5. am Waitangi Day

Up at 5 am this morning and it was a shock. There was a stinging southerly blast ( in New Zealand, that means it feels like someone left the fridge door open ,because that southerly blasts  straight from the maw of Antarctica) and I felt like the only person alive. The moon is now a crescent and there was little light at all...I almost went back to bed , then I saw the lights on the farmhouse up the road flick on. Life out there! A beacon in the otherwise dark night, I painted the view across the valley towards the south, the hill and the farmhouse,the night sky and the dim orange haze of the sun on the distant horizon, as it started to make it's influence felt on the atmosphere.

My hands were so cold I could barely hold the brushes after 30 minutes. It did not warm up for hours, but by then I was back inside, a house-full of boys, sleepover breakfast and plans for a bike ride. Today is a public holiday. Waitangi day.

30 x 30 cm
oil on archival paper

Richard Robinson painting experience: part 2

After a second breakfast or early first lunch( sorry, Hobbit reference) and buoyed by our early success, Richard suggested we climb to the top of a small hill and paint the next cove along, called Shelly beach. I ditched some of my equipment, the extra canvas panels, and by mistake, my palette!

After a climb through chin high grasses we set up looking down onto the beach but also with an amazing view of just about everything else in sight.

What to paint, or rather, what NOT to paint. Richard had earlier explained how painting a scene should be akin to describing it in poetry. He described his plan of action and chose to focus on the small beach area rather than the whole vista, as it presented itself to us. I nodded, grateful for the direction and insight.

It was too windy for the umbrella's and we knew we were going to battle the sun and yet we forged ahead. I was deep in thought , painting away, adjusting values and examining colour choices, when he suddenly threw his canvas across the grass and jumped on it a few times. His water bottle came out and he liberally doused the whole thing then , declaring himself satisfied, popped it back on the easel. What a laugh!

We painted for a while longer and then I realised my eyes were starting to get sore from the glare of both canvas and the canvas palette I had to improvise....I knew I was flagging. We took the opportunity to chat some more and he described something he called " abstract expressionism".....and the lightbulbs went off in my head again! I get it!

The last photo is of the beach, the other side of the hill, at Waipu.

We finished off, carrying our completed paintings down over our heads to prevent the long grass heads adding to the brush marks on the canvasses. My completed painting contains a few bugs and some authentic Northland grass seeds!!!

I love my painting, not because it is especially good, but because I had such a good time making it.
I hope you looked at Richards's blog to see his completed version.

I shall post mine tomorrow. Today I am battling ferocious hay fever and trying to sort my new computer out.

Sunday afternoon at the pond

I painted outdoors today for the first time in a very long time and it felt fantastic. I usually paint indoors, with the luxury of music, contained enviroment and a kettle nearby...but it is quite sterile.

I have admired this pond for a while now and today, with a window of a few hours grace whilst my kids went motorbiking, I asked the lovely owners if i could set up my easel and paint their beautiful view.

I was surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature, the wind gave me a good run for my money (I had to hang onto palette and easel a few times! That palette can become a sail!) and painted in the glare of the midday sun (The umbrella was a no-go with the wind) ............and it was amazing. I loved every minute of it and hope to paint the same pond again and again. Jim tells me he has plans to expand and develop the area, so hopefully I will be able to document the changes.

This is a photo of the scene

Can you see why I had such a good time...is it not fabulous?!