Muddy colours. Flat. Lifeless. None of the mystery and wonder of the forest. Shadows full of hidden secrets. I used small amounts of Indian yellow to lift the cheek and forehead areas of the painting. Cobalt blue with titanium white was used with the pale grey and a light mixture of Raw Sienna for the highlights around the face. I wasn’t brave enough to add the green and orange elements of the forest across his face as I had contemplated. ‘Oupa’, oil on canvas.

It’s been interesting to hear the response of people to my portraits of the homeless. ‘That is such a good portrait of ‘Peter O’Tool’ (Sinni), or as in the latest portrait of ‘Oupa’, Charles Bronson. 

Hobbling about the place like a GOF, with my Achilles screaming. The blue magic kinesio tape, based on cutting-edge UTube advice, doing its best to ease the pain (unfortunately the cold weather means shorts aren’t an option, so no bragging rights). The first half-marathon I have run in thirty years probably not the wisest decision. Especially along hilly forest roads. Spectacular it was. 

Harbour Town buzzing with cyclists for the annual GR200 MTB. Howling winds giving way to sunshine perfection.

A tad too much wine, easy company and great food. The walk back to the apartment in the chilly evening, necessary. The fire welcome.

A couple of small paintings of sugarbush protea flowers. 

Winter program for Painters/Artists Movies in the studio
21st June

Frida (2002)

A biography of artist Frida Kahlo, who channeled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work (123 mins)
5th July

Herb and Dorothy (2008)

The extraordinary tale of Herb and Dorothy Vogel (he was a postal worker, she was a librarian), a seemingly ordinary couple who filled their humble one-bedroom New York apartment with more than 4,000 works of art over a 45-year period. Filmmaker Megumi Sasaki turns her lens on the Vogels during a critical period of transition for the couple and their cherished collection (91 mins)
19th July

Pollock (2000)

A film about the life and career of American painter Jackson Pollock (122 mins)
2nd August

American Splendor (2003) 

Part biopic and part documentary (the real-life players appear nearly as often as the actors), Paul Giamatti is perfect in his incarnation of angry everyman, and Crumb collaborator Harvey Pekar, whose ranting life observations are the spark for the gritty autobiographical comic book series from which this movie takes its name (101mins)
16th August

Séraphine (2008)

Based on the life of French painter Séraphine de Senlis (125 mins)
6th Sep

Basquiat (1996)

Basquiat tells the story of the meteoric rise of youthful artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Starting out as a street artist… (108 mins)
20th Sep

Surviving Picasso (1996)

The passionate Merchant-Ivory drama tells the story of Francoise Gilot, the only lover of Pablo Picasso who was strong enough to withstand his ferocious cruelty and move on with her life (125 mins)
Free screening – donations welcomed for KAWS

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