Morning #707

Daily painting #707 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

It has been a while since I painted the morning sky which is a pity because our Durban winter sunrises are just the best! Painting them and enjoying them with a good cup of coffee is on my list of favourite things! 

It is the school holidays which is always a busy family time for me but I also have quite a lot of things happening at the moment and my creative brain is quite honestly in overdrive! To have a creative brain can be a blessing but also a curse. When I have an idea that's planted itself, my brain goes into over wire and runs away with itself....thinking in a million different disorderly directions....keeping me awake at night and inducing a kind of adrenalin rush frenzy in my thought patterns! I have to take time out to centre myself again, write everything down to try make order of the chaos and of course find something to do that helps me switch off for a bit. I wish I could have done that at 3 am this morning when I was tossing and turning! HA! So what am I up to you may be asking? Well I am not ready to share just yet....but watch this space!

Back to beautiful sunrises and my list of favourite things...we are off on a little adventure early tomorrow morning before the sun even rises! We are road tripping to the bush...my BEST place to be in the whole world. We are going to a game reserve called HluHluwe about a 2 hour drive from home. Spending time in the African bush is definitely at the top of the list of my favourite things to do and I get to spend some time not only with my family but also my much loved camera. Will share some pics with you, I promise! 

Sending a whole lot of Monday love....

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Orange #706

Daily painting #706 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

Bright orange pincushion proteas. Like little balls of fire in the winter chill. Loving their vibrant colour and just one will brighten up the room!

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Winter break #705

Daily painting #705 5"x7" ink and acrylic on primed panel 

Today marks the start of our 3 week Winter holiday. My children finish school early today and holidays can begin....I can't wait! I have SO much work to do, so it's not like I will be taking too much of a break but it is good to have a change in pace. No school means no more cold, dark early morning rush and no more making and packing school lunches before I have even wiped the sleep from my eyes. It also means no more crazy afternoon lifting around from sports practices, ballet classes, piano lessons....(the list could go on). It means we get to have some awesome family time and although for a change we don't have any travel plans, we do have a few day trips that we plan on doing closer to home which is really exciting. I am looking forward to spending more time with my camera again which is always a treat in the holidays as my painting classes have come to an end until the schools go back. But most importantly I am going to be able to enjoy the beautiful morning winter sunrises with my cup of coffee for a little longer (I am an early riser anyway)....this really is the best time of year in Durban! Chilly mornings and beautiful warm sunny days...it doesn't get much better. 

Happy Holidays!

Good morning!

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One plum and a dipping bowl #704

Daily painting #704 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

I wasn't kidding when I said how happy I was to gather all my little studio props again. This little dipping dish is from a local Chinese supermarket that I regularly shop at. I love browsing the shelves looking at all the different ingredients (as you know I love to cook), but I also often get distracted by the beautiful Chinese bowls, dishes and teapots. I can't help but leave with the odd little treasure. I have a beautiful selection of little bowls that we eat our yoghurt from and my studio is full of little treasures from that shop. I think I am a hoarder....(cringe!!!)

As for the delicious winter plums, they are about to become a plum and raspberry crumble to eat with thick Greek yoghurt ...and sugar-free of course!

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Lime (and soda) #703

Daily painting #703 8"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

Its been a while since I painted fruit on a plate. I did a series of different fruit on different plates a long while ago and while having a big (way overdue) tidy-up in my studio this week, I gathered together again many of the props (old plates, chipped cups, little vases etc) that I have used in paintings in the past. They all seemed to have found their way into every little corner of my studio space. It was like finding hidden treasure or reuniting with old friends! I see a few little still life paintings coming up again perhaps...but then again, I do have beautiful flowers in my studio too...oh the choices!!!! If only there were more hours in the day to paint!

So why lime (and soda) you are asking, right? Well if you have been following for a while you will know I don't dedicate too much time to trying to choose what to paint for a daily painting. They are the things that are around me, that tell my story or are in my space. Today I have an abundance of limes sitting in a bowl in my kitchen. I LOVE the intensity of their colour and I love the intensity of their flavour even more. Last year we as a family gave up sugar. One of the first things I did was pour all juices, cordials and fizzy drinks ( not that we had those often) down the kitchen sink (drain). My children initially thought they were sentenced to a life of drinking water (not a bad thing)and nothing else! How boring they thought, until I introduced homemade flavored water and one of our favourites is lime and mint. Place a few slices of lime and a few mint leaves in some water and chill the water in the fridge for about an hour or two. Take a large glass of ice and pour the flavored water (including a few slices of lime) over the ice and enjoy! It's known in our house as 'Lime and soda' (a sugar free and fizzy free version)  and there is nothing more refreshing for steamy Durban weather (winter lasts for maybe 4 days if we are lucky). These beautiful limes are soon to become 'Lime and soda'.

If you are in South Africa, I hope you have a fabulous long weekend. Remember to message me privately for prices of little paintings in ZAR and for direct purchases (in SA only). My email is heidishedlock@gmail.com

Four day weekends are THE BEST!

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Red 2 #702

Daily painting #702 5"x7" ink and acrylic on primed panel

Another little share from the group of little paintings that will be heading off to Switzerland...
(Wish I could jump in the package and go on an adventure too!)

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Red #701

Daily painting #701 6"x8" ink and acrylic on primed panel

I am working away on some little paintings for a Paintings in the Post friend and follower who lives in Switzerland. They are all little florals and most of them are South African florals. They are a mix of oil paintings and ink/acrylic paintings.
So just in case you think I am ignoring you or even worse...not painting, I thought I would share a little red protea with you. It's new home will be Switzerland (lucky fish!).

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