Diary of an Adventure

Harbour Town Adventures

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Carefully, the composition takes shape on the canvas. First lines. Dabs. Smears. Paint starting to give the painting form. Composition too far left!


Grateful for the support of clients in the studio. Particularly at this time of turmoil. Studio, quiet. In sharp contrast to the chaos unfolding at supermarkets. And we have free wine! The world has gone crazy.


Yet we have our emergency insulin, dog food, Nespresso and wine.


Mountain bike magic. Fabulous ride through Homtini Pass. Mist banks, cuddling the trees in the early morning. River, gurgling with glee as the sun probes it’s mysterious coloured depths.


Chef Hirsch outdid himself with a dinner that had delicious steak tartare, stuffed aubergine rolls with Labneh and chorizo hummus, followed by a baked sea bass main dish.

All this after slashing his thumb and dealing with an errand recipe book that kept flipping between pages, creating Disneyesque mayhem.


Seems like our Viennese Regulator has the virus. No amount of adjusting will keep its pendulum moving. While its chiming will not be missed by some, the absence of its rhythmical beat feels like the heart of the apartment has stopped.

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Diary of an Adventure

Harbour Town Adventures

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’Palette Leftovers’

Acrylic on canvas 70cmx200cm

Marathon day. Singing and dancing supporters turning it into a street party, which Prince didn’t appreciate. Especially after another night of lightning storms.

The cheese-based crust (using a different recipe) for the Beef Wellington didn’t hold its shape in the Kamado Jan, resulting in a sort of mush. Fortunately, it still tasted great, but I think that had more to do with the foie-gras than anything I did. Terry did an Otto Linghi avo based salad that was simply scrumptious, served with grilled tomatoes that used a gazillion herbs. A burst of colour and flavour.

The Knysna Literary Festival provided it’s mix of weird, thought provoking, and inspiring talks.

Shoulder, doing it’s ’click-and-grind’ after the ride to Buffel’s, on a fabulous morning. Fortunate that my front tyre expired at the top of the hill and not during the decent. Two new tyres needed as both wheels now have punctures where the plugs aren’t holding.

Decided to change the tyres myself as taking it to the bike shop for something so trivial seemed unnecessary. Tyres arrived and I hit the first problem as the tyre tape on the one wheel was damaged and needed to be changed. Thisi also required a new valve, none of which I have. While the wheel was in to have that sorted, I did the other wheel. My shoulder not enjoying the strain of getting the tyre onto the rim, and neither did my hands.

The second wheel was even tougher and despite pumping like a maniac, I couldn’t get the tyre to sit properly on the rim. A visit to the garage provided the necessary oomph, however, the tyre was leaking at the new valve. Enough.

Not the cleverest thing to chose to do when I need my hands to paint with, not bruise them changing bicycle tyres.

Sunrise outer Thesen Island loop 7km run with the high tide next to us. Quite spectacular.

Diary of an Adventure

Jozie Adventures

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A few small paintings of Knysna seahorses, with the residue paint being applied to my canvas ’Palette Leftovers’.


Airport eerily quiet. No frantic queues through security, chairs available in the departure lounge and an absence of aircraft on the apron. The shrinking of SAA’s domestic routes culling planes, and the slowdown in international travel as the world deals with coronavirus. This before the first reported case in South Africa.
Sunrise, noticeably later and cooler, making for glorious running and cycling. Conscious of the lingering effects of my cold, as evident from my still whacky blood sugars, ensuring I don’t do anything crazy.

Buonissimo! For an age, Buonissimo was our our restaurant, coffee stop, fun stop, cheese cake and carrot cake stop, when visiting Mum and Dad in Modderfontein.


At some point, the small village centre was destroyed to provide space for another shopping centre, and Buonissimo was relegated to a hole-in-the-wall at the new service station. There were advantages, as you could get great coffee at 7 in the morning!


Fortunately, they have transitioned into the new Flamingo Vlei shopping centre, and while not the intimate village restaurant, there is still that something uniquely Italian. Great food, attentive service an an interesting wine list made for a relaxed, enjoyable evening. The ’Salto’ (beef strips with Parmigiano shavings and rocket) was tasty and the Scaloppini (beef cutlets with provolone cheese and white wine) was delicious. An unusual tasting sangiovese from Koelenhof added that element of mystery.

Knysna Seahorse

Acrylic on canvas 20cmx20cm

Diary of an Adventure

Harbour Town Adventures

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‘Etosha Study’, painted as a demonstration at the Greyton Art Walk, on a wet summers day. Thrilled with the ostriches that are full of movement and simplicity.
Boulilli de boeuf. A variation on the beef short-rub, served with a spoonful of sauce vert. Despite being packed with flavour and impossibly rich, a tad underwhelming. Strawberry Fields from Graceland, mouth watering.
The aubergine tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil and ricotta stack that Clare made, delicious.
Tourists. Sunshine. Sparkling water. Yachts, paddle steamer and ferries. Blazing sunsets. Owls chicks, yelling. Seagulls screeching. Summer days hurtling towards the holiday season.
With the underpainting dry, and the composition on the canvas, the painting of ‘Etosha’ is in its initial steps. Not sure that the lower part of the canvas isn’t too neglected in terms of where the animals are positioned.  However, I’m pleased with the rough texture that contrasts with the paired-back sky. 
Running legs working hard and as my average pace has moved beyond the 5:30/km I have transitioned from shuffler into the jogger, runner zone. The 5:00/km being the next transition from jogger to runner. At least, in my head! This while staying injury free and managing the mountain biking within the pain threshold of my recovering collar bone. 
Diary of an Adventure

Harbour Town Adventures

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Beach walk at Sedgefield before a quick stop at the market for blue skies organic salt. Studio busy with holiday tourists and the canvas for the Etosha commission on the easel. An underpainting of two blue-grey mixtures. Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber, as well as Cobalt Blue and Burnt Sienna. Dashes of Cerulean Blue adding depth.

Fabulous dinner. J9. Chef Coreta. Amuse-bouche of Chev, melon, Parma ham and dill served with Ghost Corner Bowline. Grilled halloumi, roast tomatoes, on a bed of butter lettuce served with ‘Courageous’, dry land barrel fermented Chenin as the starter and a main of Kingklip, pancetta, Parmesan, dill in a Champagne and cream sauce. a selection of wine that included Colmont MCC, Miss Lucy, Radford Dale Chardonnay,  Driehoek, Oak Valley and Newton Johnson Family Vineyard Pinot Noir. Tarte au Chocolate as a dessert served with Doran Vineyard Shiraz. 

Via’s are hosting my art and painting demonstration as part of the Greyton Art Walk. I have a collection of my small paintings, as well as a few of the silk scarf wearable art range for something different.

‘The Walk the Experience’ gives access to various artists studios and homes, providing insight into working methods, techniques and inspiration.
My early run took me out onto the trails through the hills outside the Village. Taxing in the extreme!
Diary of an Adventure

Harbour Town Adventures

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‘Leisure Walk’, a small painting in the series of paintings I’m doing for the Greyton Art Walk. Hijacked by Terry for her desk. ‘Forest Elephant’ the most challenging.
Slow grilled beef short rib, on the Kamado Jan, while tasty,  not fantabulous. Even with the button mushrooms and bacon, Gordon Ramsey assistance. Mistakingly having the short-rib sliced into strips didn’t help,as they cooked too quickly, without any of the anticipated  impressive sauce.
Phantom pass. Crossing the Red Bridge. Shoulder, cracking and popping as it settles into the abuse of off-road riding. Glad for the grading of the roads to reduce the corrugations. Confidence stretched, brakes working hard, on the way down.
Blood sugars struggling to handle the running, cycling and that tad too much wine. Inevitable with the World Cup rugby euphoria at J9, and Craig’s fabulous wine cellar.

Leisure Walk

Acrylic on canvas 20cmx20cm

Diary of an Adventure

Gallery Adventure

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‘Why Should I Hesitate: Putting Drawings to Work’, the William Kentridge exhibitions At the Zeitz MOCAA
Of particular significance for me, the inclusion of his studio practice within the exhibition was fascinating and how the video’s of his works have been developed into the stories that, while profoundly disturbing, capture his whirling mind within the environment that directs his creative process. 
‘The studio is central. It is the space in which we discover who we are, through the process of making.’
William Kentridge
Senses overloaded by the visuals that if not dramatic enough in black and white, with streaks of red, screamed at you through the large megaphones. Both those depicted visually and those blasting sound within the installations. Ramming his message home in a ‘deaf’ world?
I was glad to come out into the sunshine and a glass of wine! 
Why Should I Hesitate: Sculpture, at the Norval Foundation. 
Clever. Bizarre. Disturbing. Fantastical. Noise. His signature megaphones, less of ‘His Master’s Voice’ but rather those used to cower through blasted propaganda.
I do wonder how the new propaganda tool, social media that seeks to manipulate messaging that ferments division and hatred will be depicted in the art of the future? 
If nothing, a headache is certain.
The sculptures in Rebus are playful and intriguing as they transform from a simple edge into different shapes depending on how they are viewed. Guess much like the truth of anything. Light playing it’s own role in resolving the puzzle of the logical and illogical.
I couldn’t connect the massive sculptures in the main gallery to the vista through the windows to the mountains. It seems unlikely that the sculptures were randomly placed, without taking the movement of sunlight and the backdrop into account. 
Senses beaten into submission?
Silhouette figures in cut out steel, Solid Shadows at the entrance evoke the same feelings I experienced walking through an abandoned steel mill, or mine. Casting shadows of past glory, they remain hunks of black steel, against blue skies.
Diary of an Adventure

Gallery Adventure

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‘Why Should I Hesitate: Putting Drawings to Work’, the William Kentridge exhibitions At the Zeitz MOCAA
Of particular significance for me, the inclusion of his studio practice within the exhibition was fascinating and how the video’s of his works have been developed into the stories that, while profoundly disturbing, capture his whirling mind within the environment that directs his creative process. 
‘The studio is central. It is the space in which we discover who we are, through the process of making.’
William Kentridge
Senses overloaded by the visuals that if not dramatic enough in black and white, with streaks of red, screamed at you through the large megaphones. Both those depicted visually and those blasting sound within the installations. Ramming his message home in a ‘deaf’ world?
I was glad to come out into the sunshine and a glass of wine! 
Why Should I Hesitate: Sculpture, at the Norval Foundation. 
Clever. Bizarre. Disturbing. Fantastical. Noise. His signature megaphones, less of ‘His Master’s Voice’ but rather those used to cower through blasted propaganda.
I do wonder how the new propaganda tool, social media that seeks to manipulate messaging that ferments division and hatred will be depicted in the art of the future? 
If nothing, a headache is certain.
The sculptures in Rebus are playful and intriguing as they transform from a simple edge into different shapes depending on how they are viewed. Guess much like the truth of anything. Light playing it’s own role in resolving the puzzle of the logical and illogical.
I couldn’t connect the massive sculptures in the main gallery to the vista through the windows to the mountains. It seems unlikely that the sculptures were randomly placed, without taking the movement of sunlight and the backdrop into account. 
Senses beaten into submission?
Silhouette figures in cut out steel, Solid Shadows at the entrance evoke the same feelings I experienced walking through an abandoned steel mill, or mine. Casting shadows of past glory, they remain hunks of black steel, against blue skies.
Diary of an Adventure

Harbour Town Adventures

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Small Cape-sugarbird painting and two new scarf designs based on the Irises and Foxgloves and the abstract seascape from Pringle Bay. Hours grappling with the enforced software changes as Apple eliminate third party software.

Buffel’s dune walk, beach and graffiti. Calf muscles a tad unhappy with the soft sand and steps. Not nearly as unhappy as my bum muscles after their first ride back on my mountain bike! Clavicle complaining at the abuse of the short Red-bridge, White-bridge loop through old Belvedere. 
Studio worked well for an intimate dinner at the long-table. Great weather helped.
Howling winds, and patches of rain. Perfect weather for a Boeuf bourguignon. That Julia Child favourite, but using the recipe from Plate that has the beef marinaded overnight and cooked on the bone. Not the prettiest of dishes, it was delicious. Served with a rich sweet-potato gratin and green beans, not forgetting the compulsory crusty bread for the sauce. 221 Cuve from Alvis Drift worked fabulously.
Diary of an Adventure

Harbour Town Adventures

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Studio busy with tourists and a new banner up against the black of the building site next door giving some visibility for the studio. 

A small painting of Cape Sugarbird, and two canvases prepared for the Greyton Art Walk next month. I will be painting there for a couple of days and need the canvases dry enough to travel. 

Resupply of paint a tad extreme. Cyan, an unknown ‘primary’ colour. Both in acrylic and oil paint. 

Axe Hill Machado, the Portuguese word for ‘axe’. 35% Souzão, 30% Touriga Nacional plus dashes of Shiraz and Tinta Barocca from Carlitzdorp is big, generous and chewy. Not quite the wine I would have chosen for a hot summer afternoon. However, it pushed the sun into the shadows and with a rich gorgonzola couldn’t be faulted.
Mountain bike back from its service With new cycling shorts to add that extra layer of bum-protection, I’m hoping that my collar-bone won’t protest too much.
Great to see the paddle steamer back at its mooring, after almost submerging earlier in the year. Summer sunsets wouldn’t be the same without the paddle steamer crossing in front of the apartment.
Blood sugars settling back to less scary levels.