Blog

  • Van Wyk’s Vlei Donkey Cart.

    Van Wyk’s Vlei Donkey Cart.

    Donkey Cart and salt bush.
    Donkey Cart in Van Wyk’s Vlei.

    During our Trans Karoo trip in July 2015, we visited Van Wyk’s Vlei in the central karoo. This little scene with the donkey cart, salt bush and sleeping dog,  just needed to be painted ! I decided to paint it for an upcoming exhibition in Burgersdorp in October. So I am using it as the advertisement for the exhibition, on Facebook and elsewhere. Here it is as the Poster. The text has been added digitally, and does not actually appear on the painting, that will be on display at the October Show. Please come and visit if you are in the neighbourhood, in October.

    Donkey cart, exhibition poster.
    Exhibition poster for October 2016, in Burgersdorp.

     

  • EDM 2016, The Everyday in May Challenge.

    EDM 2016, The Everyday in May Challenge.

    In 2015 I took up the “Everyday in May” challenge, and when May 2016 rolled around, I was keen to give it another try. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, and hope you will too; while scrolling through these 31 sketches.

    Un buon caffè italiano.
    Day 1 of the Everyday in May 2016 challenge. EDM 1.
    Portrait of our pianist friend.
    Day 2. Everyday in May challenge 2016. Benjamin visited recently.
    Sunset from my kitchen
    Day 3 of the Every Day in May Challenge 2016. Sunset from my kitchen
    Waxbills, common
    Common Waxbills in my garden yesterday. Love the way they wag their tails like dogs.
    Windmill & Karoo
    Day 5, Everyday in May Challenge 2016. Little Karoo scene north of Bethulie in the Freestate.
    Ginger farm cat.
    Day 6, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little marmalade farm cat.

     

    Shearing sheep.
    Day 7, Everyday in May challenge 2016. One of the two shearers we had last week, to shear a few grown lambs.

     

    Shearing 2
    Day 8, Every day in May challenge 2016,. The second of the 2 shearers that came to shear a few grown lambs.

     

    Farm Fowls
    Day 9, Every day in May Challenge, colourful farm fowls seen recently.
    Colour-in yourself, farm fowls.
    For those who would like to add their own colours, I added this original line drawing.
    Tranquil misty farm view.
    Day 10, Every Day in May 2016, a little misty scene on Silvermere.
    Afrino Ewe
    Day 11, Every Dayin May challenge, sheep portrait from one of our Afrino flock
    Thorn tree, acacia karoo.
    Day 12, Everyday in May Challenge, a detail of one of the Acacias we have on Silvermere.

     

    Eggs & Eggcups.
    Day 13, Everyday in May Challenge, Eggs in three of my favourite old eggcups.

     

    Informal Settlement in Aliwal North
    Day 14, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, The informal settlement on the edge of Aliwal North.
    15th May birthday for John & Chloë
    Day 15, Everyday in May challenge 2016, “Happy Birthday” to Grandpa & Granddaughter who share the 15th May Birthday.

     

    Bible and Dove of the Holy Spirit
    Day 16, Everyday in May challenge 2016, I used a turtle dove and my Bible to illustrate the commemoration of Pentecost.

     

    Autumn Poplar Trees, along the Stormberg Spruit.
    Day 17, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, lovely view of the autumn-leafed trees from the bridge over the Stormberg Spruit.

     

    Young Sable Antelope
    Day 18, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, While taking photos of a herd of Sable Antelope recently, I noticed all the young ones in a group together.
    Autumn poplar beside the road.
    Day 19, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, Autumn trees beside the road at Sonskyn.
    Piet, one of our fencers.
    Day 20, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, We have employed two fencers to make repairs to all the Silvermere fences that have deteriorated.

     

    Jack, the fencer.
    Day 21, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, The second of our two fencers working here since April.

     

    Three Sable.
    Day 22, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, three of the Sable Antelope that I photographed on a neighbouring farm recently.

     

    Farm Buildings, Silvermere
    Day 23, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little view of our farmyard buildings, as seen when driving down our road.
    Old Roses
    Day 24, Everyday in May Challenge 2016. Very few roses left in my autumn rose garden, except these two, in celebration of the start of the Chelsea Flower Show that started today.
    Orphaned Lambs.
    Day 25, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, three of our orphaned lambs.
    Fire on the farms
    Day 26, Everyday in May Challenge, 2016, In 2008 we had a devastating veld fire that burnt some of our veld and our neighbour’s farm too.
    Farm landscape.
    Day 27, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little farm road with gate and windmill, below the dam wall.
    Winter sheep
    Day 28, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little winter scene, from 2014, early in the morning with frosty sheep.
    Karoo Bird, the Whitebrowed Sparrow Weaver.
    Day 29, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, One of my favourite birds that is now nesting in the trees nearby. Such lovely chatty and cheerful characters
    Karoo & rain clouds
    Day 30, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A view of rain falling over the Kramberg mountain, from the Knapdaar to Burgersdorp Road.
    Calligraphy piece.
    Day 31, of the Everyday in May Challenge 2016. Decided to do some calligraphy for this final day of the challenge, with an encouraging message to end off with !
  • At the Foot of the Cross

    At the Foot of the Cross

     

    Calligraphy piece.
    Day 31, of the Everyday in May Challenge 2016. Decided to do some calligraphy for this final day of the challenge, with an encouraging message to end off with !
  • Rain over Kramberg

    Rain over Kramberg

    Karoo & rain clouds
    Day 30, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A view of rain falling over the Kramberg mountain, from the Knapdaar to Burgersdorp Road.
  • Whitebrowed Sparrow-Weaver

    Whitebrowed Sparrow-Weaver

    Karoo Bird, the Whitebrowed Sparrow Weaver.
    Day 29, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, One of my favourite birds that is now nesting in the trees nearby. Such lovely chatty and cheerful characters
  • Frosty Sheep

    Frosty Sheep

    Winter sheep
    Day 28, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little winter scene, from 2014, early in the morning with frosty sheep.
  • Windmill & Gate

    Windmill & Gate

    Farm landscape.
    Day 27, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little farm road with gate and windmill, below the dam wall.
  • Veld Fire

    Veld Fire

    Fire on the farms
    Day 26, Everyday in May Challenge, 2016, In 2008 we had a devastating veld fire that burnt some of our veld and our neighbour’s farm too.
  • Three lambs

    Three lambs

    Orphaned Lambs.
    Day 25, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, three of our orphaned lambs.
  • Two Roses

    Two Roses

    Old Roses
    Day 24, Everyday in May Challenge 2016. Very few roses left in my autumn rose garden, except these two, in celebration of the start of the Chelsea Flower Show that started today.
  • Silvermere Farmyard

    Silvermere Farmyard

    Farm Buildings, Silvermere
    Day 23, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, A little view of our farmyard buildings, as seen when driving down our road.
  • Sable Antelope

    Sable Antelope

    Three Sable.
    Day 22, Everyday in May Challenge 2016, three of the Sable Antelope that I photographed on a neighbouring farm recently.