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Saturday, November 9, 2013

Hello, Velddrif

Jetties at Velddrif 2012  30x14 inches Oil on canvas SOLD
Velddrif is probably one of the smallest towns on the West Coast. Although it lies on the beautiful Berg River, it has never been developed into a resort. Many, many times, I send up this prayer of thanks that Velddrif is undeveloped and the river untouched by fancy marinas! Tour the country and there are surely a lot of beauty in the Waterfront, Sedgefield and Knysna developments, those picture-pretty resorts! Those places are easy on the eye and has a vibe caused by lots of happy people moving around, so I am not shooting it down. But......

But for me, this is the place where one feels alive. I walk on that dusty dirt road called Bokkom Lane, and breath in the smelly little fish. I look at the bokkoms, some still a glistening silver colour, others already dried and golden and I read a people's history in them. I stroll around admiring the cunning of the seagulls, grinning at the names on the "bakkies", as the little boats are called. I may sit on a veranda and sip something, but soon I would be clambering over unsteady little jetties again. Hungry? Surely for me there is only one thing to eat at Velddrif: "grilled harders", the same little fish that are used for bokkoms! I miss how my husband used to go to the kitchen, meet the cook, and tell him how to prepare my harders.

The painting was made more than a year ago, in happy times next to the river and later in the studio at home. I think I have captured the water well here. I did not like my painting then. With my husband so ill there was not much that I liked about my art, and it was truly buried beneath a pile of stuff for about 15 months. But as is goes with clients, they ignore the wall displays and would rather scratch around in my studio. So this painting was rediscovered and sold. I must go down to Velddrif again.






Karen Van Niekerk, one of the early risers in Velddrif and a professional photograper, took the wonderful images of the river.

 The first heading on the right side of my blog is: Search this blog. There you can type in "Velddrif "or "Berg River" or "Bokkom Lane" if you want to read my older posts on this theme and see previous Velddrif paintings.

7 comments:

  1. I could imagine any of those 4 photos, reworked by you, and grown into new life as paintings. Making a new layer of happy memories in your life.

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    1. The photos are beautiful, Diana.Thank you for caring. I will go and find the magic again!

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  2. It is a beautiful painting and the story of the little town so wonderful. I believe I do remember other of your paintings from this area. I hope that your memories will one day make you smile again.

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    1. Thank you for the appreciative and caring words, Sherry!

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  3. You capture the charm and beauty of your surroundings so well. Wish now I had visited Velddrif when I lived in SA. You make it sound so idylic.

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  4. I love your painting and the photos are so inspiring...and hope that with time things are better.

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    1. Thank you for your comments and caring thoughts, Sherry!

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