COLOURS on the WALL

 Featuring the artwork of Gordon R. Wilson

Hi, and welcome to my website. There are 7 volumes of watercolour, gouache, and acrylic paintings to explore. 

  • Welcome

  • The Video

  • Gallery 1

  • Gallery 2

  • Gallery 3

  • Gallery 4

  • Gallery 5

  • Gallery 6

  • Gallery 7

  • Gallery 8

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    Cosolidating the Ridge-1917.jpg
    Cosolidating the Ridge-1917.jpg
    Cottage number 6, No WIFI.jpg
    Cottage number 6, No WIFI.jpg
    18" x 14", gouache on paper.
    Dedicated to all those whose dream vacation destination did not quite live up to expectations.
    High Water.jpg
    High Water.jpg
    "High Water", 14" x 18", gouache on paper
    This scene is of the Drag River, near Minden, Ontario, after a series of rainstorms.

    Looking North.jpg
    Looking North.jpg
    14" x 18", Gouache on paper
    Looking north from the golf course in Qualicum Beach.

    Along the Severn Waterway.jpg
    Along the Severn Waterway.jpg
    14" x 18", gouache on paper
    SOLD

    Making Music.jpg
    Making Music.jpg
    “Making Music”, gouache on paper, 18” x 14”
    This painting is based on a photo taken during one of my Grandfather Wilson’s “Guy’s Holidays” back in “the day”. At some point during the hot and steamy Ontario summers, my granddad, and his cronies, would head up to a rustic “cabin” in the Georgian Bay area. Once there, the musical instruments were unloaded along with copious amounts of beverage, and some form of food. This was the chance for the lads to leave the wives (who were, no doubt, just as happy to see them off!) and digress into various forms of adolescent antics. One can only imagine the moment of reckoning the following morn waking up on a iron cot, sprawled out on a lice-infested mattress, waiting for someone to make coffee! Breakfast would likely feature a delicious medley of wieners, beans, and sauerkraut, washed down with yet more beverage and music. Ah, the good old days!

    Mont-Saint-Michel.jpg
    Mont-Saint-Michel.jpg
    14" x 18", gouache on paper
    This painting depicts an evening scene inside the walls of Le Mont-Saint-Michel.

    Ruins, Normandy.jpg
    Ruins, Normandy.jpg
    18" x 14", Gouache on paper
    Another in the "Normandy" series, this is what appears to be a centuries-old walled farm, that is slowly crumbling with time.

    Old Structures, Bayeux, Normandy.jpg
    Old Structures, Bayeux, Normandy.jpg
    18" x 13.75", gouache on paper.
    This painting features various old buildings with remnants of painted advertising quickly fading over the years. The river Aure flows through the centre of the town.

    "Repose".jpg
    "Repose".jpg
    14" x 16", Gouache on paper.
    The model in this painting was resting under the sun, on a rock, by a lake, in Algonquin Park.

    Words.jpg
    Words.jpg
    18" x 14.25" Gouache on paper
    I just happened to stumble upon some old photographic slides that my grandfather had taken back in the 60's. Amongst them were all sorts of material; many pics of me (the first grandson. I think I'd been photographed more times than Brad Pitt), and a series of wedding shots of folks I don't know. Using some of the shots for the main characters, I then assembled them into a composition and created a narrative of some sort. The background and secondary characters were done without reference. Alot of fun watching something like this come to life.


    Mountain Meadow.jpg
    Mountain Meadow.jpg
    24" x 18"
    Acrylic on Canvas



    This particular painting is based on a series of quick sketches jotted down while driving along HWY 19 here on Vancouver Island. I was intrigued by the various mountain ranges and how the clouds wove their way through them. The colour scheme plays off of yellows and greens against the mauves and purple blues of the mountains.

    Storm Over Lasqueti Island.jpg
    Storm Over Lasqueti Island.jpg
    24" x 18"
    Acrylic on Canvas

    This painting was a winter view looking across the water from the foot of Memorial Drive in Qualicum Beach towards nearby Lasquetti Island. The sun and low clouds are creating interesting patterns on the island itself with warm and cool colours creating interesting tensions and patterns over the landscape. I have balanced the dark stormy water along the bottom of the canvas with a dark cloudy ceiling at the top describing a slight arc. I feel this lends a dramatic touch to the work without taking the eye away from the centre of interest.

    Gas Attack, St. Julien, April 24, 1915.jpg
    Gas Attack, St. Julien, April 24, 1915.jpg
    Blue Wagon.jpg
    Blue Wagon.jpg
    24" x 18"
    Acrylic on Canvas

    Originally, I had located this old wagon in upstate New York while participating in an art exhibition near Ellicotville. I have painted this wagon several times over the years, first in watercolour, then gouache, and finally acrylic. This was the perfect opportunity to really have fun with colour. Notice that I have used both warm and cool shades of blue next to each other which create excitement to the viewer's eye and complimented these with the near complimentary variations of oranges and mauves. The gouache version can be seen in one of the other galleries on this site.

    Morning.jpg
    Morning.jpg
    20" x 20"
    Acrylic on Canvas

    Here is a good example of what can be done with virtually no reference material and just having fun with colour. Based on a vew along the beach here, I have used warm shades of purple and peach to define the rocky beach and still water, and some darker clouds in the upper right hand corner. The little red-coloured cottage was added to provide a centre of interest and surrounded with variations of greens and soft blues. The buttery colours in the lower cloud patterns compliment nicely with the purplish tones throughout the composition. Notice how the wavy contours of the shoreline lead the viewer's eye into the scene.
    I had alot of fun with this painting as my painting style allows me to use colour to roughly define objects without having to worry about detail.

    Marshland.jpg
    Marshland.jpg
    30" x 24"
    Acrylic on Canvas

    This one took several years off my life! It stared with a series of photos taken along the Englishman Rive near Parksville, BC. Essentually, this final work is a morphing of several sketches and number of bottles of wine!
    In short, the background is brightly lit and features yellows, oranges, and subdued shades of green. The foreground, being darker, (dark colours tend to advance), and feeature purples, greens and variations of colours found elsewhere in the painting. It has been kept rather
    subdued to allow the viewer's eye to follow along the fallen three into the marshy area beyond.
    Lesson learned: Just because something looks wonderful in a photo does not always make for a great painting. I nearly gave up on this one until I solved it in a dream by adding the dark foreground.

    Sanctuary.jpg
    Sanctuary.jpg
    24" x 18"
    Acrylic on Canvas

    Located on the waterfront in Qualicum Beach is this sanctuary for fish and waterfowl (I believe). I stumbled upon it by accident while scouting locations for possible future works. It was located at the end of a gravel road and looked rather unkempt to be honest. On a whim, I gave it a shot and those fencelike structures came off looking better than the reality. I was surprised it turned out as well as it did!
    Lesson learned: An artist can turn something dull into something beautiful by using colours theory and being aware of composition.

    Summer Walk.jpg
    Summer Walk.jpg
    20" x 18"
    Acrylic on Canvas

    I have a dog. A yellow Labrador Retriever named "Bella". Therefore I take lots of walks in places I might not have gone for whatever reason. The location is a land reclaimation site in Qualicum Beach. The morning shadows and angle of light made for an interesting painting using high key colours. The little red sign acts as a centre of interest- originally, it was yellow but red has alot more eye appeal than yellow.

    Near Courtenay.jpg
    Near Courtenay.jpg
    30" x 24"
    Acrylic on Canvas

    While attending to some business in nearby Courtenay, BC, I happened to stroll along the beach at low tide. I was attracted to the shapes created by the green vegitation and the rocks and trapped water pools.
    The distant mountain range and dark coniferous trees give the painting some very nice depth.

    Wheels.jpg
    "Wheels",15" x 12", gouache on paper.
    Baby Blue.jpg
    Baby Blue.jpg
    15.5" x 12", gouache on paper.
    Hello Yellow.jpg
    Hello Yellow.jpg
    16" x 12.5", gouache on paper.
    Deco Red.jpg
    Deco Red.jpg
    16" x 13", gouache on paper
    Winter Morning 1.jpg
    Winter Morning .jpg
    12.5" x 9.25", gouache on paper.
    Out of gallery

     © Gordon R. Wilson, 2020