Afternoon #340

Daily painting #340. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

I didn't have much time to paint today! I taught a painting class in the morning, had a busy afternoon of hockey matches, ballet exam rehearsals and other activities that I ferried my children around to and in the evening I had some high school girls coming to the studio to do a bit of extra work...shew! So I had to squeeeeeze in a moments breathing space and painting time in the late afternoon, early evening. That time of day when the light is changing to golden, the birds are coming to sit on the telephone wire and the monkeys are finding a resting place in the trees....that time of the day when the 'manic spin' of a busy day is starting to unwind and slow down....the perfect time to enjoy a bit of breathing space!

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Smith's beach #339

Daily painting #339. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel SOLD

Today's daily painting is very different. Firstly I always paint my daily paintings plein air (on site) or from life (the object in front of me) and when I do paint from photos (not for daily paintings) they are usually always my own. But today's little painting is of a beach, Smith's Beach in Australia....and obviously I am not in Australia! I was asked to paint it as a daily painting by a South African friend who now lives in Australia. I have a couple of South African friends who now live there ....and a couple of my paintings living there too....I really need to visit! So this little painting too will be traveling to Australia and it fills me with joy that it will remind a family of a special place...special times...and happy memories! After all that is what life is all about...the places we go, the people we treasure and the memories we make.... 

(I do think I need to visit Smith's beach after seeing the photos!)

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Spring bunch #338

Daily painting #338. 8"x10" oil on primed canvas panel

Today's daily painting is slightly bigger than my normal postcard size daily paintings, for no other reason than I just felt like working a bit bigger today! You will also be forgiven for thinking that I am a day late in wishing my Southern Hemisphere friends "happy Spring" but what I paint today, I write about tonight and will post tomorrow morning ...so this was yesterday's (first day of spring) painting, although the weather felt nothing like spring! It was about 21 degrees by lunchtime but still chilly in the morning and the evening...chilly by our standards but probably considerably warm for some northern hemisphere climates. 

Spring always gives one the sense of new beginnings, fresh starts and rejuvenation. September is going to be a good month for me! Not only is it Spring, but I will take part in the Leslie Saeta 30/30 challenge, I will be turning 40 years old on the 23rd and a few days later I will have completed my goal of painting a whole years worth of little daily paintings! Lots to celebrate! Happy September! Happy Spring!

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Indian Ocean #337

Daily painting #337. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

The weather finally cleared enough for me to paint a bit outdoors and there is nothing better than the smell of the sea and the sound of the ocean for a bit of soul food! But it's time to head back home...all good things come to an end....at least I get to take a little reminder home with me!

This month I will be participating in the Leslie Saeta 30/30 challenge again. I participated in her JANUARY challenge and it was a fabulous way to meet other artists and connect with other daily painters around the world. 30/30 means 30 little paintings in 30 days....I think I should manage...and it is a lovely way to finish off my last month in a year of daily paintings! There are over 600 artists worldwide participating in the September challenge....and I think I am the only one from South Africa....although I stand to be corrected .... So here goes as the month of September begins....HAPPY SPRING day to all my Southern Hemisphere friends! 

I thought I would share this lovely picture my daughter (thanks Amy)took early this morning....our coastline really does look like a little piece of heaven....

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Passion fruit #336

Daily painting #336. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel 

This beautiful colourful passion fruit, or as we call them in South Africa....granadillas, were on the breakfast fruit buffet this morning. I wish I could share the smell of them with you....they have a tart, sweet, tropical aroma that just shouts "SUMMER TIME" !!! A bit ironical considering the weather we are having. The restaurant staff tried about 3 times (or more) to take these off of the table for me. They were most concerned that I wasn't eating them and I was assured they were fresh and sweet and everyone was enjoying them....they just couldn't understand why I wasn't eating them! On trying to explain that I wanted to paint them, they of course thought I was even more crazy....occupational hazard!

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Huletts sugar sachet #335

Daily painting #335. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

We are away at my favorite place down the South Coast, Pumula Beach in Umzumbe. We come here often as you will know if you have been following the blog for a while. It is a lovely family hotel right on the beach and we have been coming here since before my husband and I were even married...my children have grown up here and we have tons of happy family memories from this place. 

The weather however has turned really cold and some parts of KwaZulu Natal, mainly inland, have had snowfalls. Here at the coast we have had strong winds and light rain and the temperature has dropped considerably. So I don't think there will be too many walks on the beach or any swimming (our winters are mild enough that we can swim almost all year round). I think there will be lots of strong coffee, hot chocolate or maybe even some red wine or sherry on the cards this weekend. This was painted from a little veranda outside our bedroom, a light rain was falling and dolphins were bobbing in the sea. My husband was lucky to spot a whale while I had my head in my paintbox! Of course we were sipping good coffee....time to relax for the weekend....regardless of the weather!

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Contemplation #334

Daily painting #334 4"x6"  oil on primed canvas panel

This mornings time at my easel was a time of soulful contemplation and reflection....
Today Andrew and I have been married for 15 years, in a months time I would have painted 365 little daily paintings in 365 days....a journey that has meant so much more to me than little paintings and I am still struggling to put into words everything that Paintings in the post has meant or become to me. A few days prior to reaching this little milestone I will be celebrating my 40th birthday....a milestone in itself! My time was spent thinking of relationships, journeys and connections ....the pathways we forge in life which in itself is celebrated not by the milestones we reach but by the decisions we make and the relationships we treasure along the way....
My time at the easel has much to do with painting but it also has so much more to do with the time I get to spend with myself and my thoughts. On starting my Paintings in the post journey I remember writing about how the thought of writing (and in doing so sharing my thoughts) scared me more than the painting .... I still do not view myself as a writer, I have to confess I can't spell and for an ex school teacher my grammar would probably at times make my old English teachers scream. The delete button and I are trusty best friends. But sharing my thoughts has become easier....and today my time at the easel was little to do with WHAT or HOW I was painting and everything to do with what daily painting does for me and my head space .....a ritual, a time for quiet contemplation!

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