I held out for a while, but now I must introduce you to the best loved and most beautiful West Coast town, Paternoster. It still retains that true fishing village feeling. I previously joined the voices which complained that the town was now "over-developed"(about two-hundred houses). That is until you behold the southern coast of Spain! Here on the golden beaches, you truly relax. The ever-present fishing boats are rustic and colourful! The few new restaurants offer splendid views and welcome refreshments. All the homes in this spotless village are built in the true West Coast vernacular and mostly painted white.
How did the name Paternoster come about? Each expert has his own theory. Was it because the indigenous people wore beads that reminded one of a rosary, or did some boats land in trouble on this very rough coast and quickly realized the value of praying the "Our Father" which is what the word means?
A more painterly painting this time! I refrained from using my number 4 round brushes....mmmm...I think last week's very fine illustration had something to do with it. I grabbed an angled shader and used the sides, edge and point and did a lot of double loading with 2 colours. The photo underneath shows a boat coming in, and granddaughter Robyn in pink, joining the curious crowd!
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Wow! I really think this is beautiful Marie! I've always wanted to retire to Paternoster just because of the romantic-sounding name! It certainly looks exactly as I imagined it.
ReplyDeleteI don't own a No.3 brush - a No. 1 and then 6 up-wards, and I'm constantly having to stop myself from using the 6 too much!
You are surrounded with beautiful landscape, Marie! Beautiful painting!
ReplyDeleteI really like the looseness of this one. The composition is great...the boats dominate the foreground and then recede back to the lovely white houses and mauve colored hills. This sounds like a wonderful town! I'm in one of those new restaurants right now, sipping white wine and looking out on the warm sand.....
ReplyDeleteYou were so fast onto the scene of the crime, Maree, Theresa and Catherine! A fiddler will always fiddle, and while you were commenting I was remodelling the large Paternoster boulders. I also broke up the path, it was too solid and led the eye out of the painting!
ReplyDeleteMaree and Theresa, I have lovely stories about Paternoster and you will learn more over the course of weeks. Paternoster is closer to me than Velddrif.
Catherine, I did 6 small loose landscapes first to get used to the looseness. They are on Facebook and called Quick Pics! Thank you for taking this leisurely West Coast "tour" with me in a virtual way!
This is a wonderfully appealing painting, and I love the story you wrote to really 'put us in the picture.'
ReplyDeleteLovely painting and as always a wonderful story to go along with it! I usually load up Google Earth after reading your blog to have a little look around the area and your paintings and photos help bring it alive.
ReplyDeleteVery captivating...so interesting and such a lovely painting!
ReplyDeleteI love the looseness of this, and you're becoming the Queen of Boats! I love how you 'warmed up' doing a number of loose sketches - like singing scales!
ReplyDeleteLovely, interesting read on Paternoster to.
ReplyDeleteI get more time to visit and enjoy your paintings.
What a lovely painting, Marie. I love your description of the village, am quite envious of that gorgeous figure in that orange two piece suit (and I love that suit bottom too!), and am so intrigued by people being excited about a boat coming ashore! Not only do your paintings set a mood and a tone, but your words just bring them over the top!
ReplyDeletemarie,
ReplyDeleteinteresting to read about the place which is so lovely...
i always like your paintings...
Hi Charlene, nice meeting you and tx for the comments.
ReplyDeleteBarb,I am glad you can find the places on Google Earth. I forget to place some coordinates now and then!
Thanks, Linda!
Kelley,you are kind, but I suppose somebody who actually understand all the parts of a boat will do somewhat better!
Thea, most South Africans feel nostalgic about Paternoster. Nostalgia reminds me of your own paintings, those lovely old dressers and crockery!
Hi Sherry, yes isn't that little lady stunning, I love the body language of the people. You know, I have never ever seen a boat land in this country without people crowding up to see what the catch was! It must help to make the fishermen proud too!
Hi jyothi, tx for the sweet comments!
So lovely Marie and I can still remember the little village of Paternoster - I hope it doesn't get too big! I like the looseness of this painting especially. One thing I noticed was that your paintings are much bigger than they look on the blog but you don't give a size! Is this one of the smaller ones? Hugs.
ReplyDeleteIt's fun learning about your country through your eyes!!
ReplyDeleteA lovely painting that captures the charm of the place!
ReplyDeleteHi Liz, thank you for the mention on your blog, which made a lot of our bloggosphere friends part of your REAL visit to my home!My paintings are mostly 10x14 or 9x12 which is a comfortable size for sitting down in stead of standing by the easel. They are easier to sell and send off and it also means that I can mostly post every 5 days or so.
ReplyDeleteMarian and Celeste, thanks for popping in. I am planning quite a few trips to Paternoster to find out more and experience the atmosphere of the place.
Marie, This is such an inviting scene, beautiful work. Of course, your little story about the town is always charming.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the nice comments you post on my blog...they are much appreciated.
Love the included photo of the beach and boat. It brings us all even closer. I try not use smaller than a 6, and occasionally pull out the 4, even w/ my small dailies. It helps w/ edges, and just concentrating on the main shapes and colors.
ReplyDeleteHi Cathyann, I will include the link to Google maps in the next post. These little known places are quite beautiful!
ReplyDeleteCarol, I try to keep the heavy history out! Living here one knows too many stories about the area.
Pam, that is such a well-known scene. The fishermen are popular and everybody wants to see the catch. I also think people are in awe because they brave a very rough coast in those tiny boats! Yes, I stocked up on 4's again! They say a leopard cannot change his spots and I cannot go without the finer brushes!