More nocturnal painting and a belated career wish.

May I introduce you to the Violet palette? Dioxezine Violet (sounds like a drag queen!), Ultramarine Blue( her depressed friend) and sunny cadmium yellow.

Still playing with night scenes  and added violet instead of Pthalo to warm the scene......

I would love to have the job of naming nail polish, lipstick and house acrylic paint colours.

Just saying.........

Supermoon!

Say it with me. SUPERMOON! If you saw the moon rise last night, you would know what I am rabitting on about. Wow! The moon was a third bigger than it's usual size (water retention...and I made that percentage up too) but is was fabulous .
For some reason, the moon really does it for me. I love the light of the full moon, the sliver of the new moon...the whole damned cycle, even the darkness of the no moon.....it pulls at the imagination and reactivates the wonder gland.

Clearly, I am affected.

Last night we drove home from a milestone birthday celebration (my father-in-law turned 80!) from the coastal city of Tauranga and had the priveledge of watching the moon rise over the sea, follow us home over the farmlands and Kaimai mountain ranges, wink at us over the Karapiro lake , and light the night all the way home.

I even woke at 2am just to have another look at it again.

Today I painted from memory what I witnessed last night...and toned down the cheesiness of the moon.

moonlit
25 x 50 cm oil on board

I went a little abstract because that's what the moon does to me!

I owe Whangerei an apology

Don't ask me where I got the idea that the Northland city of Whangerei was a shithole ( sorry, but that is the best I can do this morning by way of description), but I was misinformed. It's pretty! It has some great architecture, a marina in the middle of the city, boatyards, trees, a general sunny feel and well worth a few days spent exploring. I am sure it has it's "wrong side of the tracks" element and all my police friends tell me it's a bit hardcore (Kiwi slang for crime and gang nonsense) , but I got a good vibe from it the day I visited.

So, sorry, Whangerei, if I have ever dissed you before. I want to come back and visit and make amends by painting you a few times. Only your good side, I promise.

I had not envisioned painting on the marina so I had not packed my kit, but I took a few photos and then drove back the 35 min drive to Waipu Cove and painted this, sitting in the dark on my cabin veranda(I wanted the authenticity of night!) and painted this from memory.

Whilst I was painting, a baby in the cabin across the way, popped up at the window and started gumming the window latch with great gusto until she spotted me. Mouth full of latch, she watched me gurn and make faces at her until she was convinced I was just nuts and not scary , and proceeded to chortle and engage in a game of Peek a boo with me, all whilst I was painting and she giving the window handle a good oral swabbing. Good times!

oil on paper
20 x 30 cm

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

Plein air at Night

Things that go bump in the night......


I have thought of painting the nights sky for years. I try it every now and then, especially inspired during the summer months when the skies are clear and the weather conducive to being outdoors at night. Because there are few cities and the quality of the air is good, the night sky is incredible.

My closest city is Hamilton, a hamlet on the scale of cities worldwide, and a just a vague blip on the horizon from my eyrie.. I painted on the verge of our country road , last night, camp torch headlight illuminating my palette. Four cars passed me( what must they have thought!!?) .Friday night , 10 pm, and I am painting outdoors. My 18 year old self is hysterical with laughter at the idea...she was off partying at this time!At least I am always having a good time, no matter what age!

As a first attempt en plein air painting a night scene, called a nocturne, I am pleased with the result. I only spent about 30 minutes out there till I scampered back indoors for a cup of tea. I preloaded my palette with Pthalo Blue and Pthalo green, permanent Alizarin,ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, raw sienna, cadmium orange and white.

Here is what I learned:

• have a plan!
• work fast if you are working in dusk!
• know what colours do what...mixing on the palette with artificial light relies on experience
• squint....even in the dark
• do not shine the light in your own eyes...you will be blinded for a while
• photos are fairly useless!!!

I am going to do this again! It was fun!

20 x 30 cm oil on archival paper

Friday nocturne