View on a Summers day #84

Daily painting #84. 4"x6" oil painting on primed canvas board

Yesterday our Durban weather came back to give us a slap on the wrists for moaning about all the rain we have had! It punished us with high humidity levels and a real 'stinker of a day' ( a slang way of saying it was just too HOT!). My children spent the day in the pool lathered in sun block lotion from head to toe! There was no way I was tucking myself up inside my studio to paint a still life!

So....I settled on my upstairs verandah! I could watch the children in the pool below and I had the most beautiful view over the tree tops and out to sea where a little ship was balancing on the horizon. It was so hot the light had a hazy, blurred effect and quite frankly I was forced, more than ever, to simply and quickly record in paint....the lure of my children calling for me to come join them in the pool was too great....I headed straight down to cool off  and have some fun with my kids! Summer is here....

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Two cherries and a silver Christmas ball #83

Daily painting #83  6"x4" oil painting on primed canvas board

I love the atmosphere of Christmas... There is something magical about this time of year! 

My cats are enjoying it too....the Christmas tree is a great source of entertainment with all those shiny balls just waiting to play 'hit and catch" and when they finally fall off, the shiny balls like this silver one are such fun to chase around the room!! Let's hope the whole tree doesn't come tumbling down!

 This silver ball was rescued from the cat yesterday, he was staring at it pawing the image of the cat reflecting back at him.... He just couldn't understand why I took his new found friend away!

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Protea for Christmas #82

Daily painting #82. 6"x8" oil painting on primed canvas panel

So which flowers will be gracing my table on Christmas Day when the family come for lunch? 

Of course...proteas! Christmas decor with a bit of a South African touch! A bit of rustic meets traditional... Some grass hand woven placemats, glass, crystal, silver balls, rustic candle sticks and some beautiful vibrant proteas to take centre stage! Do you also have fun decorating the table for Christmas? Now that I have planned my Christmas table I need to give some thought to the menu...the only serious consideration I have given to food lately is when I am painting it! Tomorrow I need to find some culinary inspiration ....

Enjoy this simple protea... They really are one of my favorite flowers! I love the fact that yesterday I sat using tiny brushes to build up a fairly realistic image of mince pies. Today, I worked with bigger brushes, enjoying the build up of dollops of wet paint that could be moved around and worked back into. Teaching forces you to be able to move out of your comfort zone and embrace many techniques or else your students will all end up painting like carbon copies of yourself. I try hard to help my students find their own individual style. It has taken me a long while to embrace being able to shift the way I work with my brushes and my paint (depending on my mood) as being something positive rather than a hindrance ....it keeps me on my toes and keeps me experimenting with paint and every painting should be an exploration!

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Christmas mince pies #81

Daily painting #81. 5"x7" oil painting on primed canvas panel

Today has been a hard day ....we all have those sometimes! My mum was admitted to hospital for some tests and I have spent the day pacing around, doing nothing and worrying too much! I will get a real blasting from her if she reads this post...her attitude is always "don't worry it doesn't help...just makes you feel worse...and things always work out!" Well, I worried anyway and struggled to settle in my studio and actually couldn't even face up to doing any painting....

Then I started to read all the awesome comments from some of you who follow my daily painting. A loyal supporter (you will know who you are)  sent me a message to say she looks forward to my paintings everyday.... And another said she had been waiting to see some Christmas images....and there were many more encouraging comments ....wow...how you all cheered me up! You all made my day. I pulled myself together ....and painted...and loved it!

I am reminded of 2 important things today...

1. Always take the opportunity to say something nice to someone...you never know how much they might be needing your generosity of spirit (thank you people)
2. When I avoid painting....it is normally the time when my head (and soul) need it the most! So paint...

Kind people, painting, coffee and delicious mince pies saved the day.... Thank you x

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Christmas tree #80

Daily painting #80. 6"x6" oil painting on primed canvas panel

Today I have completed 80 days of little dinky daily paintings...random recordings of the mundane and everyday! With Christmas only a week away, I decided it was time to add a bit of festive cheer! A random recording of  a shiny Christmas bauble hanging on the tree... I love Christmas trees!

This year my children decorated the tree ....they wanted to do it by themselves! I think they did a fine job....don't you?  So in the lead up to Christmas .... Stay safe, have fun, love those close to you, take some time to slow down and recharge...most importantly remember the reason for the season!

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Hardy roses #79

Daily painting #79. 6"x6" oil painting on primed canvas board SOLD

About 2 years ago we adopted two puppies from a local animal welfare called Animal Anti-cruelty. They are both beautiful 'children' but I am afraid they have been the absolute destruction of my already desperate garden! Regularly the ladies arriving for art classes, besides having to avoid being bowled over by over enthusiastic welcomes from my puppies (actually fully grown but still behaving like puppies), they have to dodge the large craters that have been dug in the garden! About the only 'safe' patch in my garden, or should I say the only plants that have not been chewed or dug up are the roses...I think their only saving grace being their vicious thorns! But while they have been saved from the dogs they have been neglected by me...I no longer spray with all the horrid poisons which supposedly kill bugs, prevent disease and 'care' for the blooms and the rose food which they used to be lavished with, gets eaten by the pups! 

Despite this the faithful plants continue to provide me with beautiful flowers...for how much longer I am not too sure! As for the rest of the garden...I think it's time for 'the pups' to learn that at 2years old they need to calm down....

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Sunday afternoon #78

Daily painting #78. 6" x8" oil painting on primed canvas board

Today was a beautiful summers day and we had a quality family day spending time around the swimming pool. It is a momentous day in South African history.... Nelson Mandela has been laid to rest at his family homestead. And today, 15 December, would have been my Dad's 67th birthday!

We chose to spend the day together as a family at home and as I reflect on the day I am reminded of how much I have to be thankful for! I had a little helper today when I settled on the verandah with my  paintbox. The afternoon sky was just starting to morph into evening and some heavy clouds where pushing their way across the sky bringing a light drizzle of rain to cool us off a bit....I thought I would capture the changing sky over the tree tops in our garden. I wasn't counting on my daughter being desperate to join me....

After setting her up with her own little palette, some paint, a canvas board etc...I finally settled down to paint. But with the barrage of questions and excited chattering in my ear from Amy my (quite selfish) total absorption in my little painting was impossible and not nearly as successful as I had initially hoped...but then again what could be more successful and enjoyable than sitting painting with my little girl, seeing her own enthusiasm for paint! I think I am actually the luckiest Mum in the world!

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