Nelson Mandela - Madiba - Father of the Nation #69

Daily painting #69  8"x10" oil painting on primed canvas board. SOLD

A portrait painting in one painting session...as my daily painting! I really pushed myself today... normally I like to mull over a portrait allowing it to dry, while I study it and then work back into it glazing layers of transparent colours and slowly finding that likeness. BUT... today I was inspired! Inspired by a man who inspired our nation... and today we are a nation in mourning.

Daily painting is about capturing with immediacy an image. Technically, I make no excuses for this portrait. It evolved in its own way (larger than my regular daily paintings)...wet paint on wet paint....a tribute to the 'Father of our Nation'. On the 21 March each year we stop for a national holiday in honour of human rights. It's the day we commemorate the Sharpville Massacre where 69 people were killed. Today is daily painting #69 (no significance other than coincidence) and Madiba will forever be remembered as our nation's most iconic human rights campaigner.

This legendary man taught our nation (and the world) many lessons, the most important of which I believe is forgiveness: "No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite!" May our current leaders continue to draw on Madiba's wisdom....perhaps this will be our biggest struggle yet....

Madiba your 'long walk to freedom' is finally over....your footprints will last an eternity...RIP

Hamba Kahle....Siyabonga!

(Go well....we thank you)

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Announcement! New shop and 30% off!

I'm almost 70 days into my Daily Painting project and I have exciting news to share... I have a shiny new online shop! It's a secure way for you to buy my paintings (you can shop safely using any major credit card or Paypal) and it doubles as an online gallery for my work.  

To celebrate the new store, and thank you all for your amazing support, I'm running a little holiday sale! For the next week (7-14 December), I'm offering 30% off the price of every painting. Just enter the promo code JINGLE at checkout ... and have a very merry happy holiday season!  (PS: Feel free to share the promo code!)

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Summer mango #68

Daily painting #68 5"x7. Oil painting on primed canvas board

It has continued to rain on and off again today so I had no choice but to paint in the studio. A few days ago I found some delicious green mangoes at the market and they are beginning to ripen and full my kitchen with the most heavenly summer scent of sweet tropical mango! I can't wait to be able to enjoy them for breakfast but considering our weather has been anything but summery with all the rain and clouds I decided to bring a little bit of summer onto my canvas. Hope you can ALMOST smell that sweet scent of tropical summer too.....

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Garden Aloe #67

Daily painting #67. 6"x8" oil painting on primed canvas board. SOLD

We have had SO much rain lately....even as I write this post this evening ....the rain is lashing against my studio window! We seem to go to sleep most nights to the sound of rain...we have had tropical storms and huge winds but thank goodness, being summer it is not cold! This morning we woke up to sunshine (although by lunchtime it had clouded over again) and it was so lovely to be outside in the garden, I couldn't resist painting outdoors today....something I haven't been able to do in a while!

I sat painting a large aloe that grows at the side of my house. I have to own up to using a bit of artistic license ....the flowers are actually dead, drooping and about to fall (it flowers in winter) but I couldn't help enlivening them on my little canvas. I love the coral tones in the flowers and besides....the colour 'coral' is the latest fashion trend....I am told.... and we can all do with being a little trendy every now and again....even an aloe!

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Jam sandwich #66

Daily painting #66  6"x8" oil painting on primed canvas board

The humble sandwich has found its way onto many artists canvases....I tend to associate sandwiches with school lunch boxes!!! In South Africa our children don't eat school lunches provided by school. We have to send a snack and packed lunch with them to school, although most schools have a shop (known as the 'tuck shop') where you can purchase food and sweets etc ...it tends to be used more for a treat than providing daily sustenance! My kids are a bit spoilt. I tend to make an effort to pack delicious lunches! So my morning routine once the family are up and in the kitchen (and a cup of coffee is down the hatch) is to set about packing lunch....a chore I am delighted to have a break from when the holidays arrive!

So....NO MORE sandwiches and school lunch boxes for 6 weeks....YIPPEE!!! 
(I think many Mums will agree!)

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Holidays begin #65

Daily painting #65  6"x8" oil painting on primed canvas board

It was a good feeling this morning to wake up to holidays (read "long summer vacation"dear American friends out there)!!  I am an early riser, the early morning is my best time of day, so of course I was still awake EARLY! I could enjoy the morning...no morning school rush! There was time to enjoy...go slow...drink an extra cup of coffee and ease into what the day had to offer. Early mornings are always full of anticipation for what the day may bring.... right now I am anticipating a good summer holiday with loads of quality family time...my best!

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A row of red #64

Daily painting #64  4"x6" oil painting on primed canvas board

Sorry to bore you with more cherries....but I just can't get enough of these juicy little crimson gems! They have taken centre stage again today...an upright leader setting them straight...another raised in applause ... one turning shyly away ... and others taking their final bow....a royal show of crimson!

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