A touch of yellow ...Moth No.4 #306

Daily paintings #306 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel $40

Last day today to make use of the SPECIAL OFFER and GIVEAWAY!!!! Free postage worldwide and the chance to be one of 2 people to win a second painting of your choice for free! The offer ends at midnight (SA time) tonight and the lucky draw will take place tomorrow!

This little dash of yellow was found in my studio.....I seem to attract these little visitors!

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Home #305

Daily painting #305. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel  

There really is no place like home! I know my mum is feeling better because she is wanting to get back home...to her own house! So today I am full of gratitude ....for my beautiful home and the fact that I was able to bring my mum into my home to recover....for my amazing husband who insisted my mum come to our house until she felt better....for my mums healing and recovery (she is a tough cookie!!).... for my amazing work and passion which allows me to be at home when I need to be...and last but not least to every single one of you who have dropped off a flower, visited, called to send her well wishes, or even sent me messages wishing her a speedy recovery, even though some of you don't even know her, your thoughts have been with me....and I am SO grateful! 

This wasn't meant to sound like some 'Oscar award speech', but rather just a chance to say ''THANK YOU". I always tell my children to say 'thank you' costs nothing and we don't do it often enough, so today I am practicing what I preach to my kids! 

My mum is feeling better and going home .....thank you! 

Only a few days left of the SPECIAL OFFER (free postage) and GIVEAWAY..... so don't miss out! All details on blogpost #300 and #301!

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Afternoon light in The Gardens #304

Daily painting #304 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel. SOLD

Everything appears to be dry and brown (my grass certainly is) after no rain but yesterday on closer reflection there is actually lots of green around. I looked into the public gardens that border our house and the shades of green were really quite beautiful and it made me realize that in Durban we are actually quite spoilt and what we perceive as a dry, chilly winter is the closest some places get to summer! Our winters are quite beautiful and I am grateful I took some time out to enjoy it for a bit ....

Don't forget to check out the SPECIAL OFFER AND GIVEAWAY before the end of the week. Order a little painting with FREE postage and stand in line to be one of two people to win a second little painting for free.

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Monday #303

Daily painting #303 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

Celebrate 300 daily paintings with my SPECIAL OFFER and GIVEAWAY!! Purchase a daily painting with FREE postage and be entered into a lucky draw where 2 people will get to win a daily painting of their choice to be added to their order....see all details under painting #300.

Monday morning....back to early mornings and school runs! Holidays are over....my kids are back at school....back to early starts and a little bit of routine!

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Painkillers #302

Daily painting #302. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel $40

300 paintings SPECIAL OFFER...purchase a painting and receive free postage and a chance to be one of two people to receive another painting FREE in a lucky draw. Details under painting #300...

My mum has been on some seriously strong painkillers since she came home from the hospital and I have been told by the doctor for the first week to not allow her to come off of them because of all the internal bruising after the operation. The problem is that my mum is on fluids only and so swallowing a huge capsule is out of the question. I have been opening them up and pouring the powder into a little warm water and honey to try dissolve the awful bitter taste....I can't believe how much powder comes out of one capsule! Last night I emptied 2 capsules and must have left them sitting on the kitchen counter. My cat must have found them in the night and had a fun game of chase, scooting the little capsules around. This morning they were found lying on the floor of the kitchen and I am glad I found them and no one else....it didn't look good! Considering I am a mum who takes her kids to the homeopath instead of the doctor if I can, it certainly looked strange! But for now if my mum is pain free until she heals a bit, I am happy!

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Bedside rose #301

Daily painting #301. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel $50

This is the same beautiful rose that is next to my mums's bed. My mum is on the mend and is managing to keep some wholesome food down....even if for now the food all has to turned into a liquid form! It's just so good to have her home and here in my house where I can take good care of her!

If you have not yet read about my SPECIAL OFFER to celebrate reaching 300 daily paintings, here it is....

To celebrate I am going to run another little SPECIAL so if you have had your eye on a little daily painting now is the perfect time to purchase one! For 1 week starting from 26 July (day 300) and ending on 1 August midnight (South African time), I will be offering free postage to anywhere in the world. Anyone who buys a painting will also go into a lucky draw. Two people will win a daily painting of their choice which will be posted to them along with their order. How ever many paintings you have purchased will be the number of entries you will have in the lucky draw. The two lucky winners will be announced on the blog and all orders placed during this special will only be posted once the winners have been notified. So ....place your order with free postage....and watch the blog to see if you are one of two people who will get to choose another painting of your choice for free! You have 24 hours to browse the online store and pick your favorite before someone else does! 

South African buyers can contact me privately for direct purchases in SA and for queries on prices in ZAR should you not wish to purchase online. Free postage in SA will still apply for the special. Contact me on heidishedlock@gmail.com

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Single rose #300

Daily painting #300. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

300 days....300 little paintings !!!!! SPECIAL OFFER STARTS TODAY.....

To celebrate I am going to run another little SPECIAL so if you have had your eye on a little daily painting now is the perfect time to purchase one! For 1 week starting from today 26 July (day 300) and ending on 1 August midnight (South African time), I will be offering free postage to anywhere in the world. Anyone who buys a painting will also go into a lucky draw. Two people will win a daily painting of their choice which will be posted to them along with their order. How ever many paintings you have purchased will be the number of entries you will have in the lucky draw. The two lucky winners will be announced on the blog and all orders placed during this special will only be posted once the winners have been notified. So ....place your order with free postage....and watch the blog to see if you are one of two people who will get to choose another painting of your choice for free! You have 24 hours to browse the online store and pick your favorite before someone else does! 

South African buyers can contact me privately for direct purchases in SA and for queries on prices in ZAR should you not wish to purchase online. Free postage in SA will still apply for the special. Contact me on heidishedlock@gmail.com

Daily painting #300 is of a beautiful single rose which is sitting next to my mum's bed.....I was able to bring her home from the hospital yesterday to my house....I couldn't be happier! So lots to celebrate!

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A pair of pears #299

Daily painting #299. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

Only 1 day to reach 300 days of  little daily paintings!!! 300 days....300 paintings! 

To celebrate I am going to run another little SPECIAL so if you have had your eye on a little daily painting now is the perfect time to purchase one! For 1 week starting from tomorrow 26 July (day 300) and ending on 1 August midnight (South African time), I will be offering free postage to anywhere in the world. Anyone who buys a painting will also go into a lucky draw. Two people will win a daily painting of their choice which will be posted to them along with their order. How ever many paintings you have purchased will be the number of entries you will have in the lucky draw. The two lucky winners will be announced on the blog and all orders placed during this special will only be posted once the winners have been notified. So ....place your order with free postage....and watch the blog to see if you are one of two people who will get to choose another painting of your choice for free! You have 24 hours to browse the online store and pick your favorite before someone else does! 

South African buyers can contact me privately for direct purchases in SA and for queries on prices in ZAR should you not wish to purchase online. Free postage in SA will still apply for the special. Contact me on heidishedlock@gmail.com

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view gallery of available daily paintings)

Miniature daffodils #298

Daily painting #298. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel $60

My Mum who has been in hospital had surgery this afternoon and will hopefully be on the road to recovery soon! So mum....some pretty, bright mini daffodils to brighten up your day! I know you read my posts everyday ....and today especially you have been on my mind ALL day! You mean the world to me Mum....and I know you will be feeling your usual bright cheerful self again soon! 

I hope these cheerful little flowers brighten up your day too....where ever you are in the world! They are sitting on my kitchen window sill and they just make me feel happy every time I see them!

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Late afternoon grey #297

Daily painting #297 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

Only 3 more days to reach 300 days of daily paintings!!!!

We don't have much winter rainfall in Durban but this afternoon looked hopeful. In a month or so I will probably be one of those people moaning about how the rain just never seems to stop! As a matter of fact almost a year ago when I first started this blog and my daily paintings (almost a year already!!!!) I remember commenting each day on how the rain just didn't seem to be letting up! But right now it is bone dry! My grass looks dead and everything is brown, dry and dusty. We have had temperatures in the 20's, even high 20's (Celsius) ....hardly a winter for most! Our winters are lovely....only a little rain would be welcomed in my garden!
Late this afternoon the sea had turned a deep shade of indigo and the grey heavy sky seemed to be teasing ....grey has never seemed more beautiful! (For all my painting students....how many shades of grey can you see in the sky? Look next time ....it's beautiful!) But no rain.....yet!

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Protea #296

Daily painting #296. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel $65

This beautiful very pink protea is rather hairy or fluffy around the tops. It looks like the kind of plant that could send my daughter into fits of sneezing and me off to hunt down the anti-histamine for her! But thank goodness it has had no such effect yet but I thought I would paint it quickly before it starts to dry a little and drop off all the furry bits from the top.... I might just have to get rid of it then!

For those of you who are new to my blog...proteas are our national flower and there are hundreds, if not thousands of varieties, all different colors and textures. I love having them in my home and so they are often in my paintings...

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Sunday Funday #295

Daily painting #295. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

It is the end of the weekend and the end of an amazing holiday! This week it is back to school and back to art classes....back to reality and some kind of routine again which is never a bad thing just a shock to the system after a holiday! We have been blessed with the most fabulous holiday and a family trip that made memories to last a lifetime! Here's to a happy third term....cheers!

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Flutter #294

Daily painting #294. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

My little feathered friends have finally realized we are home and the bird feeder is full of food! The little finches all gathered along the telephone wire this morning fluttering their wings and making a huge noise ....letting all their friends know the party was on! The feeder was so full that at one stage they looked like they were on top of one another....even the cat sat in awe almost scared to venture onto the veranda! Power in numbers....and lots of fluttering....and even the cat will leave you alone! I can watch these little birds for ages...it's good to have my little feathered friends back!

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Baby Aubergine and a Chinese pot #293

Daily painting #293. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

Still quite gloomy today so I did rely on a little artificial light. I really enjoyed painting this little daily painting today....I love the tones and especially the richness of the tones in the aubergine (eggplant).

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Strawberry on a little white dish #292

Daily painting #292. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

It was quite a cloudy day, the light was low in the studio today and rather than turning on any artificial lights, I chose to work with the natural low light. I am happy I did ....it gave beautiful deep rich tones to the strawberry and an otherwise uninteresting white dish which would have been stark and bright in an artificial overhead light, was instead full of deep shadows and beautiful subtle tones....who says white is boring!

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Last of the garden roses #291

Daily painting #291 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel $70

These are the last 2 roses left from the beautiful bunch of roses from my mother-in-law's garden. The rest of them have all lost their petals. I do love hand picked roses from a garden ...they are less perfect than bought roses and the scent is usually more beautiful, they also open up into full blooms. I really need to spend more time in my own garden.....

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Sometime after 5pm #290

Daily painting #290  4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

I didn't get into the studio much today but it wasn't out of choice....I had good intentions today but with children still on holiday and loads of things to catch up on, the day seemed to fly by. I visited my Mum in hospital in the afternoon and painted this shortly after getting home in the early evening.

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Contemplation #289

Daily painting #289 9"x12" oil on primed canvas panel

Larger than my normal daily paintings and more of a 'play day' in the studio than actually getting around to any work.....my head space today was just all wrong! I have been really unsettled after returning from my trip to the UK. It was quite an emotional visit having lived there almost 16 years ago and returning again for the first time since, was quite something....! My mum was also at the doctors today and will be admitted back into hospital for tests and possible surgery.....my head space is not quite calm to say the least! So I really didn't feel like doing a daily painting today as a matter of fact I didn't feel like going into my studio at all....most unlike me....so I forced myself to! I decided to work from some photo references rather than setting up something (it felt like too much effort although working from life is always best) and fruit, flowers and still life just had no appeal. So a portrait instead! Only I felt like I needed to struggle a bit today, a bit like forcing yourself to take on a battle so I limited my palette (a lot) worked with mixtures of skin tones I don't normally use and yes....struggled....as you can probably see! Not a master portrait but then I never was going to create a masterpiece today, I simply needed to paint....and contemplate! As a matter of fact if you are a portrait artist looking at this now you will probably cringe for me that I have even bothered to share this....but I paint daily and will share whatever it is I have done....regardless. Sometimes painting has less to do with what it is we paint or how we paint it and more to with what we feel when we paint it....today I am contemplative. And just for the record....I am glad I forced myself into the studio regardless of the outcome. When we resist something it is often what we need the most!

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Little clementines #288

Daily painting #288. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

The house is stocked up with food and flowers again after a tedious grocery shop and a slightly more pleasant trip to the market. The winter fruit selection is slightly more boring but these juicy sweet little clementines are a delicious sweet treat and a feast of color to paint on a chilly, grey winters afternoon in my studio. They are like little balls of sunshine to warm the soul...

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Opening bloom #287

Daily painting #287. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

Another beautiful bloom from my mother-in-laws garden....and the scent is heavenly! I love the perfume of a rose....

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Early morning at home #286

Daily painting #286. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

It is amazing how a good nights sleep in your own bed can restore you! It was wonderful to wake up to the beautiful morning sky that we are blessed with seeing from our bedroom veranda each morning....we really do have the most spectacular morning view! It's like soul food to start the day! I was so inspired by the beautiful fiery skies of the Turner paintings in the Tate Gallery.....such emotion in his skies! Even my husband (who would normally avoid going to galleries altogether) was in awe!

Today is going to be a day of unpacking (possibly the worst part of having been away) and shopping for groceries to full the fridge and cupboards again. My husband no doubt will want to stoke up that fire and braai (barbecue) ....he is longing for his good old South African braai! At least one thing I won't have to do is cook....

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Welcome home #285

Daily painting #285 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

Daily painting #284 blogpost has only just gone live now...I had no luck with the Heathrow free wireless ....but I am finally home!!!! After leaving Reigate about 24 hours ago and being awake for close on 29 hours ....we are finally home and I am determined to complete my daily painting before completely crashing into the deepest sleep in my own bed! Andrew took a sleeping tablet on the flight over and Amy who was exhausted slept on me....so I am feeling quite zombified right now but having managed to continue daily entries throughout my UK trip....I am not about to break my momentum now....perhaps I am overtired! So this post will go live in the morning....as usual ....and I will be back to some kind of daily routine. Can't wait to get into my studio tomorrow in the daylight, have a big clean up and spend some quality time in my heavenly little space! 

My kind mother-in-law dropped off some supper and a beautiful bunch of roses from her garden....I am SO grateful! Neither supper or what I was going to paint needed too much thought! The bunch of roses look and smell gorgeous....I will definitely have to paint them again! Perhaps after a good nights sleep! 

It is good to be home!

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Last painting (cloud study) from my journal #284

Daily painting #284. Watercolor sketch from personal journal NFS

This will be the last little painting sketch I share from my own personal journal. Unfortunately with the strict customs control, traveling with wet oil paintings (besides being inconvenient) would just be a nightmare and so I have had no choice but to continue my little daily ritual by sharing with you snippets from my personal daily journal.....something I always travel with but rarely share! This was a quick cloud study early this morning. It was awful for many reasons .....now that it's home time, I am keen to get back to my studio and a little daily routine and I am ITCHING to get back to my oils...they are by far my favorite medium! Our bags were packed, except for last minute toiletries and of course my journal and watercolors. We planned to head off to the airport early so that we could see Ross before he left on his flight to South Africa. He was flying with his team mates and coaches an hour ahead of us. So now I am sitting at Heathrow Airport trying to sit out a looong wait before we can board. Tomorrow's painting will have to go live this evening as tomorrow morning I will still be in the air over Southern Africa....with a second connecting flight to Durban still to come! But we are homeward bound and as fabulous as our holiday has been....there really is no place like home!

Oh dear!!!! The post will have to go live once I am home and connected again....the Heathrow free wi-fi is sloooooowww and doesn't seem to want to load my post! Not surprising if I look around me there must be a million odd people all sitting at the airport connected! The post seems to take ages to load and then the connection cuts off and needs to be rebooted. My patience is now thin and it's almost time to go to our boarding gate ....so this one will have to go out tomorrow afternoon! How did we survive before wireless and internet.....we really do live in a crazy, busy, connected world! 

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Grey skies #283

Daily painting #283 watercolor and ink pen in personal journal NFS

It's time to pack our bags and get ready to head on home...already! England you have been amazing...it was SO good to be back! We have been blessed with beautiful days, boys have been able to finish off cricket games at nearly 8pm in glorious sunshine! But grey clouds are looming over the rooftops ....just in time for us to head on home! Thank you London....I love this city!

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A little apple #282

Daily painting #282 pen, ink and watercolor in personal journal NFS

We played a cricket game at a lovely school called St Johns Beaumont. When we asked a parent for directions to the cricket field we were told...."find a parking, walk through the woods and at the foot of the hill you will find a cricket field"! Need I say more....the school grounds were breathtakingly beautiful! One of the parents on a walk around the school's stunning grounds found this little apple which must have fallen from a tree prematurely. Knowing I would be on the search for something to paint for my daily painting, she gave it to me. I carried it home in my hat and made a quick little painting sketch in my journal....

Sorry today's post is going out so late....the Wi-fi connection in the house we are staying in seems to crash occasionally when too many people are using it....not being my home I wasn't sure how to reset it so have had to wait until this evening for everything to be rebooted! No internet connection feels like my arm has been cut off......terrible! Oh well...better late than never!

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Moulsford #281

Daily painting #281 watercolor and pen sketch in personal journal NFS 

I am afraid for now you are going to have to put up with snippets of little painting sketches from my personal journal...

I have only completed 3 little daily paintings in oils while here (and loads of little watercolor paintings in my journal) and none of them are dry yet!!!! And I leave for home on Wed....the oil paint seems to take much longer to dry here so no more oil painting until I get home....so some little daily entries from my journal....

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Evening sky from Reigate cricket club #280

Daily painting #280  watercolor in sketchbook NFS

After spending an awesome day in London and seeing the fabulous Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, we headed back to Reigate to join some of my husbands friends at the Reigate Priory Cricket Club. The evening sky at 9 pm was spectacular! Another little share from my personal sketchbook journal....

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Old Winsor #279

Daily painting #279. Pen, ink and watercolor sketch in journal NFS

Not much time to paint today although our boys played at the most picturesque school, St Johns Beaumont. The buildings looked like something out of a Harry Potter movie and the rolling grounds had horses grazing in them. The most beautiful settings for plein air painting but I am afraid I was watching cricket. So today I am sharing with you a little painting sketch I did in Old Winsor today along the banks of the Thames. This little painting sketch is in my journal....

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Strawberry #278

Daily painting #278. Pen, ink and watercolor

There is an abundance of strawberries in the shops in London at the moment with all the Wimbledon fever! I think we put them to good use this evening....Pimm's and strawberries and a bit of sunshine at 9pm! You can't beat that....

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Shrewsberry....wild roses #277

Daily painting #277. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel 

I found these beauties growing along the side of the cricket field. Portions of the rose bush were entangled in a mass of other shrubbery with heavy heads of full blooms popping out in different directions....

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A day in Berkshire #276

Daily painting #276. 4" x6" oil on primed canvas panel

The boys played a game in Berkshire yesterday at a school called Eagle House. Such beautiful grounds and the boys were still playing cricket at 7pm! We had a beautiful day with sunshine until 9pm....and no rain! A good day of cricket for our boys and beautiful weather to sit outdoors and paint!

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Wild raspberry #275

Daily painting #275 pen, ink and watercolor on primed canvas panel

Amy and I had the most awesome day in London yesterday, visiting galleries and walking around. She was an absolute star ...on and off the underground and walking more than I think her little feet ever have! I love being able to walk around so much .... London I have missed you and visiting again is just awesome! On our walk home from the train station at about 7pm last night (feeling safe...something I miss) Amy and I were marveling at all the beautiful gardens and window boxes. We came across a wild raspberry bush which was growing along a fence. It was heavy with fruit and the ground was littered with little crimson spots. This is one we picked up off of the floor....

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