Like children everywhere, the local West Coast children must get their education. But
as this little man admires a newly painted boat, his thoughts are with the real men on the deep ocean. He imagines himself pulling out a heavy net brimful of the little mullet, a plentiful fish which assures that nobody will grow hungry. He wants to stay here, work the ocean and keep a happy home full of laughter and song!
Sadly for him, the opportunities to work in and on the West Coast are not plenty as the rules and quotas for fishing become more severe.
Regular readers of my blog will recognize this scene as one of the many private jetties off Bokkom Lane near Velddrif. Being an admirer of the work of Catherine Jeffrey, I made sure of putting down the tonal values first. Once that was done, the completion was much too fast, but I will leave it at that and see how the next painting turns out.
Some happy landmarks this week: I passed 3000 unique South African visitors and 2000 Americans as well as a total of over 19000 hits.(click on Pageviews on my flag panel to see this) My blog's second birthday is 20 days away. By the way, South Africans, who are you? You are welcome to make appointments to visit my studio, seriously!!! A few people have done that and we had a super time!
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I love your use of color in this wonderful painting! It is interesting how you laid the value work down first!
ReplyDeleteYour stats are amazing! Congrats on all the views. Hope you can connect with your local viewers. How cool is that?
ReplyDeleteMarie, I love this painting. What a wonderful theme. Your paintings tell a story each time. Well done.
ReplyDeleteHi Marie
ReplyDeleteAren't blogs wonderful in that we can interact with so many people from so many places. Congratulations on those landmarks!
Thanks for the reference re: tonal values. As you mentioned, after the tonal values are worked out, the rest of the painting can seem easy to complete. Although, I have often found that keeping the color within the tonal value range is difficult.
I like the colors and composition of this one and wondering about the thoughts of the young boy lead the viewer in further. Nice painting!
Linda, thank you. I am still fond of working all over and NOT planning well beforehand!
ReplyDeleteSusan, many people are a bit shy and follow blogs without introducing themselves, but I am always so curious to know who is reading here!
Thank you, Joan. Our world is steeped in history and there is always a story!
Hi Catherine, now you've got me with: "keeping the color within the tonal value range". I will have to sit down and think about that! But thanks you, I am determined to learn wherever I can! Yes my boy forms a good focal point where he sits.
I see you have me listed under Country Living ;~) We semigrated to Porterville, not so far from you. They say - only 1% of readers comment, but I checked and in February I caught 10%.
ReplyDeleteDiana of EE
Congrats on your huge fan base! Who can blame us when you post wonderful and whimsical paintings like this. This is so lovely!
ReplyDeleteI loved the story of the little boy who will grow in to an adult one day,alas!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the stats as well!
Oh what a fabulous story to go with this beautiful piece of art, Marie. I love that there may be children out in the world still that can dream, that can be just children. I think you've handled the shadows beautifully too. Gorgeous colors in the boat, and anything with boats and water has my vote.
ReplyDeleteDiana, yes I hope you do not mind that I have you with the country gardens, the other group is all about landscape painting! Those are fabulous statistics!10% are far above norm!
ReplyDeleteSheila, you say such nice things!
Padmaja, yes I agree. So much to deal with when you are grown-up!
Sherry, the shadows are fine as you say, but the whole scene looks slightly anemic. I am thinking a lot a lot about what to do. More detail perhaps, like ropes, etc? Brighter colors? Yes, how nice to be able to dream on a hot summer's day on the river bank!
Congrats on those great stats, Marie!
ReplyDeleteThat is a thought provoking story and painting. The piece is very well composed.
There's a touch of melancholy in the boy's pose...probably caused by his thinking of lifestyles that are slipping away.
You said,"I am thinking a lot a lot about what to do. More detail perhaps, like ropes, etc? Brighter colors?"
If I may offer a suggestion it would be to add more darks. Very dark areas create the value differences necessary to show light.
That is just IMHO.
My gosh Marie, but I've missed a number of your posts. Such memories of Bokkom Lane - beautiful, beautiful paintings, but your Restless Sea bowled me over. What a beauty! You caught the sea of the West Coast perfectly.
ReplyDeleteDean, thank you for you comments on my story and painting. And I appreciate that you offered such a good suggestion! Even if I only darken the shadow of the boat, the tones will be better balanced! I also want to use a toned canvas the next time I paint,like you and Catherine Jeffrey often do!
ReplyDeleteHi Liz, yes I am truly loitering around the beloved Bokkom Lane! There is so much to paint: the water, the birds......About the sea: I have learned to LOOK more closely at the waves!
Congrats on your impressive stats, Marie... Obviously your other readers enjoy learning about the west coast of SA through your paintings and stories as much as I do.
ReplyDeleteThank you Marian, those are kind words!
ReplyDeleteThanks toemail!
well done Marie and isn't it amazing that we can all connect like we're sitting at the kitchen table when we're continents apart?
ReplyDeleteLove it!