Creative Efforts: 2015

Tuesday 22 December 2015

24" × 18" ○ 610 x 457mm ○ Oil on stretched canvas

SOLD

Saturday 21 November 2015

"STORMY FRONT APPROACHING BEACH"

SOLD

18" X 24" ○ 457 X 610mm ○ Oil on Panel

Probably one of the last paintings to be done along the KwaZulu Natal coastline for a while. I've never been too fond of the coast, but I suppose some form of nostalgia had to surface now that my time here is drawing to a close.

Thursday 5 November 2015

4-5 November 2015

20" x 16" ○ 508 x 406mm ○ Oil on panel

SOLD

This painting is pure imagination and memory. No visual reference at all. Even if the visual elements do not convince, I still had great fun with colour. Leave me a comment and tell me what it does for you...

Saturday 31 October 2015

23 - 31 October 2015

20" x 16" ○ 508 x 406mm ○ Oil on panel

SOLD

I had great fun with this painting. Atmospheric light is a fascinating element and speed was the key. Some values had to be adjusted and finishing touches were added after a week of drying. I'm still a long way off the intended goal of capturing the proper light of our landscapes, but I'll get there ... hopefully before too much longer!

Wednesday 21 October 2015

20" x 16" ○ 508 x 406mm ○ Oil on panel

The Western Cape was inspirational. Some of the passes were hairy but awesomely beautiful. A lot of dirt roads were navigated and rewarded the senses with spectacular light and beauty. We live in a paradise - such a pity that urbanisation adds such squalor in places. For me the quiet off the beaten track (and tourist routes) was a tonic mixed with clean air. Met some great people also. I've decided to make it my home and final destination and will be settling there in January 2016. No more on the road - just improving my painting skills daily (hopefully!).

20" x 16" ○ 508 x 406mm ○ Oil on panel

Done in May 2015. The studio needed some urgent work and curtailed any continuity, Some days were just too cold and heat had to be introduced. For some reason the muse abandoned me for a while. A lot of travelling did not help matters and sorting out some neglect at the coastal property did not improve the creative flow. Happier days followed as the Western Cape was thoroughly explored during August and September.

Monday 26 January 2015

26 January 2015...

24" x 18" ○ 610 x 457mm ○ Oil on stretched canvas

The final painting. The desire to do more and more detail had to resisted at this point. Sometimes enough just has to be enough. I hope I added more visual interest rather than over-working it. This child can now rest in peace with no more parental interference...

Saturday 24 January 2015

23-24 January 2015...

24" x 18" ○ 610 x 457mm ○ Oil on stretched canvas

The last two days were spent on something a little different. Not only is this painting a great deal larger than the previous midgets, but it is as 'traditional' as can be. Several thin glazes of oil paint (with my own paint medium recipe) on a stretched canvas. Time consuming. The painting now has to stand for two days or so before I can apply the final glazes to brighten up certain areas. Watch this space...

Thursday 22 January 2015

21 January 2015...

8"x 6" ○ 203 x 152mm ○ Oil on panel

This is a small painting, but it took 2 days to complete. That sky went through three transformations before it felt right. Morning light is a fickle element to capture.

Monday 19 January 2015

19 January 2015...

10" x 8" ○ 254 x 203mm ○ Oil on panel

SOLD

Wednesday 14 January 2015

12-13 January...

8" x 6" ○ 203 x 152mm Oil on panel

Managed to do two smallish paintings over the last three days - in between all the running around. Couldn't wait for long before messing with brushes and colour. Just keeping my hand in before tackling larger canvases later.

7" x 5" ○ 178 x 127mm Oil on panel

Thursday 8 January 2015

January 2015...

Only time for two tiny paintings so far this month before returning to Durban to finalise some urgent business. The urge to colour my life will not be denied for too long, I suspect. The open road and spaces are calling already...

December 2014...

SOLD

Settled into a new workspace! My scale has increased and I'm VERY excited about where my brush is taking me now. To say that I enjoyed doing these paintings is a bit of an understatement - they made me HAPPY!

November 2014...

SOLD

Another year older and finalising the last problems with becoming a retired civil servant. Free time with some financial security lightens the soul and the hand holding the brush...

October 2014...

Only two paintings... again! But, I'm slowly gaining enough confidence to start enjoying the light again. Long way to go, but settling into a better rythm.

September 2014...

Not a very productive month, but two are better than none. Overhauling your life is a streneous and time consuming affair, but in the end you do get there.

August 2014 saw one child only.

Too much admin and disruption of a 25 year existence, but a new era ahead brought its own excitement. The anticipation of finally having all my time to myself was daunting and required a lot of rethinking of goals. New places and new faces, and new ways of seeing life and future will hopefully translate into new skills in painting also.

June 2014 was a mad month, but ...

SOLD

I managed another week or two on the road before working a notice month in July (no time for painting, of course...)

May 2014 was spent on the road ...

SOLD

The idea of retirement became an urgent thought - we live in a beautiful country with a thousand faces. I'd like to meet most of them in the next couple of years and give them colour and a place on canvas.