Comrades Day 2014 #246

Daily painting #246. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

As the sun sets in a golden sky this evening I am humbled by what is one of South Africa's biggest road running races ....the Comrades Marathon. As the sun is setting some runners are only just completing their race after starting out on the road this morning at 5.30 am to complete a distance of  89,28 kilometers (about roughly 57 miles....I think).  The runners run a route from Pietermaritzburg (inland) down towards the coastline to Durban....it is a grueling race with lots of hills and probably one of the toughest mental challenges these athletes will ever face. Thousands of people participate and many overseas athletes rate it as one of the best races in the world to participate in. I think this has less to do with the challenge of the race and everything to do with the atmosphere of sportsmanship, camaraderie and fellowship that this race brings out in the athletes. Thousands of supporters line the route from Pietermaritzburg to Durban to encourage the athletes along the way and provide refreshments. The atmosphere is amazing and I find it so emotional! My family laugh at me every year as I sit bleary eyed, tears streaming down my face watching people help fellow athletes, arm in arm to reach that finish line. Runners picking fellow athletes up off the ground when that finish line is in sight and yet their legs just will not move any longer.....athletes risking medal cut offs to help others cross that line! And my worst .....those brave athletes who have run the 89 kilometers and have the finish line in sight but just don't make it over before the gun goes off at a cut off time of 12.30 hours! My golly.....my nerves are shot watching the finish on the television and I salute all those athletes who crossed that line today (and those who didn't) and especially those that spoke words of encouragement or assisted in a way that helped someone find the will to carry on....you are all champions! I am blown away by the reminder again of the strength of human determination and how if we set our minds to something....anything is possible!

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Plums with blue and white #245

Daily painting #245. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

I love the way the juicy rich (almost royal) color of the plums is offset by the subtle tones of neutral and blue. I get such joy from working with paint and the richness and magic of color!

This weekend one of the little paintings were reserved in advance by one of my loyal Paintings in the post followers to celebrate a special friends 50th birthday! If you know you have a special day coming up like a birthday or an anniversary and would like to reserve the painting that will be painted on a particulate date and have some input into what you would like painted, I would be happy to oblige. Recently another Paintings in the post collector received a hand rendered voucher from some of her friends to spend on little paintings, so if you are not sure what a friend might like but would like to give the gift of a painting....a hand rendered voucher might be what you are looking for! I have also recently sent off a little painting as a wedding gift with a special message enclosed for the bride and groom! I love the fact that a little painting can be even more special to receive when given as a gift or to serve as a reminder of a special day!

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Peach and cherries #244

Daily painting #244 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

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My studio is starting to look and smell like a fruit stall or market (not that I am complaining) . All I need is a tub of delicious Greek yoghurt and I would have a feast of a breakfast right here in my studio! Although as I mentioned yesterday ....these cherries are good for nothing other than painting!

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Cherries on the shelf #243

Daily painting #243. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

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Cherries are not really in season but I found some in one of our local supermarkets and couldn't resist buying some. They taste awful and have been imported and flown in from some far off place and although they look delicious, they taste just plain bland and nothing like cherries at all. However they are the most delightful little studio models! I love painting cherries! 

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4 inch nail #242

Daily painting #242. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

So why a 4 inch nail you are asking yourself right? You would be forgiven for thinking I had finally lost the plot, however this little painting made me realize even more so the value of little daily paintings....

Firstly a construction company finally arrived to fix my kitchen ceiling yesterday which collapsed due to a leaking geyser....I think I told you about it...but after nearly 3 weeks of haggling with the insurance the repair work finally started! Last night after they had cleared themselves out (my house looked like a war zone for most of the day), I found this huge 4 inch nail lying on the kitchen counter...it looked like a weapon of sorts! With all the chaos I had yet to find some quiet time to do my daily painting and so my children joked about the 'lethal looking' nail being the subject of my daily painting.....it seemed rather a stupid thing to paint but I decided to give it a go....a little bit of quirky every now and again is good....

Well little did I know what I was in for....something so simple should be easy to paint! HA! Think again!!! I struggled for ages to try create the form and the subtle contrast between object and shadow....I struggled to create the illusion of the actual object as opposed to something that just looked like a stripe along the canvas! I struggled with the subtle tonal values and neutral color! Wow who would have thought a little 4 inch nail would take so long to paint! I am reminded again and again of the value of painting these little daily studies. They are little struggles that challenge my technique, commitment, perseverance and even my nerves....it is not about WHAT I paint but HOW I paint it! These little daily challenges and struggles are necessary to make me a better painter and hopefully provide more insight when I am tackling larger pieces of work. I am humbled by the little 4 inch nail in the knowledge that there is always much to learn in this journey as a painter ....one really is a constant student and as long as we remain eager to embrace struggles there is always more to learn...even if as in this case the teacher is a simple 4 inch nail!

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Sennelier paint tube #241

Daily painting #241 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

Last week to make use of the FREE POSTAGE worldwide for month of May offer so visit the online store!

Well I never did get around to painting the roses. We have had such high midday temperatures (around 29-30 degrees Celsius) that the two roses in the vase looked awful by this afternoon when I returned to my studio to work on my little daily painting. (In a few days time it is supposed to be winter!!!!) Besides that I didn't really feel like painting more roses....so I was secretly pleased but was now lacking inspiration for what to paint today...
Well what can be more inspiring than a heavy, full tube of juicy luscious paint! I couldn't paint without a beautiful deep rich crimson as part of my palette and I am particularly fond of the Sennelier crimson....it is a deep, rich color....almost yummy!

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Rose #240

Daily painting #240. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

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On opening up a wrapped up bunch of roses the other day to place them in a vase, I realized that two of the roses had damaged stems. I cut them both down and placed them in a separate little vase and took them up to my studio thinking they would be the perfect little models! Well I haven't really felt like painting roses and so they have been left sitting on their little still life stage, neglected. They have now opened up completely and probably only have a day or so life left in them ....this bloom is starting to droop over....and I am feeling guilty at not having made good use of some perfect little models! So....another rose....perhaps tomorrow I will paint the whole vase and both roses....

Tomorrow this large canvas (2m by 1.2m) will be heading off to its new home. I showed you the size of the canvas a while ago, comparing it to the size of the little daily paintings! It's been such fun working on such a huge canvas again, especially because I know it is going to a special family! I have to admit though I am going to miss not having the ocean indoors any longer....

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