Plein aire painting on the lawn of St Micheal’s.
Do you own a painting or a gift bought or given to you that brings out good feelings whenever you walk past it in your home ?
Blue’s and yellows
Each of my paintings for me tells a story. And my latest occurred yesterday, a day when South Africa triumphed in both cricket and rugby matches that had many riveted, united, gasping for breath and shrilling with hysterical laughter and pride for the players that brought victory into our camp.
I shall remember sitting outside the Daily Dose (@dailydose_sa) on
the lawn of ST. Michael’s Anglican Parish Church Umhlanga ROCKS. Content with friends beside me, sipping cappuccino’s bought from consistently friendly Ed, the owner and staff of the Daily Dose.
I felt I had a dose of safety as well as nourishment when the promenade quietened towards the afternoon and I continued to paint out in the fresh air.
I felt welcome and secure with my Jay dog and a dose of company from the coffee shop as I went about my business of art.
Plein aire painting is a traditional form of painting. Starting up a new painting each time is still daunting.
On one of the “check ins by the Daily dose staff walking past, big smiles poured forth as what I painted was recognised and voiced.
When shapes get recognised by those that know what it is, when I have no cooking clue but to paint what it is I am seeing, I laugh inside.
I chase the light, record it with intention, yearning to absorb it’s cheeriness forever. I find that the light finds me, teases and plays with me to look again, and speed up my brushwork to continually move along the surface of the substrate that I paint upon.
My last stroke was to paint the Gardner who came to clip the hedge. His shears reminded me of the many things we need to prune in life in order to stop a while and reflect. His red shirt caught my eye and I placed him to the far left simply because that is where he was.
My phone battery had died so all I have is this painting to show the scene before me.
That brought a smile as what I then was doing is truly the beginnings of art making when artists first recorded what they saw to tell a story and share a feeling and serve a community in love.
I hope you enjoy this.
Thank you Ed for your wonderful encouragement
Until I see you again, perhaps with other artists keen on joining me painting.
