Category: Plein-air painting.
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A little Plein-Air sketching with John, August 2019. Silvermere.
Spring water flows down through the dense thicket of Acacia Karoo thorn trees. Silvermere. Plein-air sketching out with John. Lovely view, plein-air sketching with John and Carole. Looking towards Spitskop and the Freestate hills in the distance. Plein-air sketching with John, Silvermere. The old fowl run next-door. Plein-air sketching with John in the road at the fountain, Spring water flowing across the road despite the lack of rain on Silvermere. Silvermere. The bringing-in and feeding of two big flocks of ewes and lambs in the evening, is a regular evening ritual, to keep the lambs safe from predators like Jackals and Lynx. -
Plein-Air painting with John, 2018 Christmas Holiday.
Starlit sky, Silvermere. 
Garden Bench 
Guineafowl Kop, Silvermere 
View of the Broken Dam, Silvermere. 
Early morning shadows, Silvermere 
Silvermere, as seen from the dam. 
Plein-air sketching in our new Gazebo, Silvermere. -
Our Fabulous Scotland Holiday
Although I have never been overseas, John went to Europe for a year when he left school. So this was the first ‘out of Africa’ trip for me.
We decided to take the plunge, when our son, Charles and his wife Janet, had their first baby, beautiful Kayla Skye, in Edinburgh earlier this year. So armed with a new camera and high expectations we left for Scotland early in September.
The new camera worked really hard and produced a wonderful collection of over 7000 photos! But, just once in a while, I took the odd opportunity to do a few on-site sketches.
View from Charles & Jan’s flat, looking towards Carlton Hill, Edinburgh. 
Sheep grazing near Dunrobin Castle, NE. Coast, Scotland. 
The quaint harbour in Cromarty, on the Black Isle, near Inverness. 
Three ewes resting beside Loch Ewe on the NW coast of Scotland. I was so inspired to paint when we got back that I picked out three favourites, to do more detailed watercolour paintings. There are others that I would like to try, but as the festive season is drawing near, I decided to stop with this little selection. It gives you a sample of the delights we found in the beautiful land of fat sheep, rolling green fields, bagpipes and tartan.
And once in a while a little rain was such a treat for us drought-hardened karoo folk!
These are the watercolours, painted since our return:
Lindisfarne Priory ruins on Holy Island, off the NE. coast of England. (A one-day-bus tour took us south to England ) 295 x 420 mm. 
: Beautiful misty scene on Loch Broom, at Ullapool. NW. coast ,Scotland. 710 x 520 mm. 
Two shaggy Highland Coos, on the Black Isle, near Inverness. 700 x 510 mm. -
The Christmas 2012 Painting Challenge.
John and I could not resist the temptation to take on another painting-a-day challenge when he came home for the Christmas holidays. It was perhaps even more challenging to find scenery or subjects that we had not done last year. So, even though this Christmas threw in some extra complications, like a new granddaughter, which meant that there was not always time to fit in a painting session each day for me; but John did succeed in his aim to do a painting a day. Here are the sketches from the 15 days of the challenge. All of mine are 400 x 320 mm. which is close to the standard A3 format.
Day 1.—- 21 Dec.2012 Behind the workshop. We painted different scenes while still sitting next to each other. The resident Ground Squirrels were so curious that they came to see if they could find anything to eat in the basket next to my chair ! John’s pen & ink drawing is on the left and mine is on the right.
Day 2. —- 22 Dec.2012. The old fowl run behind the house. This time we did the same scene. John in pen & ink is the top picture. Mine is below.
Day 3.— 23 Dec 2012. Sketching in a small patch of shade near the garage. We chose different subjects: John, the bell and tree that I have painted before, and I chose to sketch the lambs that were also squeezing into the same patch of shade, on the other side of the gate. It was fun to stick to a black & white pencil study, with a grey wash background.
Day 4 & 5. — 24 Dec 2012. Christmas Eve was a particularly busy day for me, so John sketched alone,… the bicycle under the gum tree. His is the top sketch on the left. Whereas, on Day 5, Christmas Day, I was free to sketch the bicycle scene. John then turned his attention beyond the tree to the road that leads to the grid. He painted that scene in oils.
Day 6.—26 Dec.2012. Sketching at Excelsior. While John concentrated on one of the gum trees, I was more fascinated by the cattle under the gums.
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As my delightful little granddaugter and her parents were leaving for their seaside holiday on the 29th, I decided to give up sketching and spend more time with Sue and Chloë.
Day 7, 8 & 9. —-27 – 29 Dec 2012. The warthog skull and other scenes. While I spent time with Chloë & Sue, John painted the scenes top left, and the pen & ink of the warthog skull, bottom right. Then on Day 9 when Sue’s family had left, John and I sat together and did the other 2 sketches. I liked the skull but decided to put it onto a chair in the gardern where we sat. John chose the scene of the two store room doors and window.
Day 10. —30 Dec.2012. Old Wildebeeshoek shed. This is on our neighbour’s farm and was great fun to do. Below is a picture of the two of us painting the scene.
Day 11.— 31 Dec 2012. New Year’s Eve. Dairy session. The quest to find a shady spot always dictates the subject of our painting during the HOT, HOT days of summer. We found a little patch of shade between the stable building and the dairy. We could not sit side by side because it is a narrow passageway, so we sat with our backs to each other facing in opposite directions. John did the series of 4 gates, and I did the blue door of the Old Dairy.
Day 12 .— 1 Jan.2013. New Year’s Day. The Front Steps. John’s is the top sketch.
Day 13. — 2 Jan 2013. I put too much detail into the “On the Steps” picture that it got too late and the light was poor, so I had to finish the next day. While I did that, John did a lovely spontaneous sketch of the fountain.
Day 14. —3 Jan 2013. Old tyres and the view North. We sat together again, but did not paint the same scene. We were under the big gum trees near the Pig-sties. John chose to isolate a pile of tyres nearby, in oils ( top picture); and I chose the far scene beyond.
Day 15. — 4 Jan 2013. The Fountain Gate. Our last day of the challenge! Although we chose the same scene, I particularly wanted to concentrate on the cypress tree, so eliminated the tree that was close to the gate. It is called, ‘artistic licence’ I think. That is why our scenes look different. John’s in oil, is at the top.
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A few plein-air sketches with John
Road over the ridge. Watercolour and pen & ink. 370 x 280 mm. During John’s recent visit to the farm, we went out sketching on a few occasions. However, I was understandably distracted by my new grand-daughter, Chloë !
John spent more time on his plein-air studies, all of which they turned out really well. For those who can access our Facebook page, they can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/africanpainting?sk=wall
Shed and stable sketch. Watercolour. 370 x 280 mm.
Through the gate sketch. Watercolour. 370 x 280 mm -
The Christmas 2011 Painting-a-Day Challenge.
When John came home for the Christmas holiday on the 21st December, we decided to try and do one plein-air painting each day during the holidays. It was sometimes difficult to find the time with all the busy organization around Christmas but we managed to achieve it pretty successfully. I think there was one day, that was just too busy, for me to go out with John, so he did 2 sessions on that day, alone. It was a really enjoyable experience! I will add the paintings in the order of the days of the challenge, and please note that my paintings are on the left, while John’s are on the right: –
Day 1. 22 Dec. The Garden Artichoke in flower.
Artichoke in flower. Day 2. 23 Dec. These are both John’s paintings. Pen and ink and watercolour.
John's ink and watercolour drawings of a poplar tree, and an agave. Day 3. 24 Dec. A scene facing north, from the road outside my studio. A nice shady spot to sit.
Day 3. View north to the ploughed land in front of the house. Day 4. 25 Dec. Christmas Day. A very windy day made this a challenging task. The old pepper tree leaning against the pig-stys.
Day 4. Windy Christmas day. The old pepper tree. Day 5. 26 Dec. Boxing Day. We took the truck to a spot at the entrance to our farm. It was also windy there, but such a beautiful view down the valley towards Spitskop and the distant Freestate hills.
Day 5. View down the valley to Spitskop. Day 6. 27 Dec. Went to Excelsior, a distant part of the farm, for a lunch braai (barbeque). We painted from the same place but chose different scenes.
Day 6. Excelsior braai, two different tree studies. Day 7. 28 Dec. Painting in the big shed. The old wool scale etc. A nice change from the endless green vistas.
Day 7. The old wool scale in the shed. Day 8. 29 Dec. Took the truck again, up to the little dam where reeds grow and the bird-life is fantastic. We were serenaded by a variety of water fowl and nesting weavers. We even had a Leguaan pass by. We managed to find a small spot on the dam wall, in the shade of a white stinkwood tree.
Day 8. The little dam with reeds and birds. Day 9. 30 Dec. Painted in the farmyard near the shed. We were well attended by many curious sheep, who investigated all our painting equipment, and sought shade under my painting table.
Day 9. Farmyard near the big shed. Day 10. 31 Dec. Took the truck up to the fountain. A small lush area where a spring occurs naturally and there are many trees, long grass and reeds. It was a beautiful quiet spot. We both planned to paint the dead tree in front of us, as a contrast to the background. John worked on the dead tree and ran out of time, so he gave an impressionist view of the background. I started on the background and the detail took up all my time leaving me no time for the dead tree !
Day 10. The lush fountain view. Day 11. New Year’s Day. 2012. In the shade of 2 ample gum trees, we sat, to draw the scene facing east. However we chose a slightly different aspect so the only element that we have in common, was the orangey soil of the potato land in the foreground.
Day 11. The Potato land and beyond. Day 12. 2 January. Painting in the shady north doorway of the big shed, facing north. John started on the sheep lying just infront of us, which soon moved away, so his first attempt remained a simple tinted drawing. I avoided the sheep and concentrated on the scene beyond. John then turned slightly and did a nice pen, ink and wash view of the garage and store room. No oils on that day.
Day 12. Veiw north-from-shed's doorway. Day 13. 3 January. Our last official day of painting. We went to a spot in the shade of the pig-stys, and painted the Agave aloes on the end of the dam wall. The curious sheep came visiting once again.
Day 13. Agaves on the Dam wall. Most of John’s paintings were done in oils whereas mine were all watercolour. You may like to go across and visit John’s Blog for more of his beautiful work, and his own interpretation of the challenge. He managed to fit in 3 extra pictures when I was busy with cooking and other chores, here are they are:
John's extra paintings. Here are a few photos taken during the daily outings:
Day 8.Our little patch of shade. 
Day 7. John working on one of his extra paintings. 
Day 6. the Braai site with husband, John doing the cooking. 
- Day 9. One curious sheep !
Day 10. Our beautiful lush spot at the fountain.
