The lone Halfway Tree standing on the road side beckoning travelers on one of the coldest days yesterday at noon hour 6"x 8" oil on canvas panel

It just happens that we were on our way to Winnipeg Airport yesterday morning to pick up our daughter who is coming home for New Year from Edmonton, and when we spotted the tree in the distance , we pulled over and stopped for five minutes enough time for me to do a small oil sketch to pay tribute to this beloved tree. I always have a small paint box handy. As I was painting , the nerve wrecking sound of the traffic passing by swiftly and rapidly all reminds me that the year is coming to an end , and a new year is coming in just a matter of hours.
Happy New Year to You all !

My daily oil sketches for today

 Three quick oil sketches around our home on Balmoral Bay

In the path of Receding Sunlight --- a window view at 3 p.m today

In the path of receding sunlight at 3 p.m today.

Brandon Ukrainian Catholic Church and Ukrainian Orthodox Church

I drove all the way north of the railways tracks to paint and I painted these two quick oil sketches staying inside of my vehicle and listening to CBC Radio 2 classical music program Tempo. While painting these two churches, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 1 , the Winter Dream came to the air. How wonderful and how fitting it was to listen to it while painting these two churches in the frigid winter weather.

Brandon St. Mathew Anglican Cathedral

It was so cold outside today but the light and colour were so enticing! that I bundled up, drove out and found myself at the intersection of 13th Street and Louise Avenue looking at St. Mathew Anglican Cathedral at 2 p.m today. I just love the light and colour at this time of the year, and nothing , absolutely nothing could stop me from painting outdoor! An hour of quick oil sketch of Brandon St Mathew Anglican Church for today.

On an early winter morning --- a window view

Another frigid winter morning but the light and colour were so beautiful at this time of the year that I just could not resist the temptation! A hour of quick oil sketch early in the morning before going back to sleep again.

The old Baptist Church on Lorne Avenue Brandon

A quick oil sketch of the old Baptist Church on Lorne Avenue at 1 p.m today December 26, 2017. Another extremely cold day ,and instead of painting in the open air, I stayed inside my vehicle and with a small pochade box set on my lap I was able to paint without having direct exposure to the elements.

A window view on frigid Chirstmas Morning

Christmas Day today at 11 a.m looking out of our window at this frigid but sunny window view. Simply too cold to step outside to paint today. Instead, I set up my easel by our living room window painting and listening to seasonal music on CBC Radio 2 this morning. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

The Night before Christmas a window view at 10 p.m

The light of the season a view from our window on Christmas Eve 2017

Brandon Central United Church

A quick oil sketch of the church as viewed from 8th Street and Lorne Avenue at 1 p.m. today December 24, 2017.

The light of the season a window view at night

Brandon University as viewed from Lorne Avenue and 18th Street

Brandon University as viewed from Lorne Avenue and 18th Street at 2 :30 p.m. December 22, 2017
A quick oil sketch for today.

A Brandon Skyline on a winter afternoon

Drove around Downtown Brandon at about 3 this afternoon to try to find something interesting to paint. Finally found myself get onto a parking lot off the Pacific Avenue close to the intercession of 11th Street and Pacific Avenue, I was quite captivated by what appeared in front of me; a rather familiar Brandon skyline but appeared so much more interesting when viewed from this unusual point of view.

Three quick oil sketches from Balmoral Bay

Three quick oil sketches from Balmoral Bay in the south of Brandon.
Nothing could be more exciting to see the snow covered landscape in intense winter sunlight. Did these three oil sketches outdoor one after another all together in about three hours.

The Singing Christmas Tree at Brandon Calvary Temple

Singing Christmas Tree--- the Christmas Calling presented by Brandon Calvary Temple with participation from different local churches. A quick oil sketch this morning at 10 December 10, 2017

Dalnavert Museum Winnipeg Manitoba

Came to visit this historic site on Carlton Street in Winnipeg this morning for the very first time. Setting up my easel in the chill of the morning I started to paint at 11 a.m. this beautiful Queen Ann style home built for Sir Hugh John Macdonald , premier of Manitoba in 1899-1900. It was partially cloudy when I started , however, the sun broke out of the clouds to my absolute delight, half way through the painting. Met some staff remembers who work for the museum and, the photo credit goes to one lovely staff remember who came to work this morning and saw me just setting up with the painting.

Full Moon Winter Sky a view from our bedroom window at night

Looking south from the corner of Aberdeen Avenue and First Street on Sunday afternoon

Brandon University Campus viewed from across the 18th Street on a warm winter morning

The old court house from Brandon Rideau Park

Water Tower from Brandon Rideau Park

Casa Mayley on Victoria Avenue and 16th Street of Brandon

The Murry House on Victoria Avenue

A heritage building on 11th Street and Louise Avenue of Brandon

In the Path of Morning Sunlight on Balmoral Bay

In the Street Light on a winter night

In the Receding Sunlight

On the bank of Assiniboine River at Dinsdale Park of Brandon

From Dinsdale Park Brandon early in the afternoon

A Brandon Skyline viewed from Dinsdale Park

The Provincial Exhibit building in morning sunlight on Keystone grounds Brandon

From the Frozen Assiniboine River in Brandon

Looking over the frozen Assiniboine River at the distant Brandon skyline.

It is so peaceful to stand by the frozen Assibinoine River behind the Riverbank Discover Centre of Brandon to do this small oil sketch after a busy shopping at the shopping centre today at 1 p.m. It was cold and windy with mostly cloudy sky. However, the absolute silence was so comforting and refreshing to me.

A glimpse of Evening Sky looking out of our window at 5 p.m

In the path of late afternoon sunshine

A quick oil sketch from our front yard on Balmoral Bay at 3 this afternoon.

In the path of early morning sunlight a glimpse out of the window at 8:30 this morning

Our Snow-covered Back Alley at noon hour

In Memory of the Connors

I can not remember how many paintings I have painted over the years of the backyard view looking out of our window, The Connors whose backyard has been the source of inspiration to so many of my paintings have both passed away but their memory came alive each time I pick up my brush and paint this view. Their kindness and generosity as a neighbor and their unconditional love to their children are what will keep their memory alive forever. This is my painted memory to them on this beautiful winter morning of November 18, 2017

In the Path Of Early Morning Sunlight

In the Path of Receding Sunlight

The challenge of painting outdoor in winter afternoon is the swift change of light which demands a very quick and resolute response on the painter. Yesterday it was relatively warm when I stepped outside on my front yard to paint this rather big painting of 18 inches by 24 inches. However, it was close to 3 p.m already when I started and I could see how quickly the sun light had already started to recede with the cool shadow from our house encroaching . Although I have painted hundreds of paintings from our front yard over the years, I am still captivated by the interplay of light, colour and shadows especially at this time of the day and at this time of the year. I finished this painting in less than an hour before the light was far gone.

Walking to school in early winter morning light

Landmarks of Columbus Indiana of the United States a collection of my plein air paintings from my two week trip to the most remarkable city

This collection of my plein air oil paintings was created from my two week trip to the most extraordinary city of Columbus Indianan USA where my brother Clyde Xi and sister Lynn Zhao and their families have called home for many years. Columbus is extraordinary with a very contemporary modern appearance but deeply rooted in tradition. My two week stay there gives me the opportunity to paint en plein air the city's extraordinary landmarks created by some of the world most famous architects such as I.M. Pei also well known for his Louvre Pyramid in Paris, and Eliel Saarinen also well known for his National Museum of Finland. Columbus is also extraordinary for it is the birthplace of Cummins, an American Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines , which also employs four members from my family. It is so exciting for me to paint up so close the creations by these extraordinary artists. I have left all these paintings to my brother who will find a proper occasion to auction them off to raise money for local community.