Blooming Colours

OFF THE TRAIL Irving Nature Park On one of our many day tripping adventures this past summer looking for places to paint, I turned to look behind me. I loved seeing the fog retreating promising a nice afternoon. The colours were soft as the sun had not yet burned through. The rocks we starting to glow through the filtered light. I knew this would be a painting and so took many many reference photos to help record the day. #eastcoast #eastcoastbeaches #irvingnaturepark #taylorisland #bayoffundy #bayoffundynewbrunswick #seascapepainting #atlanticcanada #atlanticcanadaproud #discoveratlantic #beautifulnewbrunswick #painterlyrealism #helenshideler #shidelerstudios (at Irving Nature Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKUl2drnYpw/?igshid=uev2gjzgdadz

WHERE SEA MEETS SKY Every now and then you find a place so very special that you just have to soak in all of its moods. This was a quite moment. Soul soothing. I could have stayed there forever. I love that you really cannot tell where the sea meets the sky. Both seemingly go on forever. Way beyond what the eye can see. The ocean is so fascinating. How in one moment it can be so serene. Gentle. And changeable. Of course, I knew I would be painting this moment. #theeastcoast #eastcoastbeaches #theocean #painterlyrealism #beaches #canadianartist🇨🇦 #seascapepainting #atlanticcanada #atlanticcanadaproud #helenshideler #shidelerstudios #theeastcoast #soulsoothing #heavenonearth #contemporaryrealism https://www.instagram.com/p/CKCVS-8nj4G/?igshid=17ljx2emrc0te

THE GATHERING I have quite a fascination for these little birds. They are always so busy running to and from the tide. They bob along the beach like little comics. I spend much of my summers trying to get the best photos of them possible. We watched them watching the seagulls. The gulls would bring in a crab or small lobster for their lunch. These little guys would rush in for any leftovers. And I was there with my camera. Painting is an awkward size for posting on Instagram - 12” x 36” #semipalmatedsandpiper #sandpiper #beachbirds #theeastcoast #beach #summer #helenshideler #shidelerstudios #shorebirds #atlanticcanada #easycoastbeaches #coastal #oilpainting https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9LyABH97K/?igshid=1hx2va2r3vdsr

Fun “Little” project Fun way to kick off January. These paintings are probably the smallest I have painted that I can remember. Had lots of fun. Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas 4”x5”. I tend to be more detailed when I paint with acrylics. Good choice for me with the Little’s. 😁 #thisandthat #birdpaintings #blackbirdpainting #cardinalpainting #bluejaypainting #chickadeepainting #helenshideler #shidelerstudios https://www.instagram.com/p/CJv2Lx_nkIf/?igshid=1ton1vnhqwl7z

Shorebirds Still working away. Starting to see progress. These little birds make me smile when I am painting them. Beach birds are happy birds! The top painting is close to completion. Any suggestions for titles? #theeastcoast #shorebirds #sanderling #wip #ontheeasel #helenshideler #shidelerstudios https://www.instagram.com/p/CJbv7_UHwGr/?igshid=112aquqhezr8l

RECEDING TIDE The Fundy Trail Parkway in St. Martin’s, NB has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. We ventured out on one of those foggy not foggy mornings. As we approached the coast we often wondered where it went as the fog completely shrouded our view. Then we would catch a glimpse of the shore. We had high hopes for a picturesque day. When we reached Long Beach, the tide was well on its way out, taking much of the fog with it. We walked on that beach for hours. Sometimes you would see ghostly figures appear ahead of you in the fog. I took many photos thinking they would be good reference photos for future Watercolors. My favourite was the plein air artist sitting in a pocket of fog. This painting will happen later. The water was so warm and in those moments when the fog dispersed, the air was also quite warm. This painting brings it all back. The sights and the sound of children playing off in the distance. The sensation of the warmth of the sun. The mysterious ways of the fog. Our Fundy home! #fundytrailparkway #theeastcoast #fundytrail #longbeachnb #bayoffundy #beach #contemporaryrealism #painterlyrealism #helenshideler #shidelerstudios #beautifulnewbrunswick (at Long Beach, Fundy Trail - St. Martins, NB) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJYc3moH8zo/?igshid=40stg43b222c

Secret project Always exciting to be a part of secret projects. I really had to use my thinking cap on how to approach painting this statue. From a distance it looks fairly monotone. I teased out the colour to give it more visual interest and to help define the structure. This painting is really convincing in person. Mission accomplished. Painting is a of a single statue. It is formatted this way to fit in an Instagram post. #commissionedpainting #helenshideler #shidelerstudios #ivstitia #licensedreferencephoto https://www.instagram.com/p/CJRHI8KnC3b/?igshid=undgn1bu4dp

East Coast Beaches The first nine. Frankly, feeling pretty accomplished at this point. I love the Maritimes and feel so blessed to live here. Pretty excited to post as a group. Wishing everyone the best of the season and a happy New Year! #theeastcoast #eastcoastbeaches #atlanticcanada #helenshideler #shidelerstudios #coastal https://www.instagram.com/p/CJMAa3hHKpu/?igshid=1lfgva2n743xp

FOGGY FUNDY MORNING There is something about the tranquility of a foggy day at the beach. It is both mysterious and calming. Romantic. Memorable. The whole time I was there taking photos, I painting the scene over and over in my mind. I finally put the brushes down a few minutes ago. I’ll decide after a few days if I have to go back in to tweak anything. But for today, I’m content with the memories and the feeling I get when I stand back and see this painting. #theeastcoast #bayoffundy #atlanticcanada #soulsoothing #painterlyrealism #canadianartist #discoveratlantic #beautifulnewbrunswick #newbrubswick #helenshideler #shidelerstudios #cobrawatermixableoilcolour #foggymorning https://www.instagram.com/p/CJG_gk5n-iJ/?igshid=15onks2mi9k82

AT LOW TIDE This summer we made it a goal to travel around New Brunswick as much as we could. This province is both beautiful and unique. At low tide you can actually walk on the ocean floor. The #flowerpotrocks leave you in awe and there are so many of them. This was a perfect summer day. Warm. Gentle breezes. Sunny. Just waiting to be painted! The paint is so wet it was hard to get a good photo. The inside lights catch the lighter paint and the wet paint- but you get the idea. #bayoffundy #atlanticcanada #theeastcoast #beach #soulsoothing #painterlyrealism #canadianartist #discoveratlantic #newbrunswick #beautifulnewbrunswick #hopewellrocks #helenshideler #shideler https://www.instagram.com/p/CIwIejVHpmN/?igshid=158z5ef0rvo2x

SHORELINE STROLL The place where time slows down and you take a minute to just breathe. Soul soothing. Calming. The sounds. The scent of salt air. Literally heaven on earth. My happy place.... and I could go on. Pretty shore you get the idea. #theatlantic #beach #atlanticcanada #theeastcoast #heavenonearth #soulsoothing #atlanticcanada #contemporaryrealism #painterlyrealism #helenshideler #shideler #cobrawatermixableoilcolour #canadianartist https://www.instagram.com/p/CIWJ98en7AC/?igshid=1x93aetm0zsjt

Moody Morning There is something soul soothing about being on a beach on a foggy day. The tide was still falling and the waves were gentle. We walked the full length marvelling at how much beach is revealed at low tide. Never ceases to amaze me. The wonder of the Bay of Fundy and those magnificent tides. We stayed as long as we could - the mist was getting quite heavy and we were starting to get soaked. Sigh, such a perfect beach day needs to be painted! #newriverbeach #bayoffundy #beach #foggymorning #newbrunswick #beautifulnewbrunswick #helenshideler #shideler #theeastcoast #oceanpainting #painterlyrealism #atlanticcanada #seascapepainting #beaches (at New River Beach, New Brunswick) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIB1E7qngcV/?igshid=1kbzimt7mj8yx

Bay Shore Sparkles A friend and I spent one afternoon plein air painting on this beautiful beach. Had to hold onto my palette for dear life and pick the sand off my painting. Pretty and really breezy. The day was so warm and bright. Everything was sparkling. We packed up our paints and walked the beach soaking it all in. That is the feeling I hoped to capture with my studio version. There were many tankers on the horizon. I decided artistic license will prevail and I opted not to include them all in this view. #oceanpainting #bayoffundynewbrunswick #bayoffundytides #bayoffundy #theeastcoast #newbrunswickbeaches #contemporaryrealism #beautifulnewbrunswick #painterlyrealism #helenshideler #shideler #canadianartist #newbrunswickartist #beaches #canadianart (at Bayshore Beach, West Saint John) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHgT11Yndjw/?igshid=9bbvxlt2wdbx

Shorebirds Progress update. Seven of eight shorebirds painted in without their legs. Next step is to paint the last bird and apply glazes to the water. Then onto the sand and seaweed. I am liking how they look like you could almost pick them up. #workinprogress #ontheeasel #wip #helenshideler #shideler #shorebirds https://www.instagram.com/p/CHLkI5mnY_p/?igshid=rqe73emk5e9g

INCOMING TIDE I love spending a full day at the beach. We walked the length of shore a number of times. Each time was so different as the tide is ever changing. This was our last walk. It was later in the day and the tide was almost all the way in. We had to move our stuff so many times just to keep it dry. The tides of the #bayoffundy are impressive and fast moving. I love this beach so much! #newriverbeach #newriverbeachprovincialpark #theeastcoast #oceanpainting #seascapepainting #heavenonearth #contemporaryrealism #painterlyrealism #beautifulnewbrunswick #canadianartist #newbrunswickartist #contemporyart #helenshideler #shideler #beaches #newbrunswickbeaches https://www.instagram.com/p/CHDmdT0HZV4/?igshid=1xgq0k5m42k7h

FOGGY MORNING WALK One on the softer side #newriverbeach on a foggy morning. This day was quite interesting. The fog would almost burn off...but when you turned around it was socked in once again. Over and over. So peaceful and quite. A different kind of beautiful beach day. #theeastcoast #newriverbeachprovincialpark #oceanpainting #bayoffundy #canadianartist🇨🇦 #contemporaryrealism #contemporaryart #beaches #seascapepainting #beautifulnewbrunswick #painterlyrealism #newbrunswickartist #helenshideler #shideler #newbrunswick https://www.instagram.com/p/CG0R9e8naYb/?igshid=g4zw3blqe3qa

WHISPERING WAVES I would describe every day at the beach as the perfect beach day - but when the sun promises to stay all day and the income tide gently rolls in - it holds my soul and I never want to leave! This is the second painting in the #eastcoastbeaches I am currently working on. Some will have people and some will have birds and some are simply, the beach. #theeastcoast #oceanpainting #theatlantic #atlanticocean #canadianartist🇨🇦 #contemporaryrealism #beaches #contemporaryart #seascapepainting #painterlyrealism #helenshideler #shideler #newbrunswickartist #eastcoast https://www.instagram.com/p/CGu6XUjnKFz/?igshid=1urmnkqyzcymo