I thought you may enjoy this little primrose which has a dramatic cast shadow in the front. The afternoon sun was very reflective and the inkwell was quite a tricky little shape. The ridge in front is for resting the pen, and this inkwell was dug up from the "Cape Flats" near Cape Town in the 80's but is very old. I think I really need to paint another primrose and try it with a dark background. They won't last much longer - a week or so? South African friends, primroses are one of the many … [Read more...]
Shadows and reflections
One of the exciting things about starting something new - like painting still-life - is to discover what abstract qualities you like painting. I adore shadows and reflections (and pattern and texture). In this painting, there are the reflections of light on the bottle and a coloured shadow cast by the bottle. There is also a faint cast shadow on the left hand side. Then the colour varies from one side of the horizon to the other. Sometimes I have to invent shadows and reflections. In my tulip … [Read more...]
Snowdrops – how I love the Spring
Having lived most of my l;ife in South Africa, my birthday month was the hottest month of the year with with bougainvillea filled garden, patio birthday parties, swimming in the sea etc. Now that I live here, it is more of a slow progression of seasons. We move through the colour spectrum - white (snow and snowdrops) yellow (daffs & crocusses) Blues, (bluebells, crocusses, violets) and then we burst into colour in summer. But at first, it's a gentle change. There is not really much of a … [Read more...]