Indian Ocean #337

Daily painting #337. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

The weather finally cleared enough for me to paint a bit outdoors and there is nothing better than the smell of the sea and the sound of the ocean for a bit of soul food! But it's time to head back home...all good things come to an end....at least I get to take a little reminder home with me!

This month I will be participating in the Leslie Saeta 30/30 challenge again. I participated in her JANUARY challenge and it was a fabulous way to meet other artists and connect with other daily painters around the world. 30/30 means 30 little paintings in 30 days....I think I should manage...and it is a lovely way to finish off my last month in a year of daily paintings! There are over 600 artists worldwide participating in the September challenge....and I think I am the only one from South Africa....although I stand to be corrected .... So here goes as the month of September begins....HAPPY SPRING day to all my Southern Hemisphere friends! 

I thought I would share this lovely picture my daughter (thanks Amy)took early this morning....our coastline really does look like a little piece of heaven....

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Passion fruit #336

Daily painting #336. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel 

This beautiful colourful passion fruit, or as we call them in South Africa....granadillas, were on the breakfast fruit buffet this morning. I wish I could share the smell of them with you....they have a tart, sweet, tropical aroma that just shouts "SUMMER TIME" !!! A bit ironical considering the weather we are having. The restaurant staff tried about 3 times (or more) to take these off of the table for me. They were most concerned that I wasn't eating them and I was assured they were fresh and sweet and everyone was enjoying them....they just couldn't understand why I wasn't eating them! On trying to explain that I wanted to paint them, they of course thought I was even more crazy....occupational hazard!

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Huletts sugar sachet #335

Daily painting #335. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

We are away at my favorite place down the South Coast, Pumula Beach in Umzumbe. We come here often as you will know if you have been following the blog for a while. It is a lovely family hotel right on the beach and we have been coming here since before my husband and I were even married...my children have grown up here and we have tons of happy family memories from this place. 

The weather however has turned really cold and some parts of KwaZulu Natal, mainly inland, have had snowfalls. Here at the coast we have had strong winds and light rain and the temperature has dropped considerably. So I don't think there will be too many walks on the beach or any swimming (our winters are mild enough that we can swim almost all year round). I think there will be lots of strong coffee, hot chocolate or maybe even some red wine or sherry on the cards this weekend. This was painted from a little veranda outside our bedroom, a light rain was falling and dolphins were bobbing in the sea. My husband was lucky to spot a whale while I had my head in my paintbox! Of course we were sipping good coffee....time to relax for the weekend....regardless of the weather!

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Contemplation #334

Daily painting #334 4"x6"  oil on primed canvas panel

This mornings time at my easel was a time of soulful contemplation and reflection....
Today Andrew and I have been married for 15 years, in a months time I would have painted 365 little daily paintings in 365 days....a journey that has meant so much more to me than little paintings and I am still struggling to put into words everything that Paintings in the post has meant or become to me. A few days prior to reaching this little milestone I will be celebrating my 40th birthday....a milestone in itself! My time was spent thinking of relationships, journeys and connections ....the pathways we forge in life which in itself is celebrated not by the milestones we reach but by the decisions we make and the relationships we treasure along the way....
My time at the easel has much to do with painting but it also has so much more to do with the time I get to spend with myself and my thoughts. On starting my Paintings in the post journey I remember writing about how the thought of writing (and in doing so sharing my thoughts) scared me more than the painting .... I still do not view myself as a writer, I have to confess I can't spell and for an ex school teacher my grammar would probably at times make my old English teachers scream. The delete button and I are trusty best friends. But sharing my thoughts has become easier....and today my time at the easel was little to do with WHAT or HOW I was painting and everything to do with what daily painting does for me and my head space .....a ritual, a time for quiet contemplation!

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A whole bunch of happiness #333

Daily painting #333. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

Tomorrow Andrew and I celebrate 15 years of marriage! We have lots to be grateful for ...15 years of love, laughs and tons of happy memories...but BEST of all....2 beautiful children!

Feeling like I have a whole bunch of happiness and things to be grateful for....

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Smarties #332

Daily painting #332. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

Little colorful candy coated buttons of milk chocolate....they just remind me of children's birthday parties!

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Invader #331

Daily painting #331. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

This little plant is creeping through the fence where our property borders with the public gardens alongside our house. I am sure this little invader is actually a weed of some sorts but it too is thriving after the rain we had and is about to burst into what looks like a flower.....I actually feel guilty about pulling it out but Patrick, an old Zulu man who works for us and lives on our property is determined that it has to go!
Patrick has worked and lived with us for 12 years, my children call him "Mkulu" which means grandfather in Zulu. Patrick supports his entire family of grandchildren as his own children have all passed away. His grandchildren visit from time to time but they are away at school for most of the year and so he prefers to stay with us. He is like a member of our family and in actual fact he does so much around the house I don't know how we would survive without him! And so if Patrick says the little plant has to go....it will go.
 Sad that I won't get to see what these strange little flowers will look like when they open .... Even if it is only a weed.

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World's view #330

Daily painting #330. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

My son played in a hockey festival this weekend in Pietermaritzburg and so today we all went up as family to spend the day there. Pietermaritzburg is about an hour inland from Durban. The boys had a morning game and then only played again late afternoon so it gave us some time to head off up the hills and do some exploring as well as finding a quaint little eatery for lunch in the little village of Hilton. Hilton is a short 15-20 minute trip up the hill from Pietermaritzburg and we decided on our way back down to travel along the single lane old road and not the main highway. Just off of this road still at the top of the hill is a little viewing site called "World's View" ....it marks the route travelled by the Voortrekker settlers into KwaZulu Natal as they descended from the Drakensberg mountains down towards the coast and eventually to Durban. The view from this spot is simply breathtaking on a clear day and so a little, quick daily painting sketch! If you would like to see some of these breathtaking views visit my Instagram page.

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Jam doughnut #329

Daily painting #329. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

Sugary, sticky, and slightly crisp with a great big dollop of glistening jewel-like sweet strawberry jam....like a giant beckoning ruby fixed in the middle.....this doughnut looked lethal! Amy (my daughter) and I had such fun browsing the bakery section at the market yesterday choosing a sugary treat to paint! It gave me license to look at all the cakes, tarts, pastries and other tempting fare that I would normally avoid with all my will power! Because I would never normally come home with something like this from the market there was great debate as to how one little doughnut was going to be fairly consumed  by the family...."why didn't you buy more mom?"

Well as luck would have it I bumped over my jar of turpentine when I was cleaning my brushes after painting and the doughnut got splattered....so no one got to eat it after all! Some things are just not meant to be eaten.....especially lethal sugary carbo-loaded (and greasy as I found out when I removed it after painting)  jam doughnuts.....even though they look so good!

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Protea #328

Daily painting #328. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

This week it is my Mum's birthday and our wedding anniversary ....a week of celebrations! Next weekend Andrew, the kids and I are off the our favorite little place down the South Coast, Pumula Beach to celebrate our 15th anniversary. So this weekend we are getting together to celebrate my Mums birthday! Of course my house is full of flowers and I am about to pull out the recipe books to decide which yummy cake to bake for the birthday girl!

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Water #327

Daily painting #327. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

This morning we woke to the sound and smell of rain! Finally....and it was heavenly! There really is nothing quite like the smell of rain after a dry period! I could almost hear the grass groaning with relief! It didn't last for too long but as I write this blog post we are experiencing the first huge thunderstorm of the season....electric blue lightening, cracking thunder and sheets of rain pouring down in what seems like solid glass panels falling from the sky and cutting into the earth...some areas have received warnings of hail! The saying 'it never rains but it pours' comes to mind in the literal sense...

Well Spring will definitely be on its way now....the weather is warming and with a bit of rain....the plants will rejuvenate and buds will start to form. Change is on the way....amazing what a little (actually not so little at the moment) bit of water can do....

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Papaya #326

Daily painting #326 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel 

Papaya....tomorrow mornings breakfast! The sweet smell and taste of summer! YUM!!

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Afternoon promise of rain #325

Daily painting #325. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

Everything is dry....the monkeys were foraging in the trees next to our house today, desperate to find food but everything is dry and food is scarce. The weather has warmed up considerably and Spring is on the way but still no rain! We had an awful hot dry wind today which usually means a change of weather on the way. Big grey clouds were looming but nothing....they were just teasing ....making us long for the rain even more as we melted in the uncomfortable dry heat. The rain is coming.....just not today unfortunately!

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Morning #324

Daily painting #324. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

While you may not care to see too many 'sky paintings', I on the other hand could paint one every day! You see these little paintings actually have nothing to do with the final image and so much more to do with the experience of starting my day like this! To take time out to reflect at the start of the day and slow the pace down a bit before the business of the day consumes me, is just the best tonic! It is like topping up my inspiration tank for the day....the richest soul food...and I do love a good soul feast!

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Key #323

Daily painting #323. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

I have this disastrous relationship with keys!! I either can't find the one I am looking for or I am finding way too many spare keys and I have no idea what they are for....

We are busy doing a slight alteration downstairs to a space I can use as my own personal studio (my main studio outside I use for teaching and the space I use upstairs for my own work has just become too small). It has lovely double doors which can be opened onto the garden area but I can't find the keys to this door which hasn't been opened in ages. I was sure it was the little key hanging up near the door but this house is old and we have way too many keys, doors and locks....I am hoping that perhaps given the age of the door that perhaps the key is simply not working...either way it looks like I am going to have to add fixing the lock onto the TO DO list which seems to be growing daily!

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Sprouting garlic #322

Daily painting #322. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

School sport in the morning, a relaxing afternoon at home, finished off with some quality family time (lots of laughs) and nice meal. A good Saturday! 

It must be getting warmer ....the garlic which was only bought this week is already sprouting in the vegetable basket! Summer is on its way....

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"Another one...because I feel like it!" #321

Daily painting #321. Oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

I am not normally one to rant....but today I am going to have my say! I painted ANOTHER rose (it is sitting in a single stem vase in my studio) out of sheer frustration, actually rather in response to the arrogant thoughts of some! I find it difficult to comprehend that people would criticize others because they paint flowers....or their work is 'pretty'.....! Why does everything have to have some deep academic thought ....? For starters this blog has NOTHING to do with academics or any serious conceptual response to academic discourse. It is the daily recording of something simple in paint (and yes there are ALWAYS flowers in my house) by someone who gets sheer JOY from the interaction with paint. It often has very little to do with WHAT it is I am painting and more about my responses to actually sitting down to complete a little painting every day. It is one thing to paint every day but another to complete something every day ....7 days a week ....for almost a year. I do this not for any recognition, pat on the back or accolades but more because of my own personal journey ....and I have chosen to share it in the hopes that I can encourage someone out there in some little way! It is not to say that if I was working on pieces for an exhibition that I wouldn't enjoy the more academic, thought provoking journey that one engages with when exploring a particular body of work, but that is a different approach to painting (for me anyway) with lots more exploration and I would never manage to complete a piece in one day! So if I choose to paint flowers ...'pretty' ones ...and share it on this blog...so be it and if others choose to paint roses or flowers for whatever reason....so be it! Who has the right to judge.....?

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For flowers... #320

Daily painting #320. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

I am learning to accept that I am a hunter/gatherer and a compulsive hoarder! I love hunting down things at markets, antique shops and even second hand stores! Besides the fact that I couldn't afford it, the treasures I find are never the valuable kind. In actual fact they are usually the broken, chipped, cracked and discarded but beautiful that catch my attention. Only yesterday I found 2 discarded pigeon hole cabinets the ones used for filing papers in (before the days of Dropbox and online filing systems) ....perfect for my studio! They look old, grimy,  chipped and unloved but I can't wait to give them a little tender loving care, fix them up and give them a new lease on life. I paid R50 for both cabinets (R25 each....crazy!!!!) and the person who I bought them from thought he had got a bargain getting rid of rubbish! Today I painted another little throw away from someone's expensive tea set.....a short, stout, odd shaped milk jug, tossed out because it was chipped, old and not quite so beautiful for the tea table any longer. Well now it sits on my studio shelf and is just perfect for a handful of flowers ....or to paint.... Or simply sit on my shelf feeling beautiful!

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Quick morning study #319

Daily painting #319. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

Today has been one of those crazy, manic, hectic, rush...rush...rush kind of days! You know those days...we all have them! I woke up just knowing that finding time to paint or even get into my own studio was going to be tough! I taught a painting class this morning, had a meeting straight after and then a million things to do in the afternoon after which I knew I would only stumble through the door after 6.30pm with my children and still have to face cooking supper! So one thing daily painting has taught me is discipline .... I got home from dropping Ross at school and went straight to the cloudy view from my bedroom window over the green tree tops of the public gardens next to our home and I painted quickly ...without too much thought ...for the short 20 minutes I had before getting ready for class. So this is the result....a quick study in paint! It is not a masterpiece but I share it anyway with pride that I did it at all! Another reminder to me that just when you think you can't do something, if you set your mind to it and make a decision to try ....it's a step in the right direction! All those things I thought I wasn't going to have enough time for today ....well they all got done...and I survived. The only family member who didn't seem to cope with the day and adopted the attitude of 'wake me up when this is over' was my cat Shelly who tucked her face under her back legs, hid from the world and had a hard day sleeping!

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Pink #318

Daily painting #318. Stretched canvas

I know....there have been a lot of 'pretty pinks' on the blog lately but my house has been full of flowers and because I am one of those flowery types of girls (florals are my best....even in my clothes!!!) I just can't help but want to share them with you! I hope I am not chasing away any male followers with all the 'pretty'  but I think I feel a little spring in the air! No more pretty for a few days...I promise!
This daily painting will be for sale at the annual Montpelier fundraiser(along with a couple of other larger paintings) but if you are interested in purchasing it and are not able to make the fundraising exhibition please message me privately heidishedlock@gmail.com . Montpelier is a local Durban school which holds an annual fundraising exhibition and local artists are asked to participate in the event. I have supported them for a couple of years now and the next event is coming up in September.

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Long handle and short handle #317

Daily painting #317. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

I am very particular about my brushes and I am usually quite pedantic about my care for them, especially my trusty long handles which I seem to automatically reach out for, especially when working small! Usually a long handle brush and holding it as far back as I can does the trick in keeping my mark fresh especially when I work on such little canvases which prior to daily painting I would never have considered working on! This weekend however I worked with some good old short handle household paintbrushes, but this was for a different kind of painting ....I was painting up some old furniture. I was tired by the time I finished and gave the brushes a quick rinse but didn't pay them too much attention. I still have quite a bit of furniture I am wanting to paint, but I am going to have to buy some new household brushes.....my lack of TLC has resulted in hard stiff brushes that will be awful to paint with now! If this had happened to my trusty old long handle oil brushes I would with out a doubt be in FLOODS OF TEARS!!!!! Maybe I should just stick to oil painting and leave the furniture painting for someone else to do! Or maybe I should just wash my short handle household brushes with more care....

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Market candy #316

Daily painting #316. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

Some pretty pink eye candy from the market....I do love proteas!

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Hot English Mustard in a jar #315

Daily painting #315. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

The object has been the muse of artists for centuries and for me in particular the object holds a special interest. The objects we surround ourselves with tell a story about who we are, what we do, what we like. They often hold personal significance or at times are banal....a part of ordinary everyday life! As an artist my interest is in the relationship that I have with an object and how others bring their own meaning, stories or significance to the same painted objects. Almost a year ago I painted a little daily painting called 'Mustard' it was #95 in the daily painting series. I loved hearing the story and the significance of the little painting to its new owner. It is a delightful story of friendship, common interest and ritual and the perfect example of how the simple object can hold so much meaning! So this little painting is about to join the story....a story of partners! Here is the little painting's partner 'Mustard #95'.....

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Weekend #314

Daily painting #314. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

It is almost the weekend...I have no class today ....and am looking forward to some time in my studio! I can't think of a better way to get to me in the mood for some studio time, than an early morning start!

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Pink wild pear #313

Daily painting #313. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

There is nothing more touching than receiving a hand picked blossom from someone's garden! Today one of the ladies in my painting class walked into the studio with this beautiful flower picked from her garden as she was leaving for class...how touching! Robyn did tell me the botanical name but I probably wouldn't get it right and besides I love it's common name....a Pink Wild Pear!! It is like a little sweet smelling ball of soft little pink flowers and is just too pretty. It also smells like someone just opened the honey jar ...sweet and rather delicious smelling! My little bee that I painted yesterday would have loved this flower as much as I do! It is indigenous and I am definitely going to look out for one next time I am at the nursery! 

Thanks Robyn....your little gesture made my day!

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Bee-autiful #312

Daily painting #312. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

I love these little creatures, but maybe that is because I am not allergic to bees! I find it fascinating how they go about their business....

Sadly this little chap is not making it back to the hive....

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Roses and earth tremors #311

Daily painting #311. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel  $65

It was dark and gloomy in the studio yesterday afternoon and I decided to use only the gentle light from the studio window. I was sitting painting at my easel in the gloomy light, when my chair felt as if it was being bumped. Thinking the cat had climbed up behind me and was scratching himself and therefor bumping me, I proceeded to scold him and as I moved to chase him I realized he wasn't there....and yet I could still feel a slight vibration on the chair! The cat also raised his head from another corner of the studio and looked at me curiously....clearly also thinking my mind had finally tipped me over the edge. It was really strange and as fast as it happened I was left thinking perhaps I had imagined it! Only a few hours later  did I hear on the news that there was an earthquake near Johannesburg measuring 5.5. In South Africa that is huge as earthquakes are rare! In Durban we received mild tremors from the shock waves and so I have redeemed myself and I am not so crazy after all. The earth really was moving under me....and I was not imagining things. Sadly one person lost their life and many others were injured as some miners were trapped underground. There have been warnings that further earthquakes or tremors could occur and in South Africa where major natural disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes etc are not common, this "little" earthquake is making huge headlines! Ebola virus, earthquakes....please Mother Nature, Africa needs a little TLC!

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Cloud study #310

Daily painting #310. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

A little time observing the sky....painting the sky plein air is always a challenge because of the immediacy with which you need to capture the mood as the clouds shift and the light alters. There were some majestic clouds in the sky today ...but still no sign of rain! Our weather has been beautiful considering it is winter and being outdoors is fabulous! The only thing that is a concern is that we have had such a beautiful warm winter, what heat is heading our way come Summer...not my favorite time of year in Durban! For now I am enjoying this perfect winter weather....

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Winter blossom #309

Daily painting #309. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel 

I have no idea what this winter flowering tree is called. It looks rather like a cherry blossom but I know it isn't. It is probably an alien species (not indigenous to South Africa) but it is beautiful all the same ...and I enjoyed engaging with the delicate forms of the little blossoms. Nothing like a few chunky brush marks to get you going for the day! 

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Morning East Coast #308

Daily painting #308. Watercolor in sketchbook NFS

A new watercolor journal purchased.....yippee!

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Sketchbook #307

Daily painting #307 watercolor and pen in sketchbook NFS

Congratulations to Andy Swanepoel and Ryan Scott who are the winners of the lucky draw. Thank you both for the orders you placed this week, your free daily painting of your choice will be posted to you along with your order. Thank you too to all the other loyal supporters of Paintings in the post who purchased paintings this week! Your support is much appreciated! 

This post is going live online a little later than usual today because the special offer and giveaway only ended at midnight last night and I wanted to do the lucky draw and notify the winners prior to posting it online. I spent most of yesterday getting paintings packaged and ready to be posted and having a little tidy up around the studio! I have not had a chance to use any of the new watercolors, inks or drawing pens that I purchased in the UK and so I decided to have some 'play time' for my daily painting instead of painting with my trusty oils. Problem....my watercolor sketch pad had run out so I worked in my moleskin journal used for drawing....bad plan you will probably think! I was so desperate to use the new materials so I ignored what I knew would happen and went along with it anyway....the paper was too thin to hold the water....it wrinkled and curled and the paint didn't move around at all, it muddied and blotched and did all of those horrible things I knew it would do on the wrong kind of paper! But I didn't mind....as I mention so often, don't let the pressure of feeling that everything you do needs to be a masterpiece stop you from doing something. Paint, play, enjoy, have fun, experiment and most importantly DO IT.....if you happen to have a few pieces that turn out ok along the way, that's an added bonus! The fear of mistakes is our greatest stumbling block....so next time you are scared, nervous or reticent to do something, you probably NEED to do it! Have fun and enjoy your materials....don't worry about who is going to see it or what people will think! If I can share my mistakes and messes online....you can do it too! Do something rather than nothing!

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