I often paint sunflowers. Their bright happy faces are irresistible and their bright yellow petals are the perfect shape for a palette knife to smear the bright yellow paint on in a happy frame around the burnt umber, almost black centres. Sunflowers symbolize adoration, loyalty and longevity. Much of the meaning of sunflowers stems from its namesake, the…
Summer blues
At the rate I am painting I seem to be doing almost a painting a day! I wanted to create a bowl of flowers with a combination of delicate tendrils, and solid strong bold irises with rich purple centres, periwinkles and purple clematis. I used the black flower bowl my Mom has now given me…
Summer Christmas flowers
The hydrangea represents gratitude, grace and beauty. It also radiates abundance because of the lavish number of flowers and the generous round shape. Its colours symbolise love, harmony and peace. Known for their beautiful blooms and leafy foliage, hydrangeas are the epitome of summer. Growing up we lived in Newlands, and my Mom had the most incredible hydrangeas growing down the whole…
Flowers by the bucket
This is a large painting. 100 cm X 100 cm X 4 cm, acrylic on canvas mounted on a large square board. This painting was an experiment of techniques on how to create different types of flowers. I rather like how the bucket came out. I do think the background and the flowers are a…
Bowl of flowers
Not only are flowers beautiful additions to our homes, weddings and special events, they also have different meanings attached to them. Flower language – or floriography – is the art of flower symbolism, which varies depending on the type and colour of the flower. I love flowers, I love them in the garden, and especially in…
Moroccan pots masquerading as ginger jars
As an artist I have received some unusual commissions, my children being probably the main source of my more bizarre commissions. I have painted cupcakes for my daughter, Knights and Saracens on my son’s wall, headboards, and I think even a spaceship from my sons days playing Eve Online. Besides my children’s misuse of their…
Miniatures
A collection of miniatures between painting larger works Ginger jars Magnolias
Passionate about poppies
Poppies Acrylic on canvas 30 cm X 40 cm Poppies are bright, cheerful, and colourful with crinkly paper thin petals. Sadly they never last very long in a vase as cut flowers. There is always a tumble of petals and a dusting of pollen at the base of a vase of poppies, it’s their fleeting…
A lilac cascade
This particular painting is a multi layered canvas with layers of mixed medium being applied before i began painting. In the above image you can see the modelling paste that had been smeared on with a broad palette knife. This has dried a white colour and almost sits into the canvas. The yellowish gel is…
Summer is here
Impasto is a technique used in painting, where paint is laid on an area of the surface in very thick layers, usually thick enough that the brush or palette knife strokes are visible. Paint can also be mixed right on the canvas. When dry, impasto provides texture; the paint appears to be coming out of the canvas. Acrylic…
All things painterly…
The last while I have been trying to force myself to loosen my painting style and move in a more painterly direction. I started using a combination of palette knives and colour shapers together with a brush to force myself to stop worrying about keeping things inside the lines. Rather than relax my brushwork I…
The gift of teaching
I am not a teacher and certainly never aspired to be one. I did however have incredible teachers. One of the best teachers I have ever had was my art teacher. She had a profound effect on my love of art, as well as teaching me to think critically, to observe, and to appreciate all…
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