up all day, and gas prices limit how often we can take long road trips. My new coping method is taking tours through Google Maps! Here in the states most areas are still at low quality, but most of I-5, Canada, and Alaska are shot in HD, VERY impressive scenery. I can't wait until Google re-shoots Yellowstone or Yosemite in such high quality.

This spot is somewhere along the Cowboy Trail in Canada, I have two more in the works as well. Someday I'd like to visit and paint it in person!