Inky strawberries #660

Daily painting #660 4"x6" ink and acrylic on primed panel

I have loved experimenting with the loose inky florals so decided to use some of the delicious fruit in my house at the moment to try a little inky still life. My little still life daily paintings tend to border on realism so to try use the unpredictable, often messy inks was a great challenge today. I also found it so hard that the intensity of the colour looks almost false and I am more familiar with working realistic hues and values. So today was quite a stressful experience...I very nearly threw in the towel and reached for my trusty oils...but I persevered! 

I would love to know what you think....

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Strawberry hearts #659

Daily painting #659. 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

Cut in half....bounty from my organic fruit and vegetable box yesterday.

Delicious, juicy and sweet!

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End of pink bunch #658

Daily painting #658 8"x8" ink and acrylic on primed panel

This beautiful pink bunch has served me well in my studio this week. Despite adding a touch of feminine beauty to my studio (I really am a floral, flowery kind of girl), they have been wonderful full bodied blooms to paint from! But they are nearing the end...petals are starting to fall like leaves in autumn and the leaves are starting to turn brown, shriveled and dry. The beauty of painting from such a bunch is that the blooms get to live on a little longer...even if it is in the painted image!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend. We are going into our second weekend (two more to go) without Andrew (my husband) around, but the good news is that the Gemini Arabians won their first game in the Masters Cricket League last night in Dubai! We are SO delighted for him!
A happy Friday indeed!

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Falling pink #657

Daily painting #657 8"x8" ink and acrylic on primed panel

I have painted from this bunch of roses for 3 days but it is SO incredibly hot and humid that the beautiful pink blooms are beginning to fall over....to droop and wilt in the unbearable heat. The pink heads are hanging in a state of desperation. I feel quite similar by midday when the heat seems to sap every ounce of energy from me. I might just be able to paint them for one more day and I have topped up the water with ice blocks to try revive them a bit. I have however taken lots of photographs. I have some rather big canvases beckoning from the corner of my studio! 

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Soft pink #656

Daily painting #656 8"x8" ink and acrylic on primed panel

The first few ink and acrylic florals that I tried were much more bold and bright. I find both the acrylic and the ink very intense in colour and definitely more bright and bold to work with. The colour feels almost artificial to work with by comparison to my oils where colour seems to feel so much less complicated for me. So I tried to work with a softer tone this time even though the colour of the ink is so intense. The trick was bringing in the lighter values and pastel tones without loosing the deep values and making everything look pale, bland and flat! When last did you experiment in your studio and use a different medium, brush size or technique? I think the thing that stops us from exploring is that fear of failure. If we are not willing to make mistakes we are depriving ourselves the opportunity to grow. Be brave, make mistakes and keep going ....it's fun you should try it!

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Single #655

Daily painting #655 6"x6" ink and acrylic on primed panel

I have answered quite a few questions over the last couple of days (on various social media platforms that I share my daily paintings to) about why I have not put any of my little daily ink and acrylic florals into my online store. Well in case you too were wondering...I hadn't put any of them up for sale because I viewed them as little experiments and had kept them in my studio to mull over and work with as I explore and investigate a little further. But the response to them has been overwhelming, so thank you for all the kind comments and encouragement...it's wonderful to be encouraged to 'play' some more! 

Last night after answering the same question for the umpteenth time, I decided to choose just 3 of these little inky experiments and load them onto my Tictail store. They sold immediately and I couldn't be more overwhelmed and grateful for the support and interest in these little paintings! Thank you....

So I promise to load a few more. Keep an eye out on the online store, you can visit it by clicking on the highlighted writing below. South African friends can message me privately or email at heidishedlock@gmail.com for prices in ZAR and for direct purchases. 

Abundant thanks....

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Calandiva flowers #654

Daily painting #654 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

These are growing in a pot on the windowsill in my studio. Last week they had tiny little buds. Today they have opened up into heads made up of tiny little flowers. The last 2 days have been so incredibly hot and humid that I am sure they are not going to last very long so I am enjoying the moment!

But NOT the heat....away with you summer now...enough! Sorry if you are experiencing massive snow storms and here I am complaining about the heat. We are experiencing massive and devastating country wide droughts and the Cape is fighting destructive fires. The weather the world over has been a little crazy and extreme! Mother Nature's wrath!

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Sunday rose #653

Daily painting #653 5"x7" oil on primed board

Compositionally this little daily painting didn't work...the rose ended up too high but I do like the loose mark making and the layering that happened, so all is not lost! 

It is Sunday and it has been a busy week. My children have a load of schoolwork to catch up on today before the start of another busy week, so it is a quiet day in the Shedlock household with everyone getting busy so that this afternoon we can all have some time out to relax!

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Cherry heart #652

Daily painting #652 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

Two halves that make a whole.

A cherry cut to reveal the little stone inside...opened up...fleshy hearts glistening like little ruby jewels....

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Not a cloud #651

Daily painting #651 6"x6" oil on primed board

My husband arrived safely in Dubai where he will be coaching the Gemini Arabians for the next 4 weeks in the Masters Cricket League Championship. So I awoke early this morning to check that his flight which was arriving in the early hours of the morning, had landed safely. It also didn't help that despite having an entire king size bed to stretch out on, the cat was sleeping right on top of me! He could have had a fine choice of spaces to curl up on but he had to sleep on top of me which meant he slept soundly and I didn't!

So I awoke to enjoy the sunrise. Cloudless, beautiful and peaceful....but the stifling, still and heavy heat of the morning was too much and I quickly retreated back into my cool bedroom (thank you for aircon), my cuddling cat and my book until I had to wake the kids up for school. 

Happy Friday!

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Today's the day #650

Daily painting #650 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

Today marks 650 daily paintings.....quite an achievement, if I say so myself, considering that I have continued to work on other paintings, continued teaching my painting classes and running a busy household! Today is also the day my husband leaves on his 4 week adventure to coach the Gemini Arabians in the Masters Cricket League Tournament being held in Dubai.

So this morning I was awake early...my best time of day to contemplate and gather my thoughts!

"Day raised the blue banner, and sounds of life shuddered from sleep: a shout, a laugh, a bird cry brazen in the light, and doves trembling stories of love."
From The Mountain Shadow by Gregory David Roberts

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End of a protea #649

Daily painting #649 6"x6" oil on primed board

The proteas from my desk are near the end....the petals have shriveled and dried out, their colour is more dull and they are becoming brittle...but there is still an element of beauty!

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From my desk #648

Daily painting #648 8"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

I painted from these proteas a few days ago....or maybe a week ago. They are in a glass jar and have been keeping me company at my desk. They don't have many more days left in them, the petals are wide open and starting to dry, so I thought it best to put them to good use one last time! My desk is going to look dull and boring without my favorite blooms!

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Blueberry breakfast #647

Daily painting #647 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

Mmmmm....the smell and creamy, juicy texture of oil paint!

These delicious blueberries are from my first batch of organic produce for the year. The little shop which sells organic and local produce from surrounding farms is back to sharing delicious bounty with us! They take a break over the festive season and I have really missed my weekly shop! I have especially missed the delicious farm eggs which have yolks the colour of glorious sunshine! These little blueberries were plump and popping with juicy flavour....breakfast was a treat this morning!

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Small and pink #646

Daily painting #646 5"x5" ink and acrylic on primed board 

This is such a tiny little painting and I struggled to get a clear picture of it. We have had some much  needed rain and the light today is gloomy and dull which is not good for taking clear photos of paintings....so apologies for the poor quality photo!

I think I need to get back to my oils tomorrow....there is something about the creamy texture and even the smell of oil paint that I miss. It will always be my first love!

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One more bud #645

Daily painting #645 5"x7" ink and acrylic on primed board

Yes...another one! This little daily is more acrylic and less ink. I have to admit I am not yet sold on the acrylics, but I do love working with the ink. I find the acrylic more harsh and intense to work with although the one bonus is that they dry quickly and so I can carry on 'playing' and exploring immediately without having to allow drying time....a luxury one doesn't have with a daily painting if using oils. I seem to be a little impatient lately....mmmm....and the loose style I enjoy working with on florals doesn't really appeal to me with object painting or still life. I guess I need to continue exploring! Never get stuck with working in your 'style' of painting. Always push the boundaries. It's comforting to go back to what feels familiar and that will always be your starting point ....but don't be afraid to explore, experiment, play and just have fun! Change your materials, change your brush size, change the way you apply your paint.....push yourself a little further from the familiar and see where it takes you....

I think I need to try some BIG inky florals! What do you think?

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Another inky day #644

Daily painting #644 5"x7" ink and acrylic on primed board

Apologies for the glut of flowers, especially roses, but I think I am developing a love affair with ink! It's a messy affair...unpredictable....sometimes infuriating...it makes me loose control and gives me a rush of excitement when out of the chaos emerges something I quite like. This sounds like my kind of dangerous....maybe tomorrow I will head back to the comfort of my oils. I really am an indecisive kind of gal!

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Small protea #643

Daily painting #643 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

A little 5"x5" painting. It's so good to spend time back in my studio! It feels good to have a good spring clean, get organized and rearrange a few things in my studio. It also feels good to have some space on my desk again....it is amazing how quickly and easily that space becomes cluttered! I treated myself to 2 beautiful little proteas in a glass jar on my desk...they give the space a little life and a dash of colour! 

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Croxley Eraser #642

Daily painting #642 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

Just as fast as it came around, our wonderful summer holidays have come to and end! My son begins his Grade 9 year at High School today and in a few days time my daughter will start her last year in Senior Primary School. It is quite pleasant to go back to some kind of routine but it is so hot it feels like it should still be beach and bikini (okay...maybe not quite a bikini) weather. 

The last few days have been spent shopping for and sorting new stationery, covering books and getting school uniforms ready. A tedious task indeed..except maybe for buying stationery! I have to own up to being a stationery fiend! I adore new stationery and there is nothing like a new pen or materials... that is if you are a stationery junkie like me! If you can't relate to my stationery obsession then perhaps you are thinking I am a bit crazy but a little crazy is good, so I don't mind! I can't say my son shared my enthusiasm for his new stationery...but then again perhaps it had more to do with the end of summer holidays and going back to school!

Here's hoping my children (and yours) have a fabulous 2016 school year...

"Make mistakes, take chances,

be silly, be imperfect,

trust yourself and 

follow your heart."

(Unknown)

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Trio of cherries #641

Daily painting #641 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

My 3 little smooth boards that I experimented on have been used up and with the last few days of school holidays here, getting to a store is near impossible as I seem to be a glorified taxi service for busy teenagers at the moment! So I am left using what is available in my studio and so yesterday I returned to setting up a quiet, moody little still life again.

There was something comforting about the tradition of it all...the familiar oils...the traditional little still life...the more controlled painting...the safety of feeling more in control. Huge contrast to the crazy, dripping, unpredictable and less controlled, messy exploration of working with the inks over the last few days. I have loved both processes and it got me thinking about how we tend to box ourselves with regards to style or expected outcomes. I have a feeling my enjoyment of both processes had more to do with mood and my own head space rather than anything else. That is what I love about daily painting...it is an immediate reflection of that moment...subconscious reflections on a mood, a story, an object, a day. I don't have time to think too much about what it is I paint or why, I just do it...paint, draw, make 'mess' or simply sit quietly and do what feels comforting and familiar!

Don't waste time thinking about what to paint or why...just paint..just do it and the work will come!
(Unless of course you get interrupted by a nagging teenager that wants a lift to a friends house...hehehe!)

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Ink roses #640

Daily painting #640 5"x7" ink and acrylic on primed board

I had 3 pieces of smooth Masonite board in my studio which I must have had cut at some point to try out as little daily painting boards. I usually work on canvas boards which I prime and sand down. Although much smoother than working on a stretched canvas, they still have a slight texture and so I don't enjoy using ink on them. I decided to prime these little Masonite boards to experiment on and so over the last 3 days you have seen some little ink and acrylic experiments. I love the fact that once I have primed the surface and sanded it down slightly, the surface is smooth and the inks can run and the acrylics slide over the surface. It has been fun to 'play' and experiment on a new surface. I definitely need to experiment more....and I LOVE the smooth surface!

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Rose bud #639

Daily painting #639 5"x5" ink and acrylic on primed board

One more exploration with ink....and a little acrylic.

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Pincushion #638

Daily painting #638 6"x6" ink and acrylic on primed board

I felt like experimenting and playing with some other materials today so I hauled out my inks and acrylic paint. A totally different feel to my lush oils but I had such fun and I really like the outcome! It just reminds me that I need to find time to 'play' and experiment more....2016 I have big plans for you! 

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Opening red protea #637

Daily painting #637 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

The red protea was still in my studio. While it certainly hasn't wilted in the heat, it has started to open up really quickly. But I am hopeful...last night we had the first little rainfall in ages. The smell of the rain falling on the heat scorched earth was simply heavenly! It is still overcast this morning although extremely humid after the little bit of rain, and I am hoping we have not seen the last of it. While a little shower is certainly respite for our burnt dry grass and empty swimming pools, we need the rain to bucket down in our catchment areas and on the farms. So hoping for more rain....

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Red protea #636

Daily painting #636 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

The only flower that seems to cope with the awful heat we are experiencing at the moment. Everything else seems to wilt within a day. The problem is that proteas are hard to find at the moment...but this one is a beauty! 

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More heat #635

Daily painting #635 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel 

Oh dear.....it looks like the heat is here to stay for another day! The morning, while glorious and colourful, was already hot and the heat was creating a hazy, steamy glare over the ocean. Please rain make your way to Durban.....we desperately need it!

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Strike a match #634

Daily painting #634 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

In my kitchen my oven is electric and my stove top is gas. My oven has needed an element replaced...it clearly overdid the whole 'cooking thing' over the festive season. My oven's electrics have been switched off at the main electric box so I can only cook on my gas top until a technician comes to do the repairs. So by the end of cooking supper my kitchen counter is littered with used matches because with no electrics we are back to striking a match to gas to cook!

Never a dull moment in a house ...always something needing fixing!

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Same bunch #633

Daily painting #633 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

This is the same bunch of wilting roses I painted from yesterday. It is a bunch given to me shortly before we left to go away. They were tight buds but it is SO incredibly hot in Durban at the moment that the poor roses don't stand a chance and are already wilting and drooping....pretty much the same as I feel! We have arrived home to dry brown grass, a sorry, sad herb garden and an extremely thirsty heat scorched garden. Humans and furry babies alike are lolling around trying to find shade, a breeze and maybe some respite from the heat! We desperately need some rain, we are already on water restrictions and the weather forecast shows nothing but sunshine! Is it ever going to rain....? Please....

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Homeward bound #632

Daily painting #632 8"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

We are homeward bound....our lovely holiday has come to an end! My son starts playing in a cricket festival on Monday and so it's time to head on home. We have had the most wonderful family time and my 'happy bucket' is full to the brim! 

Pumula Beach you have been good to us....we look forward to being back again soon....from a rested, happy and sun kissed Shedlock family!

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Coffee #631

Daily painting #631 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

Staying awake on New Years Day required an unhealthy amount of coffee! Our New Year's Eve at Pumula Beach Hotel was fabulous. It involved good wine, delicious food, music, beach bonfires and night time swims....and to top it of we won the lucky draw for a free weekend stay at the hotel! Not that our family need any convincing to return. A fine way to start of the year!

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Endings and new beginnings...2016 #630

Daily painting #630 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

A low grey cloud started to sweep across the moody pink sky and challenged my skill at quickly capturing that moment. The colours changed quickly and so I had to paint fast! But I was sitting at a little table at the hotel (tucked away from the eyes of other guests) with my husband keeping me company....and I couldn't have been happier, regardless of how the little daily painting turned out! 

2016 is full of new possibilities (as New Years always are) and I make no resolutions or promises to myself but I would like to try complete another full year of daily painting. But 2015 taught me that nothing can really be planned and to have any huge expectation can also lead to disappointment so I will start the year with taking part in Leslie Saeta's 30 day challenge...30 paintings in 30 days for the month of January. It sounds like a good start! As 2015 taught me....I will take one day at a time. So I hope you join me on my 2016 journey ....it starts with daily painting #630. Not a bad way to start with 630 daily paintings under my belt! I wish you all a happy, healthy and productive 2016!

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