Oil on canvas, Line Art, painting with my finger painting technique challenging. My latest interpretation using my fingers to form ridges of white paint, creating lines on a white background. Light, the only differentiating factor. Stunning days after the storms, made for picnic’s, braai’s, beach walks, trail runs, forest rides and Border Collie mayhem. Fires at night to push back the winter chill monsters
To celebrate Bastille Day and surviving the Tour de France, Keto Gougères (cheese balls). A tad fiddly to make, but moreish! Concept pieces looking at different aspects of Line Art to create Abstract Paintings. While much of Line Art is around the ‘flow’ of lines, without interruption and using the thickness of the line to add depth or weight to the composition. Yayoi Kusama
Finished my painting of Spring in Central Park. ‘Don’t hide from the storm, but learn to dance in the rain’, seems even more poignant at this time of unease and craziness. Forest Marathon weekend. Under COVID Lockdown, there was still a vibrancy in the air with runners spread through the town and Forest. Weather stunning, for beach walks, if chilly, before the storms roar
A painting I did in Afghanistan, of boys walking down the street outside our house. (Street 5, House No 77, Apartment 2, Ansari Watte, Shari-e-Now District) ‘Kabul Balloons’, oil on canvas board 36cmx46cm received a Special Recognition for ‘Outstanding Art’, at the ‘555’ Special Art Exhibition. Selected from 1,437 entries from 31 different countries. The towers in my painting of Central Park, are the
While we adjust to the increased Lockdown, the sea thunders with the onset of the latest storms. Grateful for our fire! And that extra glass of red wine. Stretching canvas, not my best. However, with a bit of effort, I have a new canvas waiting. During my time in New York City, I admired the artists painting various aspects of Central Park, without the confidence
ArcherOil on canvas 20cmx30cmCommissioned work, alongside the ‘Fly Fisherman’. Fragmented strokes to create a sense of volume, while minimizing detail and focusing on the poise and strength of the archer. Core muscles pounded to mush on the Buffs trail ride. While not technical, still demanding through soft sand and the ride along the railway line section. Spectacular it is, Early sunshine on the breaking
Fly Fisherman Oil on canvas 20cmx30cm I used a light application of translucent Raw Sienna (Winsor&Newton) to add depth to the water, before adding the light ripples to complete the painting. Rillettes de Canard. Delicious. Served with Steenberg MCC, and Pinot Noir. Perfect. Rillettes (Ree-Etts) in which seasoned cooked meat, or fish, is shredded and combined with fat into a soft pate. Served at room temperature, spread
‘Archer’, a companion painting to ‘Fly Fisherman’. I used the same Naples Yellow underpainting and the grey mixture of Cobalt Blue and Burnt Sienna. However, the painting approach and feel for the painting is very different. Beach walk on a stunning, sun-filled day. J9 for Coreta’s Marsala braaied chops, served with a touch of boerie, curried cauliflower, creamed spinach and oodles of green salad. After
Forest Walk Oil on canvas 120cmx90cm Circles-in-the-Forest walk. The perfect antidote to hospital. The hum, slither and manipulation of electronics that turn the body into a series of dark and light. Abstract tracts of wood worm on an ancient tree, leasing to the vault of blue. A touch of rain, magical. The world asleep under its grey blanket, lulled by the waves breaking on the beach.
My recycled plastic water bottle butterflies on canvas artwork ‘Rhenosterveld’ can be viewed at the ‘Coming Home’ exhibition at the Imibala Gallery in Graaff-Reinet. Clear and cold after the storms for my run up Welbedacht hill. I certainly need calf compression socks to ease into the cooler weather. The wonder of a fire, with baked Brie in its ceramic container, before slow roasted lamb, served