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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Chimneys and Saplings




150 x 200 Acrylic on canvas board.

I am still finding lovely details in the homes of Paternoster, details that salute the cottages of the past. A chimney, of course is most important. All the fishermen's cottages used to have enormous wood-firing ovens inside with plastered outside chimneys. I showed many of these chimneys in cottages in my earlier posts last year. Here you see a modern version.

Then there were saplings, the almost straight thin branches used for ceilings, and in my painting used as veranda coverings. In my own home saplings give a cozy atmosphere to the main bedroom. There are 3 paintings in this little set now, and I will leave it at that. The photo shows the set together.

It is shiveringly cold in the Cape at the moment. Not being able to leave the house or to travel at all, I have rounded up some friends who gave me photographic material for the next three West Coast stories. There are some paintings taking form at this very moment. The first of these: another West Coast bride! Remember Canadian beauty, Melissa in my older blog The Bride and the Sea? So I am painting my second wedding painting!

15 comments:

  1. These paintings are lovely and remind me of summer coastal paintings in our home town, painted by the visitors, only our weather is usually grey apart from a few weeks in the summertime when everything shines.

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  2. Love your Paternoster series with the lovely seasidy blues and whites.

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  3. Those chairs are a perfect color to make this porch area pop! I love the series, Marie. They look fabulous together! I wish I had a bit of that cold. I am one of the people who rarely complains about the winter weather here; the summer, however, is another story. The heat and humidity just suck away any delight for me. Come on autumn!!!

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  4. BEAUTIFUL Marie, you know I love the blue & white coastal images! And not only are YOU suffering the cold, but Gauteng is feeling the wrath of all your snow down there! It's almost 12noon now, and our temperature is still only 5°C! Loved "The Bride & the Sea" and really looking forward to your new wedding sketch!

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  5. Now, that is a lovely set of paintings covering a wide panorama of the place Marie! It is always a nice feeling to do a common subject with a variety thrown in.

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  6. Thank you Carolann, Paternoster and summer gies together. I cannot bear to think of the fishermen going out in today's weather!

    Thank you, Joan, they seem to use blue quite cleverly! I love you word 'seasidy'!!!

    Sherry, You will notice that my plant 'grew' since yesterday. I decided that flowers were needed to match with the other two images!

    Maree, keep warm! Cape Union Mart thermal undershirts are the best for your cold weather! I was surprised at my older bride too, she really came out well!(a challenge for me) That girl is so clever, she studies creative writing at UCT and has just won an international award.

    padmaja, thank you and forgive me for not having visited your blog! After a few days vacation I am behind with everything. And this cold weather drives me to bed very early!

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  7. Marie... So are the lucky people whose homes you are painting interested in buying them?? or do they even know you've painted them??

    Congrats on another bride commission, too!!

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  8. Dear Marian, no-one knows that I am painting their places!I try not to let people feel obligated to buy anything! Even the brides are meant for the blog in the first place, but I find that my brides want their paintings and also some extra prints on canvas for the family.

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  9. It's always nice to do a series that go together and you tell interesting stories to go along with your wonderful paintings. Can't wait to see the wedding piece.
    Jean

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  10. Wonderful Marie! I love the idea of series and these three are perfect. And hasn't it just been cold here!!! Wow.

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  11. Lucky bride to have you paint her Marie, and these blue and white houses with their sapling shades and chimneys are so charming, I am glad they are keeping a connection to their predecessors.

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  12. Jean, I am possibly overdoing it! The bride painting will be a welcome change!

    Thank you, Liz!

    Thank you, Cathy! I am sure glad that the new developments was well-thought out. Thank you for the lovely message regarding my lime kiln blog. I am glad that the information was helpful to you even though long after your journey! As far as doing a guide book, I am still hoping a publisher will approach ME, in stead of the other way round!

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  13. Lovely paintings, painted so frankly and simply--I love the subject and the colors.

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  14. Lovely painting with the combination of red, blue, and soft grays. How interesting about the saplings. Are they installed over the framework inside a room? I can't visualize how they would look inside. Any photos to share with us? I'm picturing you beside a roaring fire, paintbrush in hand, painting the wedding picture. How cold does it get there?

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  15. Laura, what a nice compliment!

    Catherine, the saplings are so rough. To use them indoors you have to be brave indeed as it is impossible to fill the spaces between them. I put sacking (hessian) on top, so it shows in places. Out of doors one can just let the sun shine through in a stripey pattern. I will show a photo, I just wonder where. Are you on Facebook?

    And nooooo, nothing compared to Canada! WE call it cold and we shiver and moan, but that is because we have a warm country with a short winter and the system cannot stand the colder days!

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