A Great Experience

The month of March 2019 brought a wonderful assignment my way. Advertising agencies usually make use of the very clever young people extremely literate in computer graphics. Or they use photographers who know all the tricks. Then this happened. An old European freight company was going to have the 65th anniversary of their South African branch. They needed blow-ups of little photos from long ago. The result was fuzzy detail and pixels too low for enlargements. Was there an illustrator who could re-imagine the photos in clear detail? There was! Me!

 

 



These were the six drawings I made in ink. The enlargements worked out well and were turned into enormous posters for the main event.

 

 

The photos show the beautiful evening event with my work suspended from the ceiling. I have proven that I could do a difficult task and also work to a corporate deadline. I am 75 and want to say this: Employ me, you will not regret it. I CAN deliver!

Art Courses 2019

As promised, I announce my art classes for 2019. As I turn 75 in less than two weeks, I hope that I can enjoy good health to give my students everything they will need to continue enjoying art.

I have years of experience and will lead you gently to produce amazing works of art.

The lessons take place in 3 different venues in Musgrave Rd on the Durban Berea.

1. Wednesday Mornings 9:15am to 12:00pm : Flowers in Watercolour for adults
2. Wednesday afternoons : 3:00 pm - 4:30pm: Drawing and Creative Journaling for Children. This class is FULL Follow my kidsart blog HERE
3. Thursday Mornings 9:15am to 12:00pm :Flowers in Watercolour for adults
4. Thursday afternoons: 3:00pm to 4:30pm : Drawing and Creative Journaling for children
5. Friday afternoons: 3:00pm to 4:30pm : Painting Class for children, limited seats available
6. Children's Holiday Workshops: notice will be sent by e-mail and info will be on the blogs and advertised on Facebook
7. Watercolour Full Weekend Workshops: accommodation, meals and materials can be organised. Notice will be sent by e-mail and the workshops will also be advertised on social media and on my blogs.

Approximate pricing:

1. Sessions for children R120 (discount for siblings) plus once-off kit. Follow my kidsart blog HERE
2. Watercolour sessions R185 plus once-off kit.

Life moves on

This blog has followed my life...in a way.

 

First, I was happily settled on the West Coast of the Cape. I toured the area, made paintings and blogged about them since 2009.

 

We say things change, but it is not only "things" that change. After I lost my husband in 2013 "I"  changed! I could not get myself  to visit our favourite places. I re-invented my art and changed to the themes of flowers and rabbits. My youngest daughter was ill and I spent many months visiting in Durban, which was where I got to know my lovely granddaughters well, and met with those cute rabbits.

 

I attempted a few blog posts. You will see that the last one was in December 2016. Two years of total standstill followed that post....the reason was that I lost my beloved youngest daughter early in 2017. Friends, I am fine! Thank you for sharing your tears and prayers with us. This hurt is not something that goes away but I have made new plans, the only right plans!

 

I sold that large rambling house. It was "adopted" by wonderful owners! I bought a small unit in a retirement centre close to my grandchildren, where I can see them often and can also give them the best art tuition possible.

 

Of course, I do not have a studio now, and larger painting assignments are "out".That will not stop me from doing watercolours and teaching watercolours. I want to teach you too and shall design some courses.

 

Let me just post some of my watercolour works first, and in the next post I will announce some learning experiences you may want to attend.

 

Being from Tropical Durban, hibiscus flowers are my signature flower.
We are surrounded by many types, large, small and double

Painted recently to instruct a student. I love white lilies,
 which fits so well into the blue/white colour scheme I now live with.

Mixed flowers, an old favourite...
I love doodling posies on cards too

Evergreen popular protea, a nod to the area
of the Cape which I have left behind.

A very fast self-portrait in watercolour

More hibiscus

 

 

Anyone for watercolour classes? Let m know!

 

To see how the children's art classes are going, click on this link and while you are there, how shall I change the overwhelming blue pages? Your advice, please!



 

 

 

A P(e)ony Parade

I have always painted flowers, but never really got hold of peonies. Yet, if there is a request for a painting, you find out what they look like exactly! The request to paint peonies for a bridal tea, was only the start. It led to many peony paintings and I am probably addicted to the subject now.

 

I produced a few in 2016, then attended Nancy Medina's course where I took lots of photographs for reference. Now I have ordered silk peonies from the Seychelles. They looked flattened and somewhat sad when they arrived, but as they stand in their vase, I notice that they look more beautiful each day as they relax and open.

 

Peonies featured in a two-women exhibition two weeks ago and is also on travelling show with the West Coast Art Fair after a Juried show, where the work was chosen to be exhibited.

 

Here, then, is the peony parade of paintings available and sold.



Peonies
500 mm x 400mm
This painting is currently on exhibition.
Let me know if you are interested or want to order a similar painting

Peaches 'n Cream Peonies
500mm x 400mm

Classic Peony
200mm x 200mm
SOLD

"Snow White" is my favourite
200mm x 200mm
Framed and available at R1500

This little set of white peonies were SOLD
180mm x 180mm
 

Close-up of the above set of two
180 x 180

Close-up of the set of two.
180mm x 180mm

The "peonies for a bridal tea" which started my interest in peonies

Three Violet Peonies
18Omm x 180mm
Framed and available at R960

The last three, in frames, all of them, are available at R860 each

I have more! So there will be a second post on my peonies a while from now.


 
 

Painting in Nancy Medina's Workshop

It was June 2016  and I found myself in a class I have been dreaming about for a long time. This was the Nancy Medina Workshop in New Braunfels, Texas. Today I will show my three works done during the course. Starting with a smooth gesso-covered canvas and beautiful transparent colour , I gradually built up to the more opaque bits. I did well in class and do hope that I have absorbed enough to continue in this bright and clean style of flower painting.

 

Daisies

 

 

Peonies

 

 

In a French Flower Market