The Red Tree House

The Red Tree House

Original by:      Claude Chapdelaine
Title:                 The Tree House
Year:                 2014
Medium:           Acrylic
Size:                 12"x12"x1" canvas with black lacquered wood frame
Price:                $0
Status:              Sold to private collector

I like the idea of tree houses.  I'd have to say the first time I really got the notion that it would be lots of fun to live in trees was when I was about 7 years old after watching old Tarzan movies starring Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan.

The notion of wanting to live in the woods eventually disappeared and I envisioned moving out of the small town and living instead in a city, to roam and play in the urban jungle.   And tree houses, like bird houses stayed as part of my wonderment.

I had sketched the house before I sketched the tree.  I wanted it to be the focal point even though I feel the trees branch have a strong hold on the house like a captive.  I used a medium black water based marker to draw the picture on a 10x10 inch canvas.  

As the series of photos below show, I applied acrylic paint to first; the tree, the house, the background sky, and the leaves.  I found the blue/violet background a bit too somber so I applied a light shade of green to invoke the presence of foliage without having to detail more leaves.

"Stop - Don't Come Closer!", unfinished

Stop - Don't Come Closer!

Artist:       Claude Chapdelaine

Title:         Stop - Don't Come Closer!

Year:         Ongoing

Medium:   Acrylic

Size:          30"x24" canvas

Price:        TBD

The unfinished acrylic painting below is 24x30  and currently titled "Stop - Don't Hurt Me!"  It is still in the works even after more than two years of being on my to do list of unfinished canvases.  

What's stopping me from moving forward in completing this piece - I'd have to say, I am afraid of the feelings that well up each time I move to add more colours and lines.  It's a painting that I have sat with many time contemplating on how best to convey the message I would like to impart that would best capture the spirit of this "character".  

These last few months, I have added background details and I hope to finish it by the year end of 2014.  Stay tuned!

Wind Blown Flowers and Stormy Skies

Wind Blown Flowers and Stormy Skies

Artist:       Claude Chapdelaine
Title:        Wind Blown Flowers and Stormy Skies
Year:        2014
Medium:  Acrylic
Size:         40"x36"canvas
Price:       TBD

I started this painting a little more than five years ago, a little bit at a time.   I had to put it aside a few times as I just couldn't seem to move forward.  I had put in a dark blue angry sky as the background and a sorry looking bunch of flowers at the bottom being walloped by heavy winds.  The motivation to finish it was lacking.

My motivation changed after having spent the last two weeks October 2013 in Paris France. I went there on my own with the objective of visiting as many museums and art galleries as possible (specially the Louvre, Quai D'Orsay and the Pompidou).  Once inside, I spent quite a bit of time looking closely at many of the fine works of art (paintings and sculptures) trying to see and understand the techniques the masters used to bring alive their works.  The two week experience gave me quite a confidence boost.

When I got back home, I worked of smaller paintings before I decided to tackle this unfinished piece again.  This time there were no inner battles of the mind or a conflicted muse.  The imagery that needed to be put to canvas came together quite naturally.  I loved the way I felt when I was painting the leaves of grass, or the colourful movement in the sky.  I felt I made a serious breakthrough in expressing my vision through art.   

Male Portraits and Study Sketches

Voltaire, French Philosopher

10x10 Acrylic - 2005

Then followed the same year with the cowboy with the red hat which was inspired from a black and white photograph.

The Red Hat

16x20 Acrylic - 2005

Dit the following young man, trying a different angle.  I have a long way to go to make the face look more human and less caricatured.

Young Man with Blue Tee-Shirt

20x24 Acrylic - 2005

Young Man with Green Shirt

14x18 Acrylic - 2005

This blond haired dude was inspired by a model in a magazine.  I added the eye patch.

Flaunting His Sensuality - Acrylic 2005 

The Time Traveller

L'Etre Ému (The Emotional One) - Ink on bristol board 1985

Quick sketch of male upper body and face.

Le Mourant (The One Who Is Dying) - pencil sketch.
This drawing eventually became a muse for another ink drawing (not yet posted)

Ink drawing of main character for a another piece (not yet posted)

Sketch of Italian Nobleman - inspired by image in a book.

Sketch of Italian Nobleman with Beard - inspired by image in a book.

Sketch portrait of Rembrandt - One of my favourite artist.  Inspired by image in a book.

French Canadian Hunter - Winter Scene

St. Francis of Assisi - Inspire by image in a book

Sketch of my college teacher - Reynald Umbriaco. 

Sketch of Roman Soldier riding his Horse - from a photo of the statue in a book.

Roman Noble Riding his Horse

Original drawing of French Canadian Hunter
- Pencil exercise prior to transferring to sketching with ink on bristol board

My Inner Warrior - Crayon

Naked Male with Sword - Acrylic
 This is a real dud - couldn't bring myself to go beyond this point.

Quick pencil sketch.

Self portrait - Pastel