Art with Liz

Dry Dock

2012-02-09T22:20:00.000+02:00

Gosh it's almost mid-Feb - time has just slipped by.

In January I seemed to be on the go the whole time, with 3 exhibitions to paint for. And then on top of everything it's been so darned hot! It must be the hottest January we've had in years with temperatures in the mid-30's (C that is). The other day, I'm sure it topped 40! But it's cooling down a little now, so the energy levels start to rise again.

I did rather well at the last exhibition which was the South African Society of Artists Merit Exhibition which I qualified for last year. Sold a total of 5 paintings which was rather nice. Considering on the previous 2, I only sold one.

This is one that sold. It was done from a photo taken whilst plein air painting (or trying to) at the Waterfront in Cape Town centre. It's called Dry Dock.

I had a quick trip around all my blogging friends, but haven't left any messages. Will try and revisit in the next day or two. Thanks for putting up with my tardiness!

A Christmas Gift

2012-01-01T15:00:00.000+02:00

Some time ago, I did a painting of two delightful dogs, Saffie and Lulu (will be posting them soon). The owner's sister saw the picture and between the two of them, came up with the idea to have their mother's precious dog painted for her for Christmas.

Now, because it was a Christmas present, I never got to meet the dog or take my own photographs. It can be a bit unnerving painting from photographs of someone you've never met, but in the end we agreed on the best way to crop the picture and this is the result.

Her name is Emmy and she is much loved by her owners. And you can understand why, looking at that cute face!

Today is January 1.

Today is the start of a new year that I hope will bring all the richest blessings, peace, harmony and happiness into all your lives.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T09:47:00.002+02:00

For me, Christmas came a few days early.

Sharon Wright, an amazing portrait artist living somewhere in England! sent me a portrait she did some time ago, and which I was lucky enough to 'win' in a lucky draw she had, oh, nearly two years ago!

It's taken that long to get to me, living at the bottom end of Africa. No, the postal service was not to blame. The cost of posting was! We tried to think of various (less expensive) ways of getting this lovely lady to her new sunny home, but in the end, Sharon just decided to send it anyway.

And here she is, ready to be taken to the framers as soon as they get back from lounging around on the beach!

Thank you Sharon.

To everyone out there in blogland, have a wonderful, fabulous day, and may your good fortunes increase in the new year.

So Gentle

2011-12-04T12:26:00.001+02:00

Time on my hands! Well, time taken out from the art room. So the need to update my really neglected blog seemed a good idea. I do try - I think 'now's the day I'm going to blog' - but it doesn't happen. And it's so nice and sunny and hot, I should really be in the garden! Ok, will get there after posting this painting I did some time ago.

It's from a photo taken from and given to me with kind permission by Marty. I cannot sing her praises as both a photographer and an artist enough. And she is so generous letting me use some of her exquisite images.

December 16 is usually the official start of our holiday period which lasts up until the 2nd week of January. Lovely hot summery days with time off from my classes, hopefully giving me lots more time to paint. And to watch cricket. Last month we hosted Australia and this month it will be Sri Lanka. Some great cricket action to come.

Last of the Summer Wine

2011-10-10T07:25:00.000+02:00

It really was hectic. Going from one exhibition to another,plus workshops, meetings and classes, I didn't seem to touch sides.

I was hoping that after this exhibition it would be the last for the year and things would quieten down and I would be able to spend more time reading all my bloggingfriends blogs. I really miss them and the news out there. But no, another exhibition has popped up, but thankfully this time all I will be doing is exhibiting, not organising.

But my news. We ended one exhibition and then got ready forour selection weekend - a whole weekend set aside for people to bring in theirpaintings and for the judges to score points. Nearly 600 paintings wereentered and this year I got all three of mine selected. After last yearachieving nothing, it was great to even get a "commended" for one ofthem. And I scored enough points to be able to exhibit at our firstexhibition in February next year! I must be improving!

The paintings that got the nod were firstly this one which I only finished recently,

and then these two, the two old ladies being "Commended"

Hopefully I will now have more time to visit everyone.

Max and Dad

2011-08-09T10:06:00.001+02:00

One of the drawbacks in not blogging as often as I would like to, is that I don't get round to all the blogs I want to! Falling behind means that I spend about a day catching up on my blogland friends and missing out on others. So for that, I apologise.

And unfortunately the situation is going to continue for the next month at least. We have two exhibitions coming up, one which is juried, which I am involved with, plus all the paperwork that has to go out before the events. So, as a result, my painting has been limited to twice a week which are non-negotiable times, and very little is coming out of the art room.

This one I did some time ago for a friend. It's her gorgeous son, Max (who was so proud when he saw himself!) and hubby.

Mapping

2011-07-10T12:50:00.003+02:00

Back to the watercolours.

One of the most amazing things I learnt was mapping. In five years of painting lessons, workshops, art magazines and DVDs, no-one ever mentioned mapping. It was a revelation and I discovered, when applied without that interfering left brain activity, it jolly well works!

I am now so much more aware of tonal values, something I always struggled with. These are a few of the watercolours and sketches I did whilst discovering mapping with Penny.

It seems that I'm not the only one who didn't know about mapping. Most of you do it instinctively anyway, but being tonally challenged, it was a revelation for me. The heads of the boys probably illustrates mapping the best. Forget the left brain stuff, simply draw a line between your dark and light areas (best done upside down) and shade in the dark side. There are obviously differences in the dark areas, but ignore them in the initial stages. These will work out when putting in colour. It's that simple and it works. If you ignore what you are drawing/painting and follow the mapping guidelines, you will get an amazing likeness, especially with portraits.

Watercolour Lessons

2011-06-24T16:54:00.002+02:00

Only just over a week and, although it's freezing in the computer room, here I am!

I have mentioned before that I've been going once a week for watercolour classes. Now, although watercolour is not my main medium - I am an oil lover and a wannabe pastel artist - I do love the freshness of the medium and I believe that learning about anything is good for one. So, it's many thanks to Penny Steynor for being so patient with me and leading me through some processes to try and improve my watercolour techniques.

These are just a few I've done and am willing to put up for other eyes to see.

Rhodes Memorial which is on the slopes of Table Mountain just next to the University of Cape Town. They are in the process of cutting down the pines and replacing them with indigenous flora so soon there will be none of these "old stone pines" left. This was done plein air - outside on my very first lesson in March.

Done from one of Penny's photographs, she spends a lot of time on the beach taking snapshots of boats and birds and other sea sort of things.

Another of Penny's photos, this time of a trumpeter playing with his troupe during the 2nd of January Cape Town Minstrels (or "Coon Carnival") celebrations, which are a feature of the Cape Town summer.

Missing

2011-06-09T09:29:00.000+02:00

Four weeks this time! But what a busy time I've been having. No, I'm not sunning myself in the Caribbean, I'm sitting in front of this wretched computer working on the Art Society Stuff! And thank you Marian for the great words.

For some reason I have taken on the secretarial work for the society and besides learning the ropes, have had to transfer a load of information (including 450 email addresses) onto my systems. Just when I thought everything was running smoothly, along comes an exhibition which required a tonne of paperwork! But now I know what's what, should be easier next month.

Despite the work, I managed to finish (and sell) a painting for this last exhibition. In winter, sales are notoriously slow, so I am very happy that someone liked mine.

All in a Day's Work

Perlemoen

2011-05-09T21:48:00.001+02:00

Half a painting this week, and half of a different painting last week, but did finish one this month! I need to make some time for myself as this is getting ridiculous. I am promising myself that tomorrow I will spend the morning at least, in my art room - I will not even turn on my computer. (Let's see how long that lasts!) At least I am going to watercolour classes every Monday (when Monday isn't a holiday) and hopefully am making some progress on the watercolour front.

So, no, this is not the half painting done this week, but a watercolour and pastel of abalone shells that were lying around when I was lost for something to paint. It has a strange name, but that is what we call them in this part of the world - perlemoen - roughly translated meaning lemon pearls.

Greyton Pastures

2011-04-19T13:10:00.004+02:00

I'm still figuring out my work load at the moment and as a result haven't been painting like I should! (or want to)!

We are having the most beautiful Indian Summer with temperatures during the day in the mid to late 20s (centigrade, that is) - the one downside is that we are lacking in rain! But it still makes for lovely plein air weather and I have been trying my hand at that. Nothing good to post yet, because trying is still the operative word here.

The weekend after Easter I'm off on a pottery/ceramics course in the middle of nowhere - a village called McGregor which is utterly beautiful and unspoilt and an artists' haven. Am taking my paints with me, so besides the new venture of pottery, I am going to try and put some paint on canvas.

One of my country forays was into Greyton two years back and I finally got round to painting these cows. I am happy with this - it is looong, 48x18, but what a great size to work on.

Busy Bee

2011-04-04T05:55:00.004+02:00

I seem to spend my time apologising for not blogging! I haven't been visiting or blogging these past 3 weeks - how time flies - as I'm still coming to grips with this new 'job' I've taken on. But it's slowly coming together and I'm getting my head around what is needed.

But I'm making no promises. I will TRY to visit more often, post more often, and in order to do so, paint more often! That's kind of taken a back seat as well - just my two mandatory days a week.

This little painting I did a few weeks ago and it's done from a photograph, with permission, taken by incredible photographer Marty. Pay her blog a visit -she does the most amazing close-up work, and when I saw this bee, I had to ask her if I could paint it. Merci Marty.

Well done India on winning the World Cup!

Stumps, Day One

2011-03-13T19:00:00.003+02:00

Cricket season has hit, so I'm using that as part excuse for not blogging. The other reason is that I've taken on the secretarial duties at the Art Society and, wow, what a learning curve. But I'm getting there and hopefully will be jacked enough to find time to paint and blog again. And to leave comments on your blogs!

I did make a promise to myself though, that whatever happened, I would paint with my groups every Monday and Friday mornings. Well, I'm still doing that on Friday, but on Monday I have started with a fantastic watercolour teacher, so I'm looking at big improvements in my frustrating watercolour paintings!

But just to show I haven't been totally idle with a paint brush, I took this pic when India was here in South Africa playing the test at Newlands, of two of the South African batsmen leaving the ground at the end of a day's play.

And I thought it doubly fitting to post this as the ICC Cricket World Cup is currently on in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Just Having Fun!

2011-02-22T15:28:00.011+02:00

My favourite photographer, Shelley Smart, gave me permission to paint this from her amazing photograph!

This little boy, skipping on the beach, oblivious to everyone around him, just enjoying life was just so appealing, I had to ask Shelley if I could paint him. I have muted the background sea and mountains significantly from the original pic - I just wanted the focus on him.

After taking this photo, I realised that his face was a bit too dark, and will be lightening it somewhat. But here's the 'before' shot!

This is the place where you'll find the original photo. Thank you Shelley!

Nice Kitty

2011-02-12T18:06:00.000+02:00

Ok, I haven't been around for a while - 3 weeks in fact, but my gosh it's been HOT here! Plus I've been working at the exhibition at Kirstenbosch, sweltering under the thatch roof and spotlights and by the time I get home, it's total melt down time.

This all sounds so strange when I look at pics from the Northern Hemisphere where there just seems to be snow, snow and more snow. Oh for a little bit of that cool!

Early morning is the best - from 5am to 8am and I did a little bit of painting during those hours, in between walking the dogs, feeding the birds, watering the garden..... So my humble apologies for not having visited - I am trying to make up for it now!

This is a smaller one (10x10) I finished before the exhibition and was sold, which is always nice! A picture my sister took of a friends little black cat.

Silhouette - Sold

2011-01-25T13:39:00.008+02:00

There is just something about Shelley Smart's photos that draw me, and she so kindly gives me permission, when I ask, to paint those ones that call to me.

This is one of them. An amazing photo, taken at sunset of this lone bird gave me the opportunity to put it on canvas.

Thank you Shelley and I would encourage everyone to visit her blog, A Year at the Beach - her beach, seabirds and waves bring a lovely feeling of tranquility. But please respect her copyright!

David

2011-01-09T23:11:00.002+02:00

This is our friend, David.

I've known him and his partner, Gail, for some time now and see them annually on Christmas Day. Now Christmas lunch is a festive meal and with good food, red wine and hot summer weather, lots of photos are taken of all the happenings.

I was snapping away and got this rather great pic of David listening to someone, and with his kind permission I decided to paint it and put it up on exhibition at the end of this month.

It was fantastic to paint. I hope I caught is intelligence, gentleness and generosity of spirit.

And now my prized piece. I posted that sketch of Indian cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar a couple of posts ago. For my non-cricketing-country readers, Sachin is known as the 'Little Master', round the world. He is a phenomenal sportsman having started his international cricketing career at the age of 15, getting his first Test 100 against England at age 16.

India are in South Africa at the moment, having just completed the third and final test in my home town. And I was lucky enough to get this great man to autograph my humble sketch. And it is a real autograph, not a hurried scribble in passing!

I'm sure it's going to be worth millions!!

The Face of Vietnam

2011-01-05T11:36:00.000+02:00

A photographer friend of a friend took this photo of a little girl who lives in the northern hills of Vietnam and asked if she would paint it.

I was given the great task of putting a beautiful, sad face on canvas.

A Great Festive Season to Everyone!

2010-12-27T12:49:00.001+02:00

I hope everyone out there had the most wonderful Christmas ever! Whatever you did, I hope you did it well.

Here in Sunny SA we lunched next to the water wearing our cut-off jeans and t-shirts and didn't envy anyone in the Northern Hemisphere AT ALL! What dreadful weather you guys up there are having - all those airplanes being grounded and just before Christmas as well! All we see are pictures of snow and more snow! So here's a picture of the Father Christmas who visited us - (it's actually our friend Dawne, but who cares, we had a good laugh!)

And despite the fact that I haven't been blogging or computing very much, I have done a couple of paintings. I get up really early (5am), take the dogs for their walk, feed the birds (and the dogs) and then get into the studio for a couple of hours before it gets too hot. This I did over a few days that way. It's of a gorgeous young lady who lives in Sweden. Her name is Sophie and if she sees it, I hope she likes it.

By then it's too hot and after pottering in the garden, it's time to watch cricket! Yes, Summertime is Cricket Time! Love it. And for all my Indian friends out there, my small tribute to one of the greatest cricketers in the World!

Sachin Tendulkar

Pensioners Tea, Kistenbosch

2010-12-13T22:14:00.001+02:00

My blogging has seriously been off lately. Have just noticed it's two weeks since I posted. In fact, I've been avoiding the computer just lately - spending more time in the garden which needs tending to more often now with all this new growth! Plus it's kind of nice outside in the Summer Sunshine.

I spotted these two lovely older ladies at Kirstenbosch one Tuesday (pensioners get free entrance on Tuesdays) having a cup of tea from their picnic basket. Note the elegance of the china cup!

I so enjoyed painting this one, and for once put in a background of trees! Hope you enjoy it too.

Holding On!

2010-11-28T13:42:00.000+02:00

This is another painting taken from one of Shelley Smart's blog, A Year at the Beach. Thank you Shelley!

As usual I've not been blogging or visiting this past week, for which I (yet again) apologise. And with Summer and looming holidays and sports fixtures, I keep falling behind.

But to celebrate Summer (although it's very peculiar weather we're having at the moment!), I thought I would post this one. I loved it when I started it, but was not all that happy with the end result. Oh well, another learning curve!

And on a final note, and I KNOW it's late, but I hope all my American and Canadian blogging friends had a great Thanksgiving. Because it's not an event we celebrate, I tend to forget. Sorry.

Watercolour Dabbling

2010-11-17T20:26:00.003+02:00

Would you believe that not painting that much also means not blogging that much? No? Oh well, have to rethink that one!

I've been a bit hassled since I've been back - all sorts of things like my garden which is now going crazy with the start of Summer, Art Society meetings and extra teaching slots at the fabric painting place I help teach at. Plus there's been cricket and rugby and tonight, our national soccer team, Bafana Bafana take on the mighty USA in a friendly down here at our all new Cape Town Stadium, specially built for the World Cup! So have to watch that as well.

What has saved me somewhat, are my two art groups that I go to every week. Even though what I've done does not please me, it's at least a start and I think I'll be getting back regularly pretty soon.

To all my blogging friends, I have visited you and forgive me if I haven't left a message. I will be mending my ways!

These are two watercolours I did before I went away. The first was done at a workshop and although a bit static, turned out ok. The second I loved doing as I got both my fellow art group artists perfectly. Totally recognisable, lost in their own painting worlds.

Back in from the Cold

2010-11-08T19:13:00.000+02:00

Cold it was, but I had the most marvellous time meeting my two new grandchildren and catching up with the oldest one. And it was just wonderful seeing the whole family again.

But confession time. I haven't done any painting! Started one or two before I went to Sweden, and have done next to nothing since I got back last Monday night. I think I'm having an 'art-down-time' !

But what I did do was go to the National Gallery in Stockholm and these are a few of the gems that I was lucky enough to see.

Claude Monet - From the Mouth of the Schelde

Paul Cezanne - Landscape

Camille Pissarro - Landscape from Pontoise 1874

Eduoard Manet - Young Boy Peeling Banana

and a little gem almost hidden away -

Vincent van Gogh - Acacia in Flowers

Kalk Bay Fisher Folk

2010-10-19T17:04:00.001+02:00

Life has suddenly turned a bit topsy turvy!

I spent last week at the exhibition doing duty and in between have been running to and from the city to get my visa for Sweden. I am off on Thursday to visit the family for 10 days, the main reason for going is for my grandson's Christening. I will also see my year and a half granddaughter for the first time (outside of Skype, that is).

So, if I haven't visited you, I beg forgiveness!

This painting was done a few weeks ago and is of two youngsters who frequent the fishing village of Kalk Bay, helping their dad market the day's catch. For a lot of these people it is their sole source of income and the whole family come out to help.

I am donating this one to a fund raiser Art and Wine auction. It is run by Rock Community Care which is continually looking to raise money to help the local crisis centres. Hope it gets a few bucks for them!

Black Shouldered Kite - Pastel

2010-10-07T14:14:00.002+02:00

I was going to post a different painting today, but was woken up in the early hours of the morning with the wind howling from the north-west, a wind that usually brings rain - so far, nothing.

But with this wind (which is par for the course living in Cape Town) comes the worry of a little sparrow's nest which I can see being whipped around in the branches of the tree. It has already blow down once, and those industrious little feathered friends re-built it. Being Spring, I also think there are chicks in there as both the Mom and Dad are constantly popping in and out.

Now I know this is not a painting of a sparrow, but a pastel of a Black Shouldered Kite which is another of John Kennekam's marvellous photos. Just watching and keeping an eye on that nest, made me think of this one.

and this little nest is the one battling for survival in the high winds.

Brothers

2010-09-26T23:32:00.000+02:00

Missing again for a week and this time I wasn't even painting!

I have been trying to catch up with mundane things though, like all this blasted administrative work I seem to be surrounded with lately. But I've promised myself, it's painting tomorrow, come rain or shine!

This painting was done a few weeks back and submitted for our Annual selection day. Unfortunately the judges didn't like it, so it didn't make it. But I was quite pleased with it, and after the initial disappointment, am still happy with it. Hope you like it too.

Buddy

2010-09-18T08:39:00.002+02:00

No time! No time! Isn't that what the White Rabbit said in Alice in Wonderland? Or maybe it was We're late, we're late! Well I've felt like that this past week and a half. Down a hole!

We had our annual selection day and I seem to get involved with loads of administrative functions which eat away at Time. So I haven't been visiting anyone in blogland and haven't done any blogging myself. What little time I had, I did some painting! Isn't that what we're supposed to do?

One of the smaller paintings I did was of Buddy, a cute looking, short legged Cocker Spaniel looking for a home at DARG. Carrie Jacobsen who runs the blog of Art for Shelter Animals, wrote a lovely piece on DARG and put Buddy's picture up as well. Have a look at the site.

But here's Buddy, a little fellow unable to be kept by his owners.

SMS

2010-09-05T20:19:00.002+02:00

Signs of modern times.

This young fellow was enjoying the sunshine outside The Gardener's Cottage, a popular place to have breakfast in Newlands here in Cape Town, and I couldn't resist sneaking this pic of him while he wasn't looking at us.

Only when I uploaded it, did I realise what he was doing - sending messages on his cellphone! I hope he got a great response.

A Dog Challenge

2010-08-31T10:06:00.001+02:00

How can I resist challenges like last month's one on James Parker's Windows to the Words blog? Especially when it involves DOGS!

This is a beautiful dog owned by Laura Rowe. Unfortunately I don't have her details or a blog address for her, or the name of this beautiful dog, but she did one of my Katie in return.

Here they both are -

Laura Rowe's Dog

Katie

Donkey Sanctuary

2010-08-24T09:22:00.004+02:00

Outside Cape Town, on the road to the Eastern Cape, there is a sanctuary specially for abused and neglected donkeys.

These humble animals have been used and abused for centuries, worked to death and because they are so unglamorous, not much attention is paid to their plight. Thank goodness for places like this one.

A friend took this picture whilst travelling through the area, a wonderful composition which I have tried to do justice to. Landscapes again! Oh dear!

A close-up of the three.

Lunch at Camps Bay

2010-08-15T12:39:00.006+02:00

In every corner of every city all around the world, there is a group of people we label - hobos, tramps, homeless - here in Cape Town, anyone who lives off the pickings of the street is called a 'Bergie'. This is a derivative of an Afrikaans word, Berg, which means mountain.

Now the mountain that is referred to is Table Mountain, that flat topped edifice associated around the world with our city. The original homeless inhabitants used to live on the slopes of the mountain, finding caves and rock shelters, hence the name.

Of course, they no longer live on the mountain, instead taking shelter in doorways. There are a number of houses that have been turned into hostels for overnight stays, but not that many take advantage of them except when it gets really cold or when the rain comes pouring down. They are fiercely independent and very rarely beg.

This gentleman is a resident of the Camps Bay area, a quiet, well mannered person who, for reasons unknown to us, lives on the streets. He had no trouble with having his picture taken, asking for nothing in return. Someone had given him a piece of fried fish for his lunch.

I have included a google map of Camps Bay if you feel like gazing out at the Atlantic Ocean!

Waiting for the Tide

2010-08-08T14:54:00.003+02:00

One of the last things I'd do right now, is go down to the beach.

It's been raining and the temperature is still pretty chilly - but there is a slight increase so that possibly means Summer is trying to find us here in the Southern Hemisphere.

Up til now we've had the most amazing Winter. All in all only about one month of seriously cold weather - a 6deg Celsius minimum early morning is Cold! Which also means that I've only had to light the fire about 5 times so far. But it's not over yet. August can be colder than July sometimes.

But back to the beach.

This is from one of Shelley Smart's photographs from her blog, A Year at the Beach. She's from California and from her photos, she lives in an amazing place. She very kindly gave me permission to paint this one - I loved the composition (yes I know it breaks all the rules) and it took me a lot longer than I thought it would.

Thank you Shelley.

Little Green Frog

2010-08-01T15:03:00.001+02:00

Every time I go to the Art Challenge blogs, I think, oh I must try that. And I just never seem to get there!

But James Parker's Windows to the Words challenge blog is the one that I do seem to manage! Maybe because most of the others are landscapes, which terrify me, and James' blog posts wonderful images like this Little Green Frog which I can manage to do in one session.

Life Drawing

2010-07-26T22:30:00.001+02:00

A big thank you to all who gave me advice on my last painting. I rather like it now - just need to take a decent photo.

For something completely different, during the school holidays, which coincided with the FIFA World Cup, we had our annual Winter Life Drawing. Although there are other venues that arrange life drawing, they always seem to be on the 'wrong' day or on the other side of the mountain. So I commit myself to going to these Winter ones every year.

Here are a few of the sketches I did. I struggled a bit - just couldn't seem to get into my stride, so I guess I need to practice, practice, practice!

Khadija was superb. I used some watercolour on this and quite liked the effect.

Alan has the most amazing physique which was a struggle to draw at first. So different to the soft curves of the female form.

Alan again, this time using far more watercolour. Not quite what I wanted.

And Khadija in a longer pose.

Lizzie who had some amazing tattoos!

Revised Kirstenbosch

2010-07-25T20:07:00.000+02:00

Thank you, thank you to all for your input on my painting of the kids at Kirstenbosch. I really appreciated your input and took Celeste's advice about the orange wash as well as comments on the background.

So, far fewer bushes in the back and an orange glaze, this is the best pic I could get, so please excuse any glare.

Our Visit to Kirstenbosch

2010-07-18T13:02:00.002+02:00

At the end of our Summer, I took some photos whilst sitting at the exhibition at Kirstenbosch. There was a group of pre-school and school children out for the day being shown the sites and sounds of our wonderful botanical gardens.

I posted one painting I did of three of the little ones sitting on the steps, and this is another one, this time of five of the youngsters resting their weary little bones after traipsing around the gardens.

I took me a long time to finish this. I did a lot of scraping off and repositioning, but finally got it more or less where I wanted it. Not 100% happy, but can't figure out what is lacking! Any help out there?

Saundra's other Duck

2010-07-09T14:34:00.002+02:00

Some time ago, Saundra Lane Galloway of Art for Life posted pictures on her blog for others to paint.

Saundra is incredibly generous with her beautiful pics, she loves life and takes all those hardships in her stride - something we could all learn to do.

I loved painting this. Saundra's other Duck. She has posted all sorts of ducks and I know there's another one somewhere in the pile waiting for me to get to it. This was also done with the three colours of cad red, cad yellow and ult blue with white. Having discovered a limited palette, I'm so enjoying it.

World Cup Fever

2010-07-04T10:02:00.001+02:00

Couldn't resist this one!

As you know, the World Cup is in my neck of the woods. And we are having a great time and I'm slowly being converted to becoming a soccer/football fan. So watched Ghana lose to Uruguay on a penalty shootout (sob, sob), Germany thrash England and then this - another big upset. The Netherlands beating Brazil!

This fan echoed it all. Sketched in pastels (not my medium) quickly at the end of the game in my brand new Moleskine!

Man's Best Friend

2010-07-01T14:24:00.008+02:00

I think my favourite subject to paint is still dogs.

I love dogs. I love all animals, but especially dogs. There is something so special and wholesome about them especially when treated properly. Their inherent goodness comes through when you are good to them and even when badly treated, like the dogs at DARG, they are still so forgiving. And I believe the same is true for an organisation in America, the Port Jervis/Deer Park Humane Society who sent an appeal through the Art for Shelter Animals blog for artists to paint portraits of their shelter animals to help raise funds. This link is to Sheila Tajima's blog, and Carrie Jacobson who also plays a major role. Please have a look - maybe there's a face there that you'll want to paint.

I did a portrait of Cocoa - the chocolatey/reddy brown coat was a definite appeal, plus that gorgeous face! Even Pit Bulls are special. Ask Cocoa!

and some time ago, I did this small one for DARG. This is Tammy who was abandoned by her owner, but fortunately has recently been adopted! Bless you Tammy, enjoy your new home.

A Portrait of Amy

2010-06-27T11:07:00.001+02:00

I think I am getting back to normal now with a new computer, no 'flu and school holidays.

The school holidays are nearly two months this year because of the World Cup (though why the two are connected, I don't know!), so I'm not teaching and there are no art groups.

I have, however, taken advantage of all the workshops that our society organises during the Winter months, and last Tuesday did an oil portrait workshop with one of our top portrait artists, Lesley Charnock. For the first time I worked with just 3 colours and white - it was a revelation and something I realise I should have done 3 years ago when I first started painting.

Amy was a superb model and I think I caught her likeness quite nicely. So here she is - in ultramarine, cad red, cad yellow and a bit of titanium white!

Birds of the Gulf

2010-06-18T14:23:00.004+02:00

I honestly think that if I couldn't connect with the blogging art world, I would be lost. And lost I was for over a week when my computer totally died. Dead. No more. And with it went all my information; email addresses, pictures, photographs, documents - ja, well, no, fine!!

So a new pc has been purchased, new (updated!) programmes installed and I am now trying to find my way around them! My gosh, but the latest Microsoft Office is complicated!

So dear friends, that is why I have been missing in action! I now have a lot of catching up to do and will eventually get to read all those back posts that I've missed.

And because it's been quite cold here, plus the week at Kirstenbosch and the touch of 'flu, my painting has been curtailed. The World Cup has also run interference - tonight England is playing here in Cape Town and the town is full of Barmy Army people. Our own Bafana Bafana didn't do too well the other night and probably won't qualify, but we're enjoying having the world in our little corner of Africa. Who are you supporting??

So, the last thing I painted during my 'down' time, was this heron and it is part of the tribute to the Gulf Crisis Challenge that Suzanne McDermott has started. Read all about what she is doing on her blog. She is a truly wonderful person who cares totally about the environment and what we are doing to it. Bless you Suzanne.

Butterfly

2010-06-01T09:09:00.000+02:00

I haven't been doing very much just lately - the 'flu did knock me sideways and now I'm sitting at the Members Exhibition at Kirstenbosch every day for this week.

So I've been seriously missing from blog commentaries, but, like Arnie, I will be back.

In the meantime, this was done for James Parker's Windows to the Words blog last month - butterflies - those beautiful insects that are disappearing fast because we insist on killing caterpillars! Thank you James, for those lovely pics. Am looking forward to this month's challenge.

Roxanne in Watercolour

2010-05-22T10:09:00.002+02:00

A great big thank you to all of your for your get better messages! I am much better, but missed the Important Rugby Game last week! Oh well - watched it on television and we won! So there is a semi-final today and I'm definitely going even though I have to climb up thirty thousand steps - ok, maybe not that many, but there are a lot.

And the last time I did a watercolour, dear Dean of Deano's Den, an artist I so admire, said I mustn't be so hard on myself. So Dean, I am really quite proud of this one! I did it in stages allowing it to actually dry, and I think my patience paid off. Her name is Roxanne and she's the granddaughter of a painting friend of mine. All that gorgeous wavy red hair! Hope you like it.

Swallow Tailed Bee Eater

2010-05-14T11:34:00.001+02:00

Birds again.

I did this last week while I was still 'alive'. At the moment I'm half dead with the dreaded winter 'flu! Serves me right for always opening my mouth and saying 'I never get sick!!' Cough, cough, splutter, splutter, not fun. Must get better by tomorrow as there's a really Important Rugby Game on!

But back to birds. This is a Swallow Tailed Bee Eater which is indigenous to my part of the world, although you don't see them in the Cape. Another of John Kennekam's beautiful photos - thank you John, I loved the colours and the 'evil eye' the bird gives you.

The G&T Ladies

2010-05-09T15:43:00.001+02:00

It was still in Velddrif for this one.

Barbara and Jinty, two fellow artists, came along as well. Two wonderful women originally from England, they were pottering around discussing the various garden plants that don't do too well in the salty, hot, dry atmosphere of Velddrif. It was almost as if they were posing for this pic it was just so perfect! I've tried to do them justice and I've achieved quite a good likeness.

The reason for the title? Wherever South Africans go, they usually take a bottle or two of wine with them - Capetonians usually have the red variety on hand in the evenings, but the two of them had to have their evening gin and tonics before supper! Very Colonial!

Bokkom Lane Pelicans

2010-05-02T15:03:00.002+02:00

I love my new digital camera!

When we went up the West Coast last month to Velddrif, I took picture after picture after picture! It's quick and easy, not like my old one which seemed to take an age between photos and then run out of battery before I could get into my stride.

So while we were ambling around Bokkom Lane in Velddrif, I was happy snapping this group of pelicans. They suddenly seemed to take off down river to inspect something, and this painting comes from after their inspection, before returning to point A.

A Big Beady-Eyed Bird

2010-04-27T11:47:00.006+02:00

Another bird - this time one of Saundra Lane Galloway's ones from her visit to her local zoo. You can see all her animals from her Surprise Day at the Zoo, here.

This I did in watercolour, a medium that I still battle with. Only one in 4 or 5 of my attempts at watercolour am I satisfied with. Note the word satisfied - not thrilled, over-the-moon or ecstatic about, just satisfied.

This Winter we have a number of workshops arranged and I am determined to take at least one on learning to use watercolours. I wish I could visit all those wonderful watercolourists in India and the USA for lessons, but no can do, so have to find someone from our local awesomely talented artists.

In the meantime, meet the Beady Eyed Crane!

Kirstenbosch Visitors

2010-04-20T12:12:00.002+02:00

Whilst on duty at Kirstenbosch during the Merit Exhibition, a group of pre-schoolers came for an outing through the gardens.

This is a regular occurrence during the week with all sorts of school groups coming through to learn about the gardens, how they are run, and more importantly, to respect the natural order of nature and not to just pick and destroy.

This little group was part of a very much larger group who gathered together on the stone steps waiting for instructions and direction from their teachers. They were also the cause of much photographing by the adults, including me, as they presented such a cute picture. I am hoping to do a few more of the kids as they sat on the steps, but this is the first.

and a close up of the three

I have also been given another award - Martine Alison who does the most amazing paintings, writes in French, a language I have had no connection with, and consequently have to rely on Google translate to understand fully what she says. She is a lovely lady who never fails to leave a comment on my blog. Martine, bless you, and thank you.

A Swallow

2010-04-15T12:18:00.004+02:00

I've decided I like painting birds and am going full steam ahead (well, full steam in between everything else), and putting together some good old South African birds.

This is a Swallow. He lives somewhere around here because the picture was taken in the Paarl area just outside Cape Town by fantastic photographer John Kennekam. John has kindly given me permission to paint some of his birds and boy, does he have a lot to choose from.

Hope you like this little fella even though I picked up a bit of glare on the blue!

Maree, who is totally knowledgeable about these things, has pointed out that this is a Swallow, not a Sparrow! Oops! Thank you Maree, I just know he is a really pretty bird!

Velddrif in April

2010-04-11T09:13:00.004+02:00

A group of us went up to Velddrif this past week to do some painting. Hah! How can you improve on nature?

It is such a beautiful time of year here with Autumn peaking round the corner. The days are still lovely and warm and the nights are starting to hint at the chill to come, but it's still t-shirts and shorts for a few more weeks. There were no mosquitoes, the wind was just a breeze and the company was wonderful.

In lieu of posting any scribbles that I did do, here are some of the scenes we were subjected to from the front stoep of the house we were staying at.

Our early morning flamingo view

The pelicans came gliding past late afternoon along with the spoonbills

And at sunset

On our way back, we popped in to meet wonderful West Coast artist Marie Theron and saw her wonderful paintings in real life! And we were treated in true Afrikaans hospitality with coffee and cake in their really beautiful home. Thank you Marie and Phillip. We will be seeing you again.

Storm Brewing

2010-04-03T13:14:00.006+02:00

Well, 10 days away and I've just spent the entire morning going through so many of the blogs I've missed whilst sitting at the exhibition. If I haven't left a comment, I'm still getting there. So, still no painting yet. Or maybe I'm just putting it off - no I will definitely be going into my studio this afternoon, or at the latest, tomorrow morning. This afternoon I may just have to watch cricket and rugby - it is, after all, Saturday!

So now I'm being brave and posting a painting that I did on a course I did in February. This canvas is BIG (for me) being 40" x 30"! It was done in acrylics and I find that I don't like acrylics anymore - they dry too fast, especially in the heat. I did like the size though, but in the end, hated the painting.

I was the only one who hated it - oh my sister didn't like it either. Everyone else in the class thought it was amazing, but I don't know whether they were just being kind.

Anyway, because I haven't done a thing for 10 days, I thought I would let you have a look at what I call "A Red Mess" but actually has been titled Storm Brewing.

(What about 'Picnic Time for Red Teddy Bears' ??)

Friends

2010-03-22T08:11:00.000+02:00

Just before Christmas our outdoor group was painting at the eco village of Oude Molen.

While we were there, a group of youngsters from the next door area came by to exercise the horses. They run down to the river with them and then walk back and allow them to browse until they go back to their holding area.

These horses belong to the children of wealthier Capetonions and locating them at Oude Molen provides income for the locals and the village itself.

I took this pic as they walked past my painting spot and have wanted to paint it for some time. Now that I finally have, I'm not that happy with it. I think I spent too long a time on it and tried to get it 'perfect' thereby losing the looseness that I so desperately want. Photographing it was also not the easiest.

Anyway, here it is - I've called it Friends.

I'm going the apologise to all the wonderful bloggers I visit regularly. I've been absent and will be a bit busy for the next 7 days as I've got the job as 'Official Sitter' at the current South African Society of Artists exhibition at Kirstenbosch. Despite not having qualified for this exhibition, it's a job I enjoy doing as you get to see all that great art and meet many wonderful artists and art lovers. But I'll be back on my computer in bits and pieces during the period. Then I will have to paint again so I have something to post!

A Palette Knife Bluebird

2010-03-16T10:05:00.004+02:00

I was totally bowled over by the response to my American Robin and all your comments have inspired me to try my hand at some more birds! I'm just a bit scared that I won't live up to the Robin and be a total disappointment.

So, instead of posting a brush painting of a bird, I did it with a palette knife.

First time working an entire painting with a palette knife. Our Friday group decided it was palette knife day and we were shown the nitty gritty by artist Heather Selby who paints with us. I must say that I did enjoy it, but I think I'm really a brush painter. It's kind of nice finding out where your interests lie by constantly trying new things!

So, this is my Eastern Bluebird, also from the USA and from James Parker's Windows to the Word blog.

(This is taking a heck of a long time to dry!!)

An American Robin

2010-03-11T17:56:00.005+02:00

Wonderful James Parker has done it again. Given us a choice of some wonderful pictures to paint - this time of birds.

And already he's had a stack of paintings to post on his blog, Windows to the Words.

This is my contribution. The American Robin, which looks totally different to our smaller Cape Robin and very different to the English Robin that I saw many years ago.

Zoë

2010-03-04T16:19:00.003+02:00

This is my friend Wendy's daughter, Zoë.

What an absolute delight to paint this picture of her. She was so unaware of the camera, concentrating on what someone else was saying - I always think that these are the best photos to paint.

Zoë is about 6 months younger than my grandson and an absolute delight. Highly intelligent and so quick - a typical Leo! This painting of her is a gift to her Mom.

It's been so hot here that my art room has turned into a sauna! Hence the week gap between posts.

In one of my previous posts, I put up a charcoal sketch of a horse skull. Wonderful artist Carol Horzempa left a lovely comment on my blog saying that it reminded her of Georgia O'Keeffe. Strange, I thought. Then the next Friday, the skull's owner, Barbara, brought in a photostat copy of the Georgia O'Keeffe painting and it was almost exactly the same! It was the first time I'd seen the painting - luckily Barbara's skull was a bit battered and bent so you can see the differences. Just to prove that there was no copyright infringement, here is another sketch, done from a different angle, of the skull.

A Special Day

2010-02-25T14:33:00.000+02:00

Tomorrow is my beautiful grandson's 8th birthday and sadly I will not be there to share it with him. And his wonderful mother has her birthday the following day with my one and only granddaughter (whom I have never seen in person) celebrating her first birthday the next week.

Now, as is the case with all first born children, there are hundreds of thousands of photographs of Andreas, so I have plenty to choose from to paint.

But I am ultra lucky if I get one or two of Catherine! Maybe they'll take the hint and send me a whole bunch of the little lady so I can get to paint more than the one I already have.

This was done from a photograph taken when they were last in SA almost 2 years ago, but I liked it, so I painted it, and it is one I'm going to keep!

Andreas - Just Listening

Sunshine Award

2010-02-24T09:13:00.002+02:00

Every now and then some enterprising person sends out an award to marvellous people in our blogging world.

The latest one is the Sunshine Award and what a lovely idea it is. I have received mine from fellow South African and fabulous West Coast artist, Marie Theron. I hope to connect with Marie after Easter when a group of us plan to take a painting trip to her wonderful part of our world.

I am also so thrilled and blessed to have 135 people following my little blogging patch and the first thing I would do is to pass this award on to all of you who have made my life so much richer. So I'm breaking the rules (I think Autumn Leaves also bent them a bit), but then creative types aren't really known for being that obedient!

Please take this award with my thanks and may your days always have sunshine even when it rains.

Sketching

2010-02-18T08:15:00.003+02:00

This past Monday I thought I would try James Parker's challenge in Watercolour! Ha! What a disaster. I find that about one in five of my watercolours I'm happy with, yet I keep on trying.

So, after tearing that one up, I thought I would try it in pencil. Only having watercolour paper with me, this is the rather 'bumpy' result.

Redheads

Now I don't usually use graphite to sketch with, but this one was also done with pencil in about 10 minutes. I had decided I'd finished the oil portrait, and did this whilst waiting.

Lauren

And then finally, my favourite sketching medium, charcoal. One of the ladies brought in this skull one Friday and it was quite a challenge to sketch. It used to be her horse until it died.

Lion the Dog (in watercolour)

2010-02-13T21:35:00.004+02:00

In the suburb of Hout Bay there is an 'informal settlement' that goes by the name of I mizamo Yethu, which roughly translated means 'through collective struggle'. The settlement is made up of shacks and the residents are primarily Xhosa speakers from the Eastern Cape who have made the trip to Cape Town looking for a job and a better life. There are also immigrants (legal and illegal) from northern parts of Africa.

Imizamo Yethu is a hodge-podge of people and cultures and despite desperate hardship there are also little gems that can be unearthed.

Lion the Dog is one of them.

He used to live on the dusty street even though his owner made sure he had fresh water and a meal of some sort.

But Lion the Dog was getting old and his joints were feeling stiff and sore, so Hilary Barclay*, a former nurse and animal lover, decided that he needed a kennel. Through generous donations, Lion now has shelter and warmth and loves his kennel so much, he "only comes out of it to eat, pee and pooh!"

*Hilary Barclay, a registered nurse and dog trainer, started an animal sterlisation programme in Hout Bay's IY township in 2004 to uplift the animal welfare of pets in this community. To date they have sterlised over 1000 pets and have thus gone a long way to curbing the animal population. The original black and white photograph for this pic was taken by Mia Davila who is the publicity and liaison person at DARG.

Plein Airheads

2010-02-07T17:12:00.008+02:00

I think I have now officially joined the 'Tuesday Plein Air' group, or plein airheads as I think they should be called. I mean, you've got to be daft to go and sit in the boiling sun with a piddly umbrella trying its best to give you some shade, or, as we've been doing the past two weeks, sitting on top of the mountain (oh, alright, hill) with a good chance of being blown off!

My complete and total admiration goes out to people like Rob Ijbema and Rene Plein Air who actually go and sit in the SNOW and paint! Bill Guffy in the USA tends to do that as well. Daft, as I said. But they do produce jolly good work.

Now I'm relatively new to this outside process and am still trying to find my way around bringing this vast panorama we call Table Mountain into a teeny weeny 14"x18" canvas. For the past 2 weeks we've been on the top of Signal Hill which is part of the TM facade and the views overlooking the city, the mountain and the new Soccer Stadium are breathtaking.

The first week was misty when we arrived so it was hurry, hurry, try and catch the mist before it burnt away.

Then the following week I sat crunched under a short tree for shade and painted the right hand side of TM with the cable station sticking up at the top. The 12 Apostles are on the right hand side with a lone pine tree that was in front of me on my little bit of mountain.

I was not that happy with the result, but the light was changing so had to stop. I may try and do some more on it this coming Tuesday - I think the darks needs darkening. But here is our wonderful - at least a bit of it - Table Mountain.

I just want to add here that all the trees in Cape Town are bent. The Southeaster, or Cape Doctor, keeps the air nice and clean, but the trees have trouble standing up to the wind.

Xena the Pitbull

2010-02-03T15:46:00.000+02:00

I still occasionally do the odd painting for DARG, but not quite as often as I would like.

This is Xena and DARG think she's about 5 years old. In the blurb they say she was rescued 2 years ago after being burnt on her back with hot oil! Amazing how people think that these poor creatures don't feel pain. She was adopted but was returned after her new owner decided to move without her.

It is a bit of a problem when people return to places like the UK where dogs and cats have to be quarantined for 6 months before going to their new home, so sometimes I guess it is best to try and find a new home for the animal.

Apparently Xena is "adorable, super playful, super affectionate, super cuddly, loyal, protective and strong. Belly rubs are a must!"

Sunflowers

2010-01-24T14:30:00.003+02:00

We are sweltering here at the moment and Dana Marie's sunflower post seemed so appropriate for our climate.

But, she lives in the USA where, I believe, it is rather COLD! Maybe the sunflowers were a promise of things to come?

Anyway, I finished them on time for a change and got them up and posted. All the time whilst painting them, I thought of that marvellous Sunflower/Pug lady, Nancy Medina whose favourite flower is the sunflower and who also loves dogs (especially Pugs). Her sunflowers are a must-see if you haven't already.

Devil's Peak

2010-01-17T15:02:00.002+02:00

It is believed that when in the city of Cape Town, you absolutely cannot get lost. That is, if you know the Mountain.

No matter where you go you can see some part of the Table Mountain chain, whether it's the 12 Apostles on the Atlantic Ocean side, the back of the mountain from the Southern Suburbs, or the well know 'front' of the flat topped edifice from the north. So, if you find yourself in a strange part of the town, just look at the mountain and you'll know how to get home!

When looking at the front of the mountain, on the left hand side is the part known as Devil's Peak. This is the part of the mountain that I see every day when I go into my garden. But to get an unobstructed view, the best place to go is Oude Molen where our group has been painting for the past number of weeks.

I did just that and although it was blazing hot that day, managed to do a pretty fair rendition of the slopes of the Peak.

And guess what Rob Ijbema - I'm starting to enjoy plein air stuff!

From Wikepedia -

Devil's Peak was originally known as Windberg, and supposedly gets its current name from the folk-tale about a Dutch man called Jan van Hunks, a prodigious pipe smoker who lived at the foot of the mountain circa 1700. He was forced by his wife to leave the house whenever he smoked his pipe. One day, while smoking on the slopes of the peak, he met a mysterious stranger who also smoked. They each bragged of how much they smoked and so they fell into a pipe-smoking contest. The stranger turned out to be the Devil and Van Hunks eventually won the contest, but not before the smoke that they had made had covered the mountain, forming the table cloth cloud.

Puppy Love

2010-01-13T08:19:00.008+02:00

James Parker's blog Windows to the Words was the inspiration for this painting. He has posted a number of pics of 'look-a-like' kids and their pets, included a rather nice poem, and given us a month to do the painting.

Now, I'm always late with these challenges! But I so loved this delightful couple, I had to finish it in a morning. So I'm probably one of the first this time.

The dog presented quite a challenge at first. Just one black mass but after figuring out that a couple of brush strokes in the right direction would give the impression of fur, a dab of colour where the nose and eyes should be and voila! a dog appeared.

Check out James' blog to see the other pics he's posted.

Now for something completely different. As most of you know, I love two sports codes - cricket and rugby. Last night I went to the cinema for the first time in about 3 years because I just had to see the movie Invictus on the big screen. Directed by Clint Eastwood, it's about our past President Nelson Mandela and past Rugby Captain, Francois Pienaar.

We went along with a bit of trepidation because I've seen American productions depicting South Africans with the most awful accents, but Matt Damon with his Afrikaans accent and Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela were magnificent! And so many memories of the games, of the flypast by the Boeing 747, of the game against the French where we thought the players were going to drown in Durban and the incredible New Zealander, Jonah Lomu!

If you haven't seen it already, go along to have a look-see and enjoy the wonderful photography of my home town of Cape Town.

Our much loved past President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

handing the Webb Ellis Trophy to Captain Francois Pienaar

A Road Runs Through

2010-01-09T09:21:00.001+02:00

As I'm always late with challenge blogs, I looked to see if this pic was still up and yes! it was. So I painted this in about 3 hours, waited until the next morning to get a fairly decent photo, went to post it, and lo and behold, a new challenge was in its place!

So I was late yet again! But I put it on Dana Marie's blog anyway

Because of the time limit I gave myself, I really enjoyed slapping the paint on this without worrying too much about detail. It was so incredibly freeing and I quite liked the end result.

A bit of a shine on the dark tree trunk (I did try to keep it thinner Dean!), and there is somewhere in America a national park called Sarah Helmick.

Berg River, Velddrif

2010-01-04T11:03:00.002+02:00

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.

Shadow Dance

2009-12-29T18:10:00.001+02:00

Every now and then, one has a favourite painting which replaces the previous favourite painting!

This one was taken from a pic posted on Dana Marie's Inspiration all Around Us blog - she really takes the most amazing photographs and I would encourage everyone to have a look!

There was something so peaceful about this photo and the colours were so appealing. Hope you like it.

Have a fabulous 2010 everyone! Winter Olympics in Canada, FIFA World Cup in South Africa - should be a funfilled year!

Oude Molen

2009-12-24T08:41:00.003+02:00

I think this is going to be the last of the plein air for this year for me - after all, it's holiday time and it's Christmas and New Year and there's cricket to watch ... so much activity at this time of the year. But the group will get together again round the middle of January, although where we'll be going, I don't know! A wait and see experience.

This little painting (9"x12" is little for me!) was again done at Oude Molen, but boy was the wind doing its thing. I was all ready to give up, but these die hard plein airheads said, no, it's part of the atmosphere. So, if you look closely, you will see all the dust and dirt that now decorates my painting! I guess once it's dry, I will be able to brush it off.

Last week I painted the back of the little shop, so this week, here is the front!

To all those who celebrate Christmas, have a wonderful day tomorrow, and to everyone else, enjoy the holiday season.

Plein Air - Again!

2009-12-19T09:27:00.007+02:00

Summer is definitely here!

We have had some blazing hot days and with the school holidays in full swing, I am off the teaching hook and merrily trying to paint the days away. Unfortunately yesterday and today, cricket interfered - the first three days of the first 5day test against England. So very little was done.

But I have been trying (again!) to do the plein air thing. Some time ago I did a watercolour of our special Table Mountain from a friend's upstairs lounge, and last week did the same scene again, this time in oils.

Then I was very brave and went out into the open (yes Rob Ijbema, I am trying to let Mother Nature teach me!), armed with sunhat, sun lotion factor 40, water and painting paraphernalia! Went with a group of regular plein airheads to Oude Molen, an eco village/farm/horse place with an incredible history, that overlooks the Liesbeek River and M5 highway, but more importantly, has an incredible view of Devil's Peak, the part of Table Mountain on the left hand side. I will try and paint the mountain, probably next Tuesday when we go out again, but last week did the back of the eco shop/restaurant whilst standing amongst the strawberries.

And the week before, as a test run, just sketched this sunflower in full bloom.

Meagen Mendoza - Latin American Dancer

2009-12-09T09:06:00.004+02:00

This is a beautiful American dancer who said I could paint one of her pictures.

Her name is Meagen Mendoza and if you love dancing and dancers, click on her name to see the original photograph from which this was done.

I hope I have done you justice Meagen, and thank you for letting me use the pic.

Again, I had trouble photographing this painting, but Dean from Deano's Den has given me many tips and this one is to thin down the darks. I didn't have this info in time for this painting, but will certainly give it a try in the future. Thank you Dean.

Air Travel aka Business Class

2009-12-04T08:33:00.002+02:00

Karen Jurick posts the most incredible pictures for us to paint on her challenge blog. The last one was of the airport travellers, which I did, and completed in time! I even put it up at a local competition and was placed 13th (out of 65) for it!

BUT, and it is a huge but, no matter where I stood, no matter how hard I tried, I just could not get the glare out of the darks on the photograph. Even with Dean's tips of indoors with a shield - nothing!

Ja,well,no,fine! as we say in this part of the world. This problem had to be solved somehow, because I really loved the pic.

So here it is, in charcoal! Black and white, no glary oil paint - maybe I'll try it in watercolour next!

A Home Wanted

2009-11-29T08:43:00.002+02:00

As I haven't done anything for DARG for a while now, and as they have so many new dogs and cats up for adoption, I thought I must really do another painting.

This is Sledge. He is a cross Husky something and was apparently abandoned by his owner.

It always amazes me how human beings can be so callous about their fellow creatures. We domesticate them to such a degree that they become totally reliant on us for all their needs, and then idiots like this owner decide they don't want them anymore!

I believe we share this beautiful planet with our fellow creatures and our intellect does not give us dominion and lording rights over them.

I hope Sledge finds someone who will care for him.

My Prize

2009-11-24T10:29:00.001+02:00

Yesterday I picked up my wonderful prize for coming second in James Parker's Windows to the Words challenge blog!

All the way from the USA, arriving safely in Cape Town (we never know whether anything will get to its destination or not!), here are the two marvellous paintings - the hummingbird is a tiny little painting which will sit next to me in my art room.

Thank you James!

Quinces and Walnuts

2009-11-21T07:34:00.003+02:00

My computer was non functional for 3 days this week. Our single, state run telecommunications service took its own sweet time about restoring lines in our area, and my service provider was not amused when I asked her if I needed to take up writing letters and using the post office again! Absolutely no sense of humour.

And with Summer finally here, life seems to get very active, so not much painting gets done.

I did, however, manage to paint from a rather nice pic taken from Dana Marie's Inspiration all Around us blog, of quinces and nuts - I called them walnuts - I think that's what they are.

Now she has another amazing pic posted, so hopefully I will get to that one in the next week!

Koi

2009-11-13T22:18:00.007+02:00

Another challenge I was late for, and I submitted the pic for painting!

I just can't seem to make deadlines. After spending all that time in the advertising industry where deadlines are sacrosanct, I have fallen off the wagon.

This one was for the blog, Inspiration all Around Us - one of the newer challenge blogs, but one where Dana Marie posts some really magnificent pictures. Check it out.

These koi were part of the a household where my sister was housesitting. The other 'residents' were three dogs, a cat and a parrot. I don't think the fish presented any problems!

I have just bought a new camera - very nice indeed. But oh, technology is defeating me! It has a nice new SDHC 4gb card which I discovered my computer can't read (or find, or whatever it does). So the last couple of paintings I've done are sitting inside the camera, unable to see light of day. This also means I will be late for any other challenges out there! Sigh ...

Contemplation

2009-11-07T12:53:00.007+02:00

This is my favourite painting at the moment. I loved the intense white of her dress against the dark background.

But oh my, was it difficult to photograph! The shine on the background was a nightmare and no matter which way I turned it or where I placed it, there was this horrible bluey sheen! We have had cloudy weather here and even in the early morning with this cloud cover, nothing worked.

So it was off to the local art shop for a tin of re-touch varnish and that seemed to do the trick. The shine of the varnish seemed to counteract the shine of the paint, and this is the best result I could get.

Watercolour, flower, and portrait

2009-11-01T10:16:00.006+02:00

I have decided that I'm not a watercolourist. I love the medium and will probably persevere simply because I'm stubborn (and have a lot of watercolour paint!) but my attempts will surely remain just that - attempts.

I look at artists like Fabio Cembranelli who paints flowers in watercolour like an absolute angel and then I dare to post my couple of flowers in a pot! Cheek of it, but I thought, it's one of very few watercolours that I will be putting up. I need to practice!

Whilst on the watercolour theme, I tried a portrait as well! (Pushing my luck here). Not too bad, but still on the overworked side.

Eudith is a lovely lady with a beautiful smile who works as a housekeeper/cleaner for a number of people. She works like a demon and when I asked to take her picture, she didn't want to smile. She did eventually, but I did the one she liked first.

Bushman of the Kalahari

2009-10-26T08:16:00.005+02:00

I have mislaid a week of my life!

Not really, but that's what it feels like. I was sitting at the SASA Annual Exhibition at Kirstenbosch last week until Thursday, then Friday first thing, it was on the 'plane to Johannesburg for a friend's daughter's wedding. Only got back last night, so have done nothing with a brush for over a week!

This painting is of a Bushman, one of those incredible hunter gatherer people who are the original inhabitants of this country. They owned no land (they believe only God owns the land) and lived off it in much the same way the Aboriginal people of Australia and the Red Indians in America did.

Their ability to live in desert conditions is amazing and in this painting he is using his bow and arrow as a musical instrument.

The Bushmen, often referred to as the San or the generic term Khoisan, are the remnants of Africa's oldest cultural group, genetically the closest surviving people to the original Homo-Sapien core from which the Negro emerged. They are small in stature generally with light yellowish skin, which wrinkles very early in life. Despite the later massive expansion of the pastoral and agrarian tribal cultures, those Bushman groups that utilised environments that were unsuitable for farming, survived until fairly recently with a high level of genetic purity.

Insomnia

2009-10-19T07:26:00.005+02:00

I did so enjoy painting this one, but I battled with the photograph.

I picked up on Dean's tip of using black gesso and then just painting with Prussian blue/Cad red and a bit of white mixed in in varying degrees.

Painting the negative shapes was a total challenge and sometimes I had to double back and constantly check where I was going with those tree shadows.

But the title! I finally settled on Insomnia, but am not 100% happy with it. Anyone got any other suggestions?

Autumn

2009-10-13T15:33:00.012+02:00

I keep finding these wonderful challenge blogs, and the latest on my list is Dana Marie's Inspiration all Around us. That is where I got my last posted painting of the horse from .

Dana Marie runs her blog a little differently in that you have to do your own posts. All you do is email her and she lets you have the details, and off you go!

This is the latest one from the blog - just a reminder of Autumn to all of you living in the Northern Hemisphere!

Oh I'm as pleased as Punch and so honoured! The inimitable James Parker, who lives in Texas, has a wicked sense of humour, also runs a challenge blog called Windows to the Words.

Last month he posted pictures of cats and my drawing of Michelle's Figaro was given 2nd place and a prize to boot!Thank you James, for doing what you do, and being who you are.

Brown Horse

2009-10-07T08:44:00.007+02:00

Last night at our painting class, my wonderful teacher, Margie Johnson, pushed the envelope and told me I needed to free up! Ok, I agree - it's something I've been trying to do, with very little or no success.

So, a beautiful picture of a horse from Dana Marie's challenge blog, Inspiration all Around Us, was the subject of choice. I know this was an old challenge, so I hope Dana Marie doesn't mind me using it now.

Painting this lovely animal also reminded me of Maree, a fellow South African, who has just done the most amazing sketches of horses. Have a look.

For a typical neat Capricorn, it was almost teeth pulling to blur the outlines, especially of the back of the horse, but I think I did it.

Anyway, I kind of like the result! Would love to know the thoughts out there.

Michelle's Cat

2009-10-04T12:35:00.007+02:00

I never knew until I saw Gwen Bell's painting, that this is Michelle Burnett's beautiful cat, Figaro.

This is part of James Parker's challenge blog - some of the cats he put up for this challenge were great, but I do think Michelle's cat came out as the number one choice for many.

This is my painting of him.

Tiggy and Selection Day

2009-09-27T06:54:00.004+02:00

This is a painting done for a friend whose little dog, Tiggy is very special.

She's quite elderly but I am greeted with such enthusiasm by both her and her 'sister' Abby.

I just love Tiggy's whiskers and the way she looks so poised, almost as if she was deliberately posing for the photograph.

Yesterday (Saturday - it is now early Sunday morning here in SA) was a hectic day. We had our society selection day for our Annual Exhibition which is held at the Sanlam Hall in the beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens. I am on the South African Society of Artists (SASA) committee and besides running around from one end of the hall to the other, was responsible for the computer work! Me, who's not that fantastic with computers, is deemed to be the computer expert! Oh dear.

It all went very well even though it was a long day and we had just short of 600 paintings submitted, a record. The judges were put through their paces, and it was a fascinating experience watching their marks. There are three judges and each judge gives his or her own mark without knowing what the others are doing. Apparently this works in England and we have adopted it here.

I was lucky enough to have one painting submitted, my still life, but the other two didn't make the cut. Maybe next year.

Old House in Lisbon

2009-09-22T08:24:00.004+02:00

This is for Bill Guffey's challenge this month - Lisbon. I searched and searched and eventually found this old run down looking farmhouse type building (and yes, it is in Lisbon) that I thought was rather nice to paint.

I struggled a bit and feel it's not quite as I would like it, but I've sent it off anyway.

Another problem is the photography! My trusty old camera died. So now I've had to use a 'cheap and nasty' that my sister has. But that's no excuse, I just took lousy pictures! So if it seems a little bit blurry, it is, don't check your specs.

Cup Cakes

2009-09-15T09:55:00.003+02:00

I don't often do the paintings from Karin's blog because I always seem to be so slow - never finishing in time to send to her.

But these cup cakes were irresistible! To paint, that is. I don't really like cakes of any kind to eat - I find them too sweet. I prefer salty and spicy foods and love the food of the East, from India through to China.

I know many of you are going to think I'm nuts for not liking these sugary delicacies, but that leaves all the more for you out there!

Hammersmith Bridge

2009-09-06T18:30:00.007+02:00

The last time I spent any time in London was almost two years ago! Time goes by so quickly.

It was in the colder month of November. It was quite a shock coming from our really lovely sunny Summer weather to hit the streets of London at close to 5 deg C. But no matter what the weather, London is a place that I really do enjoy.

And by total coincidence, last month's challenge on the Google Earth site , The Virtual Paintout run by wonderful artist, Bill Guffey, was ... London! So my immediate reaction was to google where I went when I was last there, and one of the nicest sites was riding on the number 9 bus over the Hammersmith Bridge.

It is an incredible bridge - yes I know Tower Bridge is the one that is associated with London and beheadings and all that! but the little known Hammersmith Bridge has such lovely markings and old fashioned lights and all the little English quirks that we've come to expect.

Next time you're in London, take the no. 9 bus just for a trip to Hammersmith Bridge.

Catherine Irene

2009-09-01T10:12:00.004+02:00

Meet the newest addition to my family, Catherine Irene. She was born 7 days after I left Sweden, so I have never actually seen her in 'real' life, only through Skype!

This is painted from one of two pictures the family sent me and I think she's gorgeous! (But I am biased as well).

About the leaves and flowers in her hair. Midsummer is a national holiday in Scandinavia and they celebrate by dancing around maypoles and doing all sorts of wonderful summer holiday things. The girls dress in white and put garlands of flowers in their hair, so Catherine joined in the party, although she's only four months old at this stage.

Kiera

2009-08-27T13:10:00.003+02:00

This is Kiera. She is a 4 year old cross Pitbull whose best activity is to watch TV on the couch with some biscuits to munch!

Kiera is a DARG dog, and according to DARG, she's a great companion, bonds well with people, is love-starved and is a real softie. I guess that's quite hard to believe from a Pitbull, given the bad reputation they've got over the years.

But like all protective breeds, if they're treated properly, they will be great companions. The Pitbull reputation has been brought about by unscrupulous owners using them for fighting purposes. So, there is no such creature as a bad dog, only a BAD OWNER.

I hope she finds the loving home she so deserves.

Carlos

2009-08-22T19:57:00.005+02:00

Carlos is an elderly gentleman(dog) who lives in an historic house in Constantia, one of the first wineland areas established in the Western Cape.

My sister was doing her dog/housesitting with Carlos and two of his pals whilst their mom went overseas to the UK.

I met him when she brought him round for a visit. He is practically blind and quite deaf, but he still loves life, and very definitely, FOOD. Put your hand near him and it's snuffle, snuffle, looking for tidbits to eat.

I don't think he's going to be with us for much longer, but as his doctor says, he's happy and in no pain, so let him enjoy his twilight years in the luxurious comforts of the Constantia greenbelt.

Christina in Oils

2009-08-16T09:05:00.008+02:00

I feel that this past week I've had my fingers cut off! No computer! It has been in the computer hospital under observation for a computer virus.

But all better now and I am spending an incredible amount of time going through all the postings that I've missed. It is sometimes better to wait a while and then get an eyeful of all the wonderful work out there - sensory overload!

So, in order to make my 'come back', I thought I would post a painting I did from one of the sketches in our life drawing group a month ago. I will also be putting this up at the end of the month for our annual Life Drawing and Landscape competition which is held by our local Art Society, South African Society of Artists. No selling, just judging by our peers! Nerve wracking!

It was posted a while ago, but here is the original charcoal sketch that this was done from.

The Masters and Flowers

2009-08-05T09:04:00.008+02:00

I didn't take part in last month's Masters Challenge, the terrific blog run by Michelle Burnett.

But this month I thought I would do something. Even though I'm not mad about painting flowers - (I leave that to the immensely talented artist from Texas, Nancy Medina) - there is one artist whose flower paintings I really admire.

Georgia O'Keeffe's work is always a pleasure to look at. One day I hope I will get the opportunity to see her works in person, but until then, all I do is admire.

This is my version of her 1926 work, Black Pansy. Although this was painted more than 50 years ago, O'Keeffe only died fairly recently, thus I can admire and emulate, but this painting will be for my own space.

Hope you like what I've done to this wonderful American artist's work.

Winter at Velddrift

2009-08-02T14:46:00.004+02:00

One of the aspects of painting that I still hesitate doing, is plein air painting. I need photo references. Sad, but true. Maybe one day I'll take all my oil painting paraphernalia and set up somewhere in the surrounding countryside. Until then, it's photo references!

This was taken by a friend who paints with our group every Friday. He is lucky enough to have a holiday house up the West Coast in a fishing area called Velddrift. His is one of 3 houses in the area and this is the view from his front 'garden'.

Winter in the Cape, and especially up the West Coast, has it's own bleek kind of beauty. A Winter rainfall area, everything seems wet and damp, but the water brings out the most glorious colours when the sun shines.

But wait! About 3 weeks ago, I did try a plein air piece. This was done from a friend's house in Tableview. She has the most magnificent view of the vlei, which is home to an incredible amount of birdlife, leading through to this panorama of Table Mountain. The day we were there, the clouds danced in and out and around the mountain, first hiding then revealing this beautiful mountain we live with every wonderful day. I don't think I've done it justice, but there it is, my plein air piece!

Copper Reflections

2009-07-26T13:37:00.006+02:00

Still life is not my first subject choice, but every now and then there is this urge to try my hand.

Brilliant New York artist, Susan Martin Spar, always posts the most incredible still life paintings. So I thought, let me try again. With a bit of help from a fellow artist (we were lucky enough to use our wonderful teacher, Margie Johnson's studio while she was visiting her son in Australia), we set up this grouping.

I think I really wanted to try again because of the incredible reflections in the copper kettle. A spare bottle of red wine was found to round off the setting, which we promptly drank when I had finished.

Waiting Patiently

2009-07-21T10:20:00.008+02:00

It's been a while since I did anything for Karin Jurick's wonderful DSFDF blog, but love this guy sitting on his chair outside the office. I have called it 'Waiting Patiently' because it reminded me so much of all our refugees from Zimbabwe and points north, waiting and waiting outside the home office to get refugee status papers from our veeerrry sloooow government department.

I am not 100% happy with it and think I need to tone down the background somewhat, but because I've sent it on to Karin (hopefully in the correct format!) I thought I would post him here as well.

I have also been honoured with another award by the incredible animal portrait artist, Karie-Ann Cooper who lives an idyllic life in rural England! It is the Premio Meme Award and to be honoured in this way by this amazing artist is humbling.

I will in time, think of things to say about me that I haven't already said on my blog, although what Karie-Ann said about herself rings a lot of bells with me. Rather than send it on to individual people, I would dedicate this award to all those wonderful people I interact with on my blog - last count 76! All you amazingly talented artists out there, this one is for you!

Saundra's ... goose!

2009-07-16T15:02:00.004+02:00

I had forgotten that I had painted this picture of Saundra's goose (or she thought it may be a duck!) because it was done in about 2 hours as opposed to my usual 2 weeks!

It presented such a wonderful pose that just begged to be put into paint, and as everyone who reads my blog knows by now, I love all animals, this delightful goose being no exception. Not that I'd tempt fate by going too near any goose as they are known to be rather fierce watch..geese! Probably better than my two rather soppy Rottweilers!

So here he/she is - Saundra's feathered friend!

Saundra's Shadow

2009-07-11T13:40:00.003+02:00

A couple of weeks ago, wonderful artist, Saundra Lane Galloway, posted a pic of her beloved cat, Shadow. Her heart is still sore after all this time about losing Shadow and she hasn't yet brought herself to paint him, but decided to put Shadow's picture up for others to paint.

Although I am a 'dog' person, I still love all animals, and Shadow looked so sweet lying on the sofa without a care in the world, I decided to have a go. (Go to Saundra's post on the story of Shadow)

It is such a shame that our much loved pets only stay with us for a short time, but maybe they teach us that life is fleeting and to be enjoyed while we can.

A Life Drawing Experience!

2009-07-05T14:37:00.015+02:00

This is one time that I really envy my counterparts in Europe, England and America - the fact that you seem to have so many art teachers and art opportunities that we don't have in our little corner of Africa. But every now and then there is a little glimmer and we need to grab it with both hands.

Over the past four weeks we have had life drawing classes (I couldn't make the first two), but while America was enjoying a July 4th holiday and Europe and the UK were basking in Summer sunshine, we were bundled up, heaters going full blast trying to keep the model, Christina, warm.

The opportunities for classes such as life drawing are limited here and I only know of one or two (private) groups that have models regularly for classes. So for me it was a totally new and wonderful experience, something that I hopefully will repeat in the very near future.

These are sketches from the first Saturday - I haven't yet taken photos of yesterday's class.

25 minute sketch, 5 minute sketch and (lower) 15 minute sketch

55 minute sketch

An Old Guy

2009-06-30T13:31:00.003+02:00

Talk about getting through as the gate closes!

James Parker, that inimitable artist from Texas has his own challenge blog. For the month of June he decided to post 'Wrinklies' and what a wonderful subject! Nothing like the character in those facial lines of old folk, and because I'm heading in that direction, I like the idea of trumpeting those face maps.

But the deadline for sending it to him is TODAY. Luckily I'm quite a few hours ahead of the States, so I should just make it.

From tomorrow he will posting pics of doggies - one of my favourite subjects - check it out.

Here's my June 'Wrinkly' with a bit of a glare from the wet paint.

Two Donkeys

2009-06-28T08:57:00.004+02:00

Four months ago I took a two month break from watercolour painting. That was the last thing I should have done as I am now really struggling with my watercolours.

I love the medium but freely admit that oils are my preferred choice. But the discipline and clarity of watercolours will always attract. As a result I have spent ages on paintings, only to tear them up in frustration. Overworking again and again, even though I know I'm doing it but can't help it!

But if nothing else, I'm stubborn and will persevere until I get better at it. After all, isn't that what art is about?

This comes from a photograph taken in the Baviaanskloof area - there was a handler in the picture, but I just concentrated on the donkeys.

A Dog called Khaya

2009-06-20T10:13:00.003+02:00

Another painting of a young dog from DARG.

Khaya and her companion, were left to fend for themselves and were picked up wandering on the N7 highway just outside Cape Town (the main West Coast Road). Both youngsters, Khaya is a cross Husky Lab, were obviously just dumped as people become less and less able to feed and care for them.

An unusual name, Khaya is the Zulu (and Xhosa) word for 'home'. And the good news is that both Khaya and her "sister", Ujo, have just been adopted. I'm hoping that the new owners will donate to DARG for Khaya's portrait. Fingers crossed!