Work in Progress. Hands Clapping
Coming soon. Based on a chance encounter while in Maun, Botswana. Went for a walk and heard the distant sound of hands clapping. I want this painting to have a slow hymn and rhythm and have the eyes skip across the scene in an oscillating beat. I am aiming for accuracy in sound, movement and to make sure that the painting does not become sentimentalized and staged, instead to remember the chance encounter and casual feel of the event.
I am using a very methodical,dry brush technique in an attempt to crack open the scene and to show the washed out tones of a hot African day. I reckon I am 60% into the painting.
Inspired by Thomas Eakins perfection in balance and placement of figures in the landscape and Eugene Boudin’s rhythmic grouping of figures.
I am using a very methodical,dry brush technique in an attempt to crack open the scene and to show the washed out tones of a hot African day. I reckon I am 60% into the painting.
Inspired by Thomas Eakins perfection in balance and placement of figures in the landscape and Eugene Boudin’s rhythmic grouping of figures.
Posted in General Posts, Studio Posts, Uncategorized.
– September 20, 2009
Upcoming Exhibition
Alpoa Invite. A Little Piece Of Africa. Gallery Invite.
If you find yourself in Berlin this summer, go and see some of my paintings in a group show at artSpace Berlin.
Alpoa “A little piece of Africa” is showing from 17 July – 19 September 2009.
artSPACE Berlin is the sister gallery of artSPACE Durban. The gallery is committed to showcasing artist who have direct links to Africa, with a focus on promoting contemporary African Art.
Posted in General Posts, Studio Posts, Uncategorized.
– July 9, 2009
Upcoming Workshops. A Reminder.
Don’t delay.
Sign up for July plein-air workshops at Iona Beach Regional Park.
Space Limited. Landscape Painting opportunities vast.
Please see Summer Plein-air Workshop post for more information or click on painting above.
Posted in Plein-air Posts, Tuition Posts.
– June 30, 2009
Tips of the Trade
It is almost summer and a great time for visiting your local market to get some interesting fruit and vegetables to paint. It is always advisable to use a Alla Prima technique when painting objects such a fruit, veggies and flowers, as their life-span is short. Depending on the technique and mediums used, sometimes you have to learn to improvise when painting a still-life.
While painting “Temperature” I decided in advance to build up the surface quality of the fruit over a period of time to achieve the waxy and fleshy texture of the mangoes. I used stand oil to get the viscosity of the paint just right. Stand oil takes longer to dry than linseed oil, but gives a wonderful glass like sheen to the paint while adding to a thicker look. Using a bit of cold wax medium in selective areas added to the difference of surface from mat to sheen, which on close inspection these mangoes have.
The tablecloth was painted in a radically different way, more impressionistic, dry and dense. This added to the optical illusion of the sheen on the mangoes and wooden plate. When replacing objects because they change color and start to decay, try not to “chase” the shape. Keep the initial shape and only adjust the color, tones and surface appearance.
The people at the market must have thought that I was nuts and really hungry because I had to look at each mango carefully to try and get a similar replacement every other day but I sure had some great mango smoothies while painting this still life.
Posted in Studio Posts, Tuition Posts.
– June 18, 2009
Summer Plein-air Workshops
Join us for outdoor painting this summer.
Outdoor painting requires a painter to render in shorthand the essence of a scene. It requires a set of skills of acute observation, simplification, technical mastery, maturity and intellect, to respond not just aesthetically but emotionally and to expand on our visual and felt understanding and experience of the natural world around us.
Come out this summer and learn how to apply sound oil painting techniques while enjoying the natural splendor of one of Vancouver’s hidden secrets, Iona Beach Regional Park. From a selection of marshland to ocean views to paint, sign up for these two day, intensive small group workshops.
All skill levels will be catered to and rates are very affordable. Please contact me to secure your spot.
Posted in Plein-air Posts, Tuition Posts.
– June 17, 2009
Facebook Plugin Installed
Just installed the Wordbook plugin for Facebook. My posts should show up in my Facebook feed (fingers crossed).
Posted in Uncategorized.
– June 11, 2009
Shadbolt Prints for sale
For further information on these prints by renowned Canadian artist Jack Shadbolt please contact me.
Posted in General Posts.
– June 10, 2009
The Tropics. Work In Progress Video
The Tropics. Work in Progress
Click on the image or above link to watch this short demonstration video and learn how “The Tropics” was painted.
Posted in Tuition Posts.
– June 8, 2009
New Release. The Tropics
Based on a recent trip to Hawaii, this painting, “The Tropics” hopes to bring some colour and light into the grand design. This is the first in a series of paintings of the tropics. Here are some artist I mentally checked in with while painting: Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard, John Singer Sargent’s watercolours of Florida, Mark Rothko as a reminder for future work, Josef Albers ideas around “Interaction of Color” and my attempt in trying to disprove Aldous Huxley theory of “On the absence of Painters in the Tropics”
Posted in Studio Posts.
– June 7, 2009











