Sweet Violets. Watercolour. 350 x 250 mm

Looking at these pictures you could be anywhere in the world when spring arrives. I am sure most of you recognize the beautiful heralds of the season; the daffodils, the violets and the willow! But this is the karoo, and though the rains have yet to arrive and set the veld alive with colour, we celebrate the newness of the season in our garden as it comes to life with joy. God is good and our lives are made new each day by His wondrous Grace!

Daffodils. 250 x 350 mm watercolour

Willow, Willow o’er the pond,

Water lilies and draping frond;

Darting fish and rushes grow,

Brushed by the whispering winds that blow.

But times do change, and the past it flees,

The pond is gone, but not the trees;

The birds will come and nest again,

The winds will blow and then the rain.

The Willows stand and the grass will run,

The spring will go and the summer come!

( My willow poem)

Draping Willow. Watercolour sketch. 210 x 290 mm.

Acacia Pied Barbet, Redeyed Bulbul & Cape White-eyes. Watercolour.325 x 505mm.

Some time ago I posted a blog featuring the seed-eaters under the title; ‘Feeding the Birds’.  I really love the birds, so I continue to photograph them in and around our garden. Those that come to the bird table outside my studio window are a wonderful and colourful distraction. We feed them seeds and crushed maize, bread crusts, grated cheese, dry cooked maize porridge called, ‘Umphokoqo’, and fruit. The oranges have to be attached with wire to keep them from falling onto the ground below.

Crested Barbet. Watercolour & Gouache 470 x 285 mm.

As it is the fruit-salad season at the moment, with oranges and paw-paws in abundance, I have kept the fruit–eating birds happy with all the fruit-skins that they enjoy. The first birds that come for them include; the Crested and Pied Barbets, the Mousebirds, The Red-eyed Bulbuls and many more. The Crested Barbet is so bright and cheerful while all around winter hues still drape the garden in sombre tones of ochre and grey, and the seed-eating weavers have yet to clothe themselves in their bright breeding plumage of red and yellow. Therefore I decided to make a small study of some of these fruit-eaters. The bright and dainty Cape White-eyes are my favourites, so I chose two compositions with them.

Mousebirds with Oranges. Watercolour. 385 x 265 mm.

Cape White-eyes on the Grapevine. Watercolour & Gouache. 290 x 420 mm.

Study of the Crested Barbet. watercolour & gouache. 470 x 290 mm

Old Overgrown Shed. Watercolour & gouache. 410 x 295 mm.

Paardelaagte Farm Landscape. Watercolour 340 x 530 mm.

On the 12th July we travelled to a neighbouring farm, Cyferfontein to buy mealies for feeding our sheep. There were some wonderful scenes around the farm that I photographed, and more on our way home along part of the Orange River as far as the farm Paardelaagte. I returned home fuelled with inspiration for painting a set of the beautiful scenery we encountered. I am not really sure if I am finished, as there are  a couple more scenes that still tempt me; but I thought it an appropriate time to post these six pictures anyway.

Cyferfontein Farm Studies. Watercolour. 2 x 350 x 250 mm.

While painting I listened to many wonderful sermons from a host of enlightened and eloquent preachers, and I am delighted to have access to their insights into Scripture, and the Holy Word of God. Many of the sermons are available to download free of charge. Here are a few of the links: R.C.Sproul, John MacArthur, David Pawson, Free Audio Sermons.

View of Kramberg from Aylesby. Watercolour. 350 x 500 mm.

Cyferfontein Jerseys. Watercolour. 350 x 250 mm

Winter Pasture. watercolour. 250 x 350 mm.

Excelsior Blue Gums. Watercolour, 270 x 380 mm.

Painting outdoors is always great  fun! It should never be viewed too seriously. It forces me to loosen up and break free from my usual painting processes. Usually, on these occasions,  the light changes rapidly or the rain threatens, the insects or the wind become tiresome, or there just isn’t the time to perfect a painting outside. So the trick is to make a start outside and when it becomes necessary to leave and return to the studio, take photos and then finish it off in the more comfortable surroundings of the studio.  Some pictures aren’t meant to be anything other than enjoyable outdoor recreation, or an exercises in preparation for studio compositions of the same subject. The atmosphere and surroundings have a unique influence on how we interpret what we see. Painting plein-air is undoubtedly a very valuable and pleasurable pursuit !

Fountain Poplar Grove. watercolour. 380 x 270 mm

View with Fountain Poplar. watercolour. 380 x 270 mm.

John & Sue Plein-air painting. April 2010. The Fountain, Silvermere.

John and Sue wanted to go and paint out in the veld on two recent visits to Silvermere, so we had some enjoyable outdoor painting excursions. Some were finished on site and others in the studio. On one occasion when it was cold and windy outdoors, we sat in the studio and chose a photo taken recently in the vicinity of the farmyard. There is no need to give up just because the weather is bad. This set of colour sketches resulted from those two visits. The one with the gate was painted entirely indoors, on a windy afternoon.

Farm Workshop. Pen and Watercolour. 270 x 380 mm

(Dictionary ) plein-air (plān-âr’, Fr. plĕn-ĕr’) [Fr.,=open-air], term used for paintings or drawings made directly from nature and infused with a feeling of the open air. Painting outdoors is a relatively recent practice; the impressionists and the painters of the Barbizon school made plein-air painting an important dimension of their landscape work.

Dry Land Gate. Watercolour. 250 x 350 mm.

Here are some descriptive quotes that say far more than I can about the pleasures of painting en plein air:

I don’t like most of what I paint outdoors, but the process is the point; and I know it will make me a better painter. (Gaye Adams)

Plein-air painting is the perfect forum for learning how to use watercolor, as it is observation-driven. Placing technique secondary to observation is the essence of working the the field. (Ken Auster)

Plein air painting is my response to the moment – the reflected light in the water or the mood created by the shadows. (Keith Bond)

You can be bashed around in the bush. If your hands freeze, your face burns, or the mozzies suck your blood, so much the better. (Lorne Bouchard)

To steep oneself in the sky. To capture the tenderness of the clouds. To let the cloud masses float in the background, far off in the gray mist, and then make the blue blaze forth. (Eugene Boudin)

Notes from the field become part of an ongoing experience where each painting contributes in some way to the next. (Gavin Brooks)

Working outdoors or from life puts you in direct contact with the life force, not just the light and the landscape, but also the vitality of the world around you. (George Carlson)

All pictures painted inside in the studio will never be as good as the things done outside. (Paul Cezanne)

I strive to capture the moment, that fleeting light or atmospheric effect, tackled with a sense of urgency and an awareness that the prevailing conditions are transient and will not be precisely repeated. (Trevor Chamberlain)

Organizing the shapes, colors, patterns and values as they relate to the rest of the landscape, and which shift in the changing light, presents problems as well as many opportunities. (Scott L. Christensen)

It’s all that reality – you are in the world that you’re painting. The light changes, the wind blows, things are constantly moving. You are forced to paint quickly and spontaneously. (Sherrill Cooper)

Plein air paintings are a bit like short poems. These poems are not deep and heavy but more light and breezy. A good poet might write a bunch of them and throw away more than a few. A plein air painting is rough and reveals a good deal more about the artist than a studio job. (Paul deMarrais)

The view is loaded with Light, Light, Light, ever changing and so wonderful in its myriad colors. (Candace Faber)

I’m constantly painting the landscape in my head as I drive along, and when I see something that refuses to give way to the next scene, I stop the car and turn around. (Gay Falkenberry)

Everything outside is exciting to look at. There are suddenly hundreds of paintings all around me. (Irwin Greenberg)

Nothing compares to judging spots of color next to each other en plein air. (Jeff Mahorney)

There is only one true thing: instantly paint what you see. (Edouard Manet)

As a plein air artist, you are challenged to stretch yourself, as you are constantly exposed – by design or by accident – to experiences and scenes you might never have predicted or planned. (Zenaida Mott)

When you’re an artist – especially a plein air artist, where you’re working outside – you see the best of life all the time. (Tom Nichols)

God’s world is very beautiful and aesthetically superior, so when we paint directly from live subjects, we learn colour, light and brevity from the most indisputable teacher. (Serguei Ouissik)

Working on-site is hard and fast. You have to work it out and get it done. It’s like a swordfight. On the other hand, studio work is quiet, contemplative and internal… (Grace Paleg)

Plein air painting renews my ‘art spirit’ and inspires more creativity in the studio. (Bonnie Paruch)

There is no other resource so plentiful, ever-changing, and full of information than nature around us. Get ready to dive in with both feet and don’t forget to bring your sense of humour. (Lori Putnam)

To capture mood, light and the gentle breeze, try painting en plein air. (Heidi Smith)

The sun on rich objects and mystery in shadows, the feel of the temperature and atmosphere on my skin – these are the foundations of my compulsion to paint. (Kathryn Stats)

Monet, Manet, Sisley, Renoir, Van Gogh and others went outside to paint for one simple reason – it looks different outside. (Mike Svob)

There’s nothing like leaving your soul in a place and enjoying the beauty of plein air painting, battling the sun, insects and time. Always remember to keep your concentration! (Andries Veerman)

When you’re on the spot, you’re seeing the best values, the cleanest color and real edges. You’re also seeing objects in a wonderful light, and you’re much more apt to paint a clear, un-muddied picture. (Wayne E. Wolfe)

(Plein-air painting) You are seeing things…and your heart and mind are responding to it. An experience witnessed in paint. (LarrySeiler)

“We are all born original masterpieces and die cheap imitations because we limit ourselves in the areas of our aspirations.” –(Scott Christensen, quoting from his pastor.)

Plein air painting is not a spectator sport, and it’s not a team effort. It’s the discipline of discovering yourself as you try to unravel the magic. (Skip Whitcomb)

Styger Farm House. 7may10. 700 x 500mm watercolour.

It has been impossible to link these three paintings with a theme, other than that they are the latest big orders that have challenged me since the last post was written. All are completed and have gone off to the respective clients. I did not schedule an exhibition this year, so have been blessed by these 3 good orders. How bountiful is the Lord in taking care of our needs!

Karoo landscape with Guinea Fowl, 21may10. Watercolour, 700 x 500mm.

Eighteen Animals Required. 23june10. Watercolour, 700 x 500mm.

'Rain clouds over Bethulie.' Oil on canvas. 800 x 630 mm.

If you haven’t heard it or can’t remember it, you will find many lovely versions on YouTube.

Our sheep here on Silvermere do not graze safely, unfortunately. Predators like jackals and lynx are a constant threat and an ever increasing problem that has driven many neighbouring farmers to change over to cattle ranching instead.

'A Shady Tree on a Hot Day.' Watercolour on Pastel Paper. 290 x 475 mm.

How comforting it is for us to know that we have an all-powerful Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ, who cares for us. He overcame Satan and rescued us when He died on the Cross, and rose again for our sake. No matter how we are tested and challenged, He is our everlasting  Saviour and Protector;

11 “For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search and find my sheep. 12 I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. 13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live. 14 Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign LORD. 16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!”

-Ezekiel v 11–16. (NLT)

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)

Blue also conveys mood, and atmosphere successfully, as in the soft light of this : ‘Freestate Evening Landscape’.

'Freestate Evening'. Watercolour, 350 x 500mm, on Saunders Waterford, 300g.

And then as serendipity is a significantly inspiring factor in my life, today is the Feast of St Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, where all things green abound on this day, even the waters of the Chicago River!  But it is interesting to discover that St Patrick’s Blue was more significant in Irish history, than green!

I have recently listened to Michael Haykin’s interesting audio sermon on Leo and Patrick, and have since downloaded the ‘Confessions of St Patrick’, well worth a read if Christian missionaries interest you as much as they inspire me.

St Patrick’s zeal for saving souls was responsible for the conversion of thousands throughout Ireland and his influence on the Celtic church was particularly significant in Europe at that time.

And to add to this theme, Mother Patrick was a young Dominican Nun ( named after St. Patrick) aged 17, who was called to missionary life from her home in Ireland in 1880. She accompanied the Pioneer Column of Cecil John Rhodes from South Africa, north into what is now Zimbabwe, and besides nursing during the 1896 Rebellion she founded the Convent School in Salisbury (Harare) , where I went to school, and where my interest in art was nurtured.

So, here, on St Patrick’s Day, I’d like to conclude with an Irish melody that was my favourite lullaby when our children were all very little.

“When Irish eyes are smiling,

Sure, ’tis like the morn in Spring.

In the lilt of Irish laughter

You can hear the angels sing.

When Irish hearts are happy,

All the world seems bright and gay.

And when Irish eyes are smiling,

Sure, they steal your heart away”.

….“I see myself exalted even in the present world beyond measure by the Lord, and I was not worthy nor such that He should grant me this. I know perfectly well, though not by my own judgment, that poverty and misfortune becomes me better than riches and pleasures. For Christ the Lord, too, was poor for our sakes; and I, unhappy wretch that I am, have no wealth even if I wished for it. Daily I expect murder, fraud, or captivity, or whatever it may be; but I fear none of these things because of the promises of heaven. I have cast myself into the hands of God Almighty, who rules everywhere, as the prophet says: Cast thy thought upon God, and He shall sustain thee.”  St. Patrick