‘Lotus’ 150cmx200cm Acrylic and recycled plastic water bottle butterflies on canvas 150cmx200cm Drawing inspiration from the Abstract Impressionist painter, Joan Mitchell and the painting I did of Lotus flowers in Hanoi, Vietnam. Joan Mitchell’s work, Abstract Expressionist and Action painters. Rooted in her emotional response to nature through memories, orchestrating her paintings in energy, mood and emotion. Collisions of colour that are exuberant against the natural,
Japanese Anemones Acrylic on canvas 20cmx20cm Home. A tad stressful, with pilot having to ‘thump’ the plane down in poor visibility and rain. The runway in Jozie, flanked by drifts of pink and white cosmos flowers. A sure sign that autumn is approaching. Painted a million times, I’m always a tad apprehensive about finding something new to say. However, the architectural stem shape and archetypal
Detail from my painting ‘Fish Market’ Oil on cotton 150cmx50cm Hanging in Mum’s house. The glories of a mature Highveld garden, with trees offering shade from the fierce summer sun. A garden where delicate white Japanese Anemone blossoms sparkle against green and grey foliage. Rumbling thunderstorms, overlying the birdsong of wood hoopoe trying to make a hole in the nesting log. Barbets, red chested woodpeckers, grey
‘Plett Dreaming’Oil on canvas 100cmx100cm Beach walk. Or rather, dog play. Colours of the sea, incredible, with small fish playing in the waves. Gave me the chance to reflect on my seascape painting, and sort a few things with the waves that were bothering me Thunder driving Prince to distraction. A new ‘hide’ option from Heather that we will look at. For now, my cold,
‘Dancer’ Oil on Italian linen (35cmx50cm) Increased the tonal contrast of the painting, strengthening the white areas and saturating some of the black bits. Trying hard not to overwork the painting or loose the spontaneous mark-making. Came across a painting I didn’t recall doing a few years ago of Wild Peacock (60cmx60cm), our fabulous deli in Stellenbosch. It’s painted in oil on a cotton canvas
Small elephant painting heading to its new home in Switzerland. Thrilled with the internet sale at this time of limited tourism. Walk up the first part of the Buffalo trail above Belvedere. Hot out, as there is little shade. Prince came back with a gazzilion ticks, so we bathed him in a soothing herbal shampoo to settle his irritated skin and get rid of
Small seascape studies for a Commissioned work, to get the composition right and the basic palette. The boiling sea foam difficult at such small scale. A tonal study in grey. Pushed the wave detail and the sky too far. Cobalt Blue and Burnt Sienna for the grey mix, with a Cobalt Blue and Venice Red an alternate grey. For the sea, I used Green
Thatcher Oil on canvas 60cmx50cm Pula! Rain to start the New Year. I painted this thatcher of our compound during a different lock-down, while I was on Mission with the United Nations in Juba South Sudan, at the start of the civil war in January 2014. We spent, a perfect summer Christmas Day, with a group of ‘foody’ friends and the four Chef’s ensured that we enjoyed
‘Horsing Around’, one of my paintings from Nieu Bethesda Sold and heading to its new home at the Bangladesh Ambassador. Gorgeous summer day, with a touch of rain before the sun turned the estuary into hues of brilliant colour. Fabulous display of summer flowers on the walk around Leisure Island. Heat, the arch enemy of chocolate and keeping the studio cool the new challenge heading
‘MM’ oil on canvas 50cmx60cm, my study of Manet’s painting ‘Before the mirror’, which he painted in 1846, has been included in the SCAVA “Old Masters” exhibition that will open on the 17th November. Mist hanging low over the mountains made for a pretty, if a tad nervy ride. Zero visibility with my glasses coated in mist. Followed Craig’s bright socks hoping that he