Over the New Year weekend, I was lucky enough to be invited up the West Coast to a town called Velddrif.
Velddrif is 60 kms before Piketberg, the town that Marie Theron paints and writes about - she is incredibly knowledgeable about this part of our country.
The West Coast (or Weskus in Afrikaans) is a rather harsh, windswept coastline, but has many beautiful parts to it. Velddrif is situated on the coast at the mouth of the Berg River and although not the prettiest of towns, has many charming plein air places. I stayed at a friend's holiday home on a small holding overlooking a tidal estuary of the Berg River and thank goodness for the wind. It is so incredibly hot there that by the time 3o'clock comes round, you are totally knackered! Anything for a swim! Luckily there is all that lovely cool water around.
I only managed to do one painting early on New Year's day before the heat set in - this is from top of the bank overlooking the Berg River as it makes it's way towards the sea.
We are planning for our Friday painting group to go through maybe over Easter, so will bring you more of this part of the world then. In the meantime, check out Marie's blog for more about the West Coast.
25 comments:
GORGEOUSLY done Liz! Absolutely beautiful! Looking forward to more and I'm sure Marie will enjoy this as well!
Lovely, Liz. You and Marie are lucky to live in such a beautiful area of the world.
Oh Liz, this is so breathtaking! What a beautiful view, I know you are looking forward to seeing it again.
Something of your description comes through in this lovely painting, Liz. It really is gorgeous!
Lovely painting of a lovely place!would wait to see some more.I wish a very happy new year to you, Liz.
I love seeing paintings of areas in South Africa - it brings back fond memories. Nice painting Liz.
Jean
Beautiful!
Hi Liz. I really like this painting. Sorry about the heat - it's 18F (-7C0 here in NW Arkansas.
Stay cool!
Ken B.
Wow, this is gorgeous Liz! Such luscious colors and a great composition. Stay cool... (sounds funny for me to say that, when it's -16 Celsius here at the moment).
Hi Maree, thank you. Marie is the absolute expert on this part of the country.
Thank you Carol. We do have very different scenery very close to home - the West Coast is quite wild but when it rains, the colours of the veld are quite magnificent.
I think it will be great fun Rhonda, to go with a couple of people from our group for a weekend of painting and Easter, although hot, is not quite as hot as now. Thank you for the visit.
Thank you Sherry. With your way with words, that is such a lovely compliment. Thank you.
Ah Arti thank you and yes, hopefully we do go up there again. And all the best for this year to you as well.
Thank you Jean. I remember you have links to this country - keep watching, I'm off to paint Devil's Peak (I hope) this morning!
Thank you so much Suzanne. I really love your visits.
Hello Ken. Thank you and sorry about the cold! Minus 7 is not a temperature I'm familiar with! Coldest it gets here (July/August) is +6 and we're frozen. The heat is kind of nice but also energy sapping - but can't complain, at least I can wear shorts and go to the beach!
Oh my Mineke, that IS cold. Stay warm inside and thanks for the lovely compliment. By the way, thank you for that great site, Paintmap and I've put Rene PleinAir onto my blog list - great work.
WOW.. Liz... you really achieved a great sense of distance going back in this one.
Hope the hot days don't keep you in too much!
Fantastic use of colors and a real lovely place. Wish you a very happy new year!
Color Pencil Drawing: Radhe Krishna
Hi Liz, again one of my art-blog friends have given me a nice warm glow!Thank you! How kind of you to mention and highlight(!!!!) my name - how does one do it?I feel as if I am in a conversation here! I have guests until mid-Jan and will then do more Piketberg and Aurora and of course cannot wait to tackle Velddrift! Now you have made me more keen with this lovely rendering of the Berg River.
Great piece, Liz. It is jsut above zero F at the moment and snow falling. That thought should cool you off.
Happy New Year.
Hi Marian, can't believe you're writing from a ship in the middle of the ocean! Thank you so much.
Nice to have you back again Megha and thank you for your kind words.
Dear Marie, you deserve every accolade you get and this was such a tiny little one! Your work and the information on the Weskus is amazing - I never tire of reading about those little places, some of which I've visisted and some I've yet to visit. Maybe one day I'll get up to Piketberg for a painting visit!
It's amazing to think Gary of all you guys in the Northern Hemisphere freezing your tootsies off while we are having to retreat inside because of the heat! Keep warm and thanks for the visit.
awesome view liz
love the old dutch names...
those hills fading in the distance are so well done
keep it up liz!
Gorgeous colors in this piece Liz.
Liz, love this painting. It took me away from the cold and grey that is here today.
A lot of depth in the scene
Hi Rob, you have been my inspiration for outdoor stuff, so baie dankie!
Thank you so much Barbara. The heat was shimmering on the water, even so early in the morning.
Hello Peggy, thanks for the visit and I'm glad I brought a little sunshine to your day.
i love your style, but, so far this is my favorite. it was marie theron i was talking of. how wonderful you get to paint together.
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