This painting is of the front door of my studio and gallery Spring Lake Studios. I painted most of this outside and finished it up indoors. I have painted this building a few times but this is the first one that I feel accomplished what I was looking to capture.
I love plein air painting but I am also very much a studio painter. It’s an interesting process and journey discovering all the different ways to paint and be inspired. I find that much of my plein air works are the beginnings of paintings that I end up finishing in the studio. Starting a painting on location or working from studies or sketches done from life gives you invaluable information. Photos alone always seem to be lacking some vitality, not to mention accuracy in tone and colour.
My studio and gallery is a special place for me, it was once the studio and gallery of my grandfather William Kratzer who was a landscape painter here for more than 30 years. Although we rarely painted together he showed me it was possible to make a living as a painter and that it was a viable occupation. That is a really big deal when you are in the early stages developing yourself as an artist in a world that doesn’t always consider it a ‘real’ job. I will always thank him for that.
Renovating this studio space over the last few years has been a labour of love and I am working to have it ready to open for spring 2012. Stay tuned for announcements of upcoming workshops at the studio and at some great locations in the neighbourhood for some painting en plein air.
My Grandfather, George Cook had acquired a Kratzer painting as a trade for lumber. He built and owned a home , service station, coach house all on the land between hwy 35 and spring lake road. The painting was of three birch trees, it was quite a large print. But it’s been lost for a long time and I was hoping to acquire something similar as it was the only thing that was left to me.
I have an original painting of Kratzer of the Loon painting within a painting. Bought it 25 yrs ago. Love it.