a tree and a bird

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Title: Lone Tree

Size 200x200mm

I was given this little canvas recently, I found it a bit intimidating because i am used to working on a big scale and wondered if i could get my head around working this small. But then I did a 300x300 series on the old historic buildings in our area, and suddenly it came naturally. This morning the tree popped into my head, and from there onto the canvas!

Title: Gilded Peacock 2

Size 500x500mm

I had such fun doing the first peacock and had another canvas the same size on hand, so he got a friend!

Line of Trees

Title: Line of Trees

Size: 600x300 mm

I originally took the photo that inspired these because there were 3 Springbok jumping in the foreground. The other day as I was going through old pictures, for the first time I spotted the line of Black Wattles (Australian trees which flourish so well here that they have actually been declared a noxious weed) along the horizon, and I loved their forms, so here they are.

Gilded Peacock

Title: Gilded Peacock

Size: 500 x 500 mm

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I have always loved anything with irridescent blues and greens, which is why the black Australian opal is my favourite gemstone. Peacocks, displaying their spectacular tail feathers, are another source of this breathtaking colour. Here I wanted to capture the sheer outrageous gaudiness of these birds, so I applied gold leaf to the canvas in places, and then painted over it.

The second photo was taken at an oblique angle to try and show how it changes as you move around it, which is pretty much how peacock feathers also behave as the light captures their metallic glints.

You are Invited....

Although I realise the likelihood of any of you being here on the day is rather remote! (and anyway you have had a chance to preview most of the work... )

Whew....1 week to go before my exhibition!

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Title: Baobab 4

Size: 1500mmx1000mm (yes, it's BIG!)

I have a bit of a "thing" about Baobabs. To me they are so quintessentially African. And because I grew up in landlocked Zimbabwe, whenever we went on holidy, we would pass through a lowveld area where they grew, so I always associate Baobabs with fun, holidays, excitement and anticipation.

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Title: Farewell Vetkat
Size: 900mmx700mm

The San or Bushmen of Africa are a tribe who have been hounded to near extinction over the centuries. The remaining few mostly now live in the very beautiful but arid Kalahari desert.

They are best known for the wonderful rock art which they left in many caves across the country, as they moved on under pressure from other tribes. They are deeply spiritual and peaceful people, in tune with nature to an amazing degree (which explains how they are able to survive in an environment that very few humans or animals can endure.)

From this group, in recent years, emerged an artist who was fast gaining an international reputation for his work, combining traditional imagery with modern elements and materials. His name was Vetkat Regopstaan Kruper. (Literally translated it means Fat cat upright standing.)

Sadly, he died last moth at the age of only 38. He was laid to rest before sunrise, under his favourite tree in the Kalahari.

This painting is a tribute to him, featuring "his" tree and if you look closely, a fat cat spirit flying away from it.

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Title:Duncan Village, East London

Size: 1100mmx900mm

I have enjoyed painting clusters of houses around the world lately, and this is another in that series. It is much closer to home than the previous 2, and is a typical African Township which are a feature of most South African towns. To be PC, they are now referred to as "informal settlements", but many of them go back for many years and are well established communities. Despite the fact that life there is hard, the houses leak and are poorly insulated, and basic services like water, power and sewerage removal are often lacking, they always seem to appear bright and colourful, teeming with life and activity. To me they symbolise man's indomitable spirit in the face of adversity.

Welcome to the new gallery!

Hi, and welcome to my new art gallery blog. This is where I will be posting all the new work as it is completed. I have a Solo Exhibition coming up at the
Kühne Boekkooi Art Gallery
13 Walter Road, Charlo, Port Elizabeth, SA on 6th June 2007, and have been madly preparing for that.

The bulk of the new work has already been posted at Arty-Fartying-Around, and when i figure out how to move them across without having to upload all over, I will post the whole exhibition here, along with the new ones I do this week.
I am still getting things moving and wrapping up my interior design business, so I hope you will bear with me while I find out the safest and most cost effective way to post large stretched canvasses, and get registered for credit card payments, and you are welcome to e-mail me if you have any queries or advise!