It has been interesting how this post has evolved from the initial seed of an idea that revolves around my recent interest in blue shadows. Many artists will avoid using green paint straight from the tube, so the challenge is always to depict greens in a painting with subtle mixes of blue, yellow, and a third balancing hue like red, brown or magenta.
Sable Antelope and Marula Tree. 500 x 700 mm Watercolour on Saunders Waterford 300g.
When painting trees, blue is ideal for the shade areas, and balances the effect of sunlight on trees. The French Impressionists skillfully created green by juxtaposing blue and yellow paint to create the illusion of green.
Roosterhoek Farm House. 250 x 350 mm. Watercolour. (Sold)
Meerkat Family, Watercolour & Gouache on Grey Canson Pastel paper. 620 x 430 mm.
‘Meerkat Manor’ on Animal Planet has been my favourite Soap Opera on TV for as long as the series has been running. So you can imagine how delighted I was when our own nomadic family of Meerkats set up home ( for a short while) behind our farm shed. There is a small broken window at the back of the shed, just big enough for my camera lens. I could sit there on the Lucerne bales, with my camera positioned through the hole in the window, and the meerkats were totally oblivious to my presence. So I spent many a happy hour photographing the antics and dramas of our own little meerkat family. It was very entertaining and I am delighted with the good photos I was able to take. There hasn’t been much of an opportunity to really explore them with my paints, but since the pressure of the exhibition is over, I have done a few paintings and sketches. Needless to say many more will follow, but here are the first ones: (more…)
It is a strange coincidence that this post links to the previous one about warthogs. Last Saturday we had just turned on our recently re-erected electric fence around my rose garden when 4 warthogs came into the garden. I had finished pruning, and wanted to protect the new spring shoots on the roses. We have duiker and steenbuck that enjoy eating the roses.
Warthogs baffled by the electric fence!
The warthogs were most frustrated by the electric fence, and tried in vain to find a way in to the roses. It was most amusing and a great relief that the fence served its intended purpose.
“But he that dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose.” -Anne Bronte
At the time of pruning I was also painting roses, from the many photographs taken over the past couple of years. It was the first time I have painted an oil of these roses. The previous oil which was painted in 2004; when we renovated our kitchen, was painted from old roses in books. It hangs over the hearth in the kitchen, and is not for sale.
My Kitchen Roses oil painting, 2004
“Beauty without virtue is like a rose without scent.” (more…)
I love the word, ‘serendipity’ as I am sure those who love words will agree! It is a word that trickles off the tongue with such delightful playfulness that I felt inspired to use it in today’s post. There are many meanings, including ‘chance’ and ‘coincidence’. ‘Synchronicity’ may describe this happen stance better, it means ; – ‘unlikely occurrences that take place by random chance’.
I have just completed two orders heading for the USA, and both contain Zebras. As I don’t paint Zebras very often so this could well be a case of “synchronicity” or “serendipity”.
As commissions do not appear in my gallery, on the painting website ( www.africanpainting.com) I thought you may be interested to see them before they depart for America.
“Whether we name divine presence (God’s Presence) synchronicity, serendipity, or graced moment matters little. What matters is the reality that our hearts have been understood. Nothing is as real as a healthy dose of magic which restores our spirits.”
Nancy Long (Quote :2504)
Synchronicity is choreographed by a great, pervasive intelligence that lies at the heart of nature,(God) and is manifest in each of us through what we call the soul.
This last week my husband, John, discovered that the Aloe Broomii which grow on one particular hillside on the farm, were suddenly being stripped, defoliated and killed. Over the years the colony of aloes have increased dramatically on this particular hill, and have been a stunning sea of golden spires in the flowering season. Now about 80% of the colony has been eaten by porcupines, which is so sad! While on the subject, I found some porcupine quills lately and enjoyed studying their variations with paint. How intricate and curious are the patterns and form to be found in both the Porcupine quills and the Aloes.
