Barbara Philip

Tag: wildlife

  • A few more random sketches.

    A few more random sketches.

    Three little pigs
    Warthog piglets in the garden
    Little field mouse
    Striped Field Mouse. Rhabdomys pumilio
    White flowering cactus, Silvermere
    Golden torch, (white) torch cactus or golden column.
    Echinopsis spachiana
    T'shirt & sheep
    Sheep T’shirt for a Christmas gift 2018
  • An Elephant order.

    An Elephant order.

    One of my good clients recently ordered this elephant painting, to commemorate his son who had passed away.

    Elephant bull.
    Bull Elephant
  • EDM. Every Day in May challenge, 2018

    EDM. Every Day in May challenge, 2018

    Cape robin-chat, eating cheese.
    Robin eating cheese, Cape robin-chat, Cossypha caffra
    Dirt road with puddles on the farm
    Silvermere farm road after rain
    Blue Lavender, Plumbago & Rosemary.
    Blue flowers in my garden. Lavender, Plumbago & Rosemary.
    Mountain Reedbuck, Mpumalanga
    Mountain Reedbuck, (Redunca Fulvorufula) on a misty & rainy day on Buffelskloof Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga.
    Acacia by the roadside. A.Sieberiana. Road to Groblersdal.
    Tree by the roadside. Acacia Sieberiana.
    Portrait of our son, John.
    Portrait of John on his Birthday
    Balearica regulorum, Grey Crowned Crane,
    Grey Crowned Crane, Balearica regulorum,
    Fence and gate on the ridge
    Gate on the Hill
    The Reds of autumn in my garden.
    Autumn fruits and leaves. Tomatoes, Chillis, Rose-hips & Leaves of the Virginia Creeper.
    Karoo farm with single sheep
    Lone sheep in Karoo Veld
    Road through the pine Forest, Buffelskloof,
    Buffelskloof Pine Forest. Mpumalanga
    Portrait of Tony Fitt.
    Remembering dear Uncle Tony Fitt
    Tea-set, Blue, Mother's Day, Remembering my Mum.
    Mum’s Blue Tea-set, Mother’s Day.
    Farm sunset, with puddle reflections.
    Silvermere Sunset and puddles after rain
    Portrait of John & Chloë
    Chloë and John’s Birthday Portrait. Grand daughter and Grandpa sharing a tender moment.
    Pregnant Ewe
    Expectant Ewe, lambing season, Silvermere.
    Sagittarius serpentarius, 'The archer of snakes'
    Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius
    Eucalyptus tree and shadows on farm road.
    Farm Road with Gumtree shadows
    Cat portraits, of my Brother's cats.
    Mana & Rufus, my brother’s cats.
    Pentecost Journal Page
    The Doves of Pentecost
    Windmill and farm track. Karoo
    Karoo, Road through Veld to the Windmill.
    Old Farm Boots. Sketchbook
    Sketchbook, Old Farm Boots
    Floral wallpaper.
    Commemorating Chelsea Flower Show 2018. Floral wallpaper. On homemade paper.
    Orphan Lambs
    Hansie Lambs, Orphans.
    Houses on the street, Burgersdorp
    The forgotten houses on Buitekant St. Burgersdorp
    White-breasted Cormorant. Phalacrocorax lucidus
    White-breasted Cormorant, drying his wings, Loch Logan, Bloemfontein.
    Farm dam at sunset
    Sunset over Farm Dam. Silvermere
    Farm windmill repairs.
    Windmill Repairs, on Silvermere
    Guinea Fowl at feed time
    Feeding Guinea Fowl
    Pretty mama cow and calf
    Clown-faced cow and calf
    Windmill in Kalahari veld
    Kalahari Karoo, between Prieska & Vanwyksvlei
  • Every Day in May challenge, 2017.

    Every Day in May challenge, 2017.

    For the last two years I have managed to take up the EDM, The Every Day in May Challenge. It has been quite enjoyable if rather time consuming, and difficult to fit in on busy days. However, this year, I had an important big commission to start, so only completed half of the daily painting challenge. So here are the 15 paintings, it ended with the very personal sketch of my husband, John and his Grand daughter, Chloë, who share a 15th May Birthday. In April we travelled to Lambert’s Bay so several of these are inspired by scenery on that trip. The paintings appear in order of the days, from the first picture of the ewe and lamb, painted on the 1st May up till the last one, the portrait of Grandpa and Grand-daughter, on the 15th May.

    Sheep at rest
    Ewe & lamb resting
    Bird Island, Cape Gannets, Lambert's Bay
    Cape Gannets, Lambert’s Bay, South Africa
    Windmill and dry karoo, near Canarvon.
    Dry Karoo near Canarvon.
    Harbour, Lambert's Bay
    Lambert’s Bay Harbour
    Seabirds, Lambert's Bay. SA
    Kelp Gulls, and Sacred Ibis, Lambert’s Bay. SA
    Sheep, portrait of a ewe.
    Ewe’s portrait.
    Williston district, old mill and shed.
    Old shed and windmill near Williston.
    Running Warthogs.
    Tails-up ! Warthogs.
    Botanical study . Yellow Firethorn
    Pyracantha Augustifolia. Yellow Firethorn.
    Meercat, wildlife portrait.
    Meercat Portrait.
    Windmill and agaves, Silvermere
    Silvermere scene of Agaves and Windmill.
    Canarvon, old cottage.
    Old cottage in Canarvon.
    Common Grass of South Africa
    Red Grass, Themeda Triandra. Rooigras.
    Lily Pond. & Numbers 6 : 24 - 26 verse.
    The Lord Bless You and Keep You…. ( Lily Pond )
    The tortoise with Grandpa and Chloë.
    Grandpa, Chloë & the tortoise.
  • Family

    Family

    The tortoise with Grandpa and Chloë.
    Grandpa, Chloë & the tortoise.
  • Wildlife

    Wildlife

    Meercat, wildlife portrait.
    Meercat Portrait.
    Running Warthogs.
    Tails-up ! Warthogs.
  • The Buffalo Visit.

    The Buffalo Visit.

    On the 20th February, we were surprised to find a pair of Buffalo wandering through our veld ! They had escaped from a neighbouring Game Farm. So we followed them while they were in the road, and I managed to get some marvellous photographs. Naturally I was immediately inspired; one seldom has such a perfect pair of models to paint ! So over the past month I have done three studies in three different ways :Watercolour, Oil, and Pen & Wash.

    Buffalo Watercolour
    A Pair of Buffalo
    Buffalo Pair in Oils
    Beautiful Buffalo
    Shetching Buffalo
    Buffalo Sketch in Pen & Wash.
  • 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 !
  • Silvermere Meercats.

    Silvermere Meercats.

    We have a family of meercats that live in several sets of holes around our farmstead. In this main picture they are gathered together around holes on an old ash heap. It is a perfect place to look out for danger on all sides. They have moved on since, but were there long enough for me to take some lovely photos from which I did this big rice paper painting, with watercolour and gouache. The smaller painting is not from one of my photos.

    Meercats on the Ash-heap.
    The Ash-heap Meercats
    Meercats. Mom & Babe
    Mom & Babe, Meercats
  • Hogsback Holiday

    Hogsback Holiday

    In April we took a short holiday to Hogsback to commemorate our 40th wedding anniversary. What a change it was compared to our dry and barren karoo. It is a wonderful jewel of forests and waterfalls and “fairies” ! It inspired these 2 forest scenes, and even a little Samango monkey sketch.  We saw so many of them in the trees around Hogsback, and even in the village itself. We stayed at beautiful Nibelheim.  Hogsback is an extraordinary place!!

    Hogsback Forest.
    To the Fairy Meander.

    Samango monkey.

    Hogsback. Swallowtail Falls
    Beautiful river and falls and paths to explore through the forests of Hogsback

    Swallowtail Falls.

  • An Assortment of Requests

    An Assortment of Requests

    These four new painting commissions have kept me really busy over the past 3 months.

    Farm scene near Hopetown
    Farm scene near Hopetown

    Garage composite, Burgersdorp
    Garage composite, Burgersdorp

    Sandgrouse Sunset
    Sandgrouse Sunset

    Zambezi Valley Buffalo
    Zambezi Valley Buffalo

     

     

  • Kalahari Leopard

    Kalahari Leopard

    Some renovations in the house and various other distractions have meant that I haven’t painted for a while. But, when I was researching the Doublebanded Sandgrouse for a future order, I came across this captivating leopard. So, here she is, so striking against the red sand of the Kalahari.

    Kalahari Leopard
    Kalahari Leopard. Gouache & watercolour on terracotta paper. 470 x 285 mm.