A little bit "French"!

12 x 9Acrylic on canvas boardSOLD. CLICK HERE TO BUY CARDS OR PRINTS OF THIS IMAGE"Die Winkel op Paternoster" (it translates as : The Shop at Paternoster) is probably the most photographed building in this postcard- pretty town. I decided to focus on some interesting detail and liked this French-looking corner where the three red shapes met. The red objects are: the barn door, the frame of the blackboard menu, and the red dragon on the antique enamel signboard (Mobiloil). I call this scene a little bit French because Afrikaans-speaking families have French genes among others!Wow, I realize now that I am o-o-o-o-old enough to remember village shops wit

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Summer Rock Pool (2010) - Rock Pool Series

Size: 34cm W x 60cm H x 4.2cm D (x 2 Panels) Completion Date: 21st June 2010 1st of Rock Pool Series Well, this is the first of a new series on rock pools. Inspired by the life abounding in the rock pools so prevalent on the rocky coasts of Australia. At the height of summer these rock pools explode with life and are seeded by all things brought in on the tides.

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Folks and fish #4

In the last of this 4-part series, I stopped some anglers who were on their way to a high rocky outcrop. While I asked questions of one guy, his friends cast some lines into the rushing surf, prior to climbing to their favourite rock. How lonely it must be sitting there on the cold rocks! One needs such patience! Somewhere I read that God would not detract from a person's years on earth the time he spent fishing!The main aim of these men were to catch fish for the pot. I wish I can visit one of these homes to see the wonderful local recipes being created in the West Coast kitchens. The fish found here, close to Kabeljoubank are Cape Salmon (Geelbek),

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Folks and Fish #3

Of course we have already learnt a lot about the bokkom industry on the West Coast. First I painted a little row of bokkoms being salted and hung out to dry. Then the second stage was shown where they were peeled and made ready to be eaten.(Remember my homemade bread, apricot preserve and slivers of salty bokkoms served with coffee?)This painting, third in the set "Folks and Fish", shows the largest of the bokkom drying barns on the banks of the Berg River at Velddrif where thousands of little mullet fish can be seen any day of the week. The bokkoms take 8 days to dry, depending on the weather and air circulation Janine is the petite lady who has ma

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Folks and Fish # 2

From my studio I can see Kabeljoubank where the snoek hang out to dry with Table Mountain in the distance. If the motorists racing past on the R27 will only spend 15 minutes to drive to this rocky outpost, they can observe a centuries old West Coast custom of drying salted fish in the open air and seabreeze. My models are not the owners of the fish, but are helping to turn and guard them for a small daily fee. On my first visit two years ago they were timid in front of the camera and extremely shy of the easel and paints set-up. Now, for a small modelling fee, they hold out the snoek so I can observe the lovely pinks of the wet fish and the blue and t

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Folks and Fish # 1

This is the first painting of a set of four works, of which I have shown the preparatory sketches in the previous post. Working at them I am conscious of the poverty of the area and the plight of those brave souls, the sustenance fishermen, who face the sea day by day. My model shows two of the four crayfish he is allowed to catch for his daily quota during the crayfish season. It will be safer for the men to catch the monthly allowance in one single day, and not face the sea so often, but unfortunately such a system will be difficult to control. (Crayfish can become very scarce and must be protected.)Crayfish holes are marked by experienced fishermen

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Post # 100!! Art Blogging is Tops!

This is my hundredth post. I have not completed a painting as I am working on a commission and the sketches took some planning. One of them will be finished for the next blog. They are all about the people of the West Coast and what they do. I think I will call the set:Folks and FishI love art blogging! Art blogging is Tops! In no other way would one be so committed to paint year in, year out and that without a sense of rushing. (One or two exhibitions a year make up for the rushing part!) My nicest surprises as a new art blogger were when I featured on other art or travel blogs.South African Blog of 2009 winner PORTFOLIO gave me a short feature in

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Boats, Boulders and lots of Blue!

Boats, boulders and lots of blue, it can only be a description of Paternoster. It is a mild day, almost too warm to be called winter. Having developed a love for Paternoster, it is easy for me to go the 100km to reach one of the prettiest fishing villages in South Africa. The beach is a soft blonde colour! The rounded boulders are an un-threatening grey that throws purple shadows. And then, to contrast with nature, there are the washing-day-white cottages with their blue shutters. Do not forget the boats, mostly blue, lying everywhere or arriving suddenly from the big nowhere over the ocean, filled with fish. These scenes just wait to be photographed

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Midnight Rockpool (2010) - Coral Reef Series

Size: 34cm W x 60cm H x 4.2cm DCompletion: 30th May 201030th of Coral Reef SeriesClick on images for a supersized view!Well this is the last coral reef series painting for a while. I've got a huge waterlily painting to do for a client (1.8m x 1m!) and a painting to get ready for a show....hoping to get some more rainforest and tree blossom painting done in June....please stay tuned....;o)

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