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.
21 comments:
Wow, Liz! I think each of these is fabulous, truly! You've captured that perfect mountain color in the first painting; a color I keep trying to figure out when seeing mountains in the distance. I love the strawberry fields painting too. I think my favorite is the sunflower though...There is just something so pretty, so perfect about it!
The cricket does interfere rather, doesn't it, but you've managed to do some fabulous work in spite of the test match Liz! Well done for getting out en plein air - I love the Oude Molen painting, there is something very lively and spontaneous about it - the blues and greens in the mountain one are gorgeous, and very reminiscent to me of the fairest Cape.
wonderful paintings!! great colors!!!!
thanks for stopping by my blog.. wanted to stop by and wish you a wonderful holiday season!! happy painting!!
Hi there Liz. I can't relate to your problem with cricket :-) but can relate to the plein air "accesories". Namely maximum SPF sun screen.
BUT, your outdoor trips are worth it! Your subjects and your interpretations are really well done.
Happy holidays from
Ken B.
wonderful liz
so pleased to see you doing this
these paintings have so much character,that mountain is very impresive,very strong
Beautifully done Liz! The mountain looks fabulous in oils. All three are beautiful, but I think the Oude Molen is my favourite. I'm leaving the plein air thing till it cools off again.
Gosh Autumn Leaves, sometimes I think you don't sleep - it's always such a joy to read your comments, thank you so much. Our mountain is blue with a bit of red - it's really beautiful when the table cloth comes over it and the sunflower is the only watercolour! How about that!
Hi Cathy - yes, have to get up early to get some painting done with the cricket on! And today promises to be very exciting!! Thank you for your lovely words - so appreciated coming from you who so fantastically portrays slices of South African life.
Thanks for visiting Cindi - I always enjoy your work and hope you also have a great Festive Season.
Ah Ken, I'm going to have to introduce you to the game of cricket! But I guess unless you're brought up with it, you may never catch the nuances of a great game. This explanation I included in one of my earlier posts -
The Famous Tea Towel Explanation of Cricket.
You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out. When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out.
When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in. There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out. When both sides have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game.
HOWZAT!
Thank you Rob, you are very inspiring!
I can just imagine how hot it is your way Maree! Thank you for saying such nice things about my plein air efforts.
Lovely watercolors Liz. I am inspired by your art.
Maybe those watercolors of mine with be used soon.
Plein air will have to wait for warmer temps around here.
Nice ones and all the best for future "outdoors"
Very nice !!
nice works Liz...it s really inspiring me to paint more when i visit the blogs like yours..
thank you ...enjoy painting!
[thank you so much for the visit to my page!]
Wow Liz! Painting plein air is very challenging and you've done a nice job!
That sounds great liz. I cant think of anything more idylic, going out with a group of artists to do some plein air painting in the warm summer sun!
Not like that at all here in the UK at the moment!
Looks good!..like the blues!
Thank you so much Peggy - I'm getting used to this outdoor stuff!
Hi Ajay - perseverance! I was out in the sun yesterday again! How's that!
Wow Liliana, have just gone through your work and it is terrific, even though I couldn't understand the words. Thank you so much for visiting me and I hope you put a friends panel up, so I (and others) can visit regularly!
Hi Jasy, thank you so much - it's comments like yours that inspire me!
Never a truer word Ramesh! It was seriously challenging yesterday in the wind - the painting is full of sand - but I've been told, that's all part of the painting process!!
Thank you for the visit Ed, but believe me, the sun was hot, not warm! From all the Northern Hemisphere art, it looks freezing! Love your work and I will be visiting your blog regularly.
Love the cottage Liz, I can only imagine what it would be like to sit among the strawberries in the sunshine and paint, it almost sounds like a poem! happy holidays from across the pond!!! xoxox
This is lovely and inspirational, Liz!
I'm still wrestling with my commission (lion's head and part of table mt. in the background). It's fascinating to see your real life painting of Table Mt.!
Hi there Nancy and thank you! And hope you have a great Christmas as well.
So nice to hear from you Liz. Are you putting TM in your commissioned painting? I hope you post it when it's finished!
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