ART/POETRY/NATURE/SPIRITUAL
We have moved into spring, and usually at this stage of the season here in the Lowveld of South Africa it is already quite hot, this year the weather has for the most part been kind and cool with soaking drizzle every few days. Coming out of six months of various stages of lock down,... Continue Reading →
The artists of this world are bold - Their sensitivities are untold; Criticism they stoically bear, But ultimately their visions sprout, They are the world's creative fount.
In short, a decoy duck resembles a real duck. They were used in duck hunting to attract real ducks. Originally these ducks were carved from wood, even cork. Modern ducks are made from canvas or plastic. They are painted to look like a genuine duck. Historical ducks today are collector's pieces and the price can... Continue Reading →
I photographed this lourie (turaco) in my garden. I had previously made a number of attempts to photograph these birds but to no avail. At the sight of me, they took off. This day I was fortunate, as you can see. I think those palm berries were too delicious for the bird to abandon! The... Continue Reading →
Can you eat a Peafowl? In Medieval times the birds were prepared by roasting and then the feathers were arranged on and around the roast. This made it appear as if the fowl was still alive! Here’s the presentation instructions from Medieval times; “wynde the skyn wit the fethurs and the taile abought the body,... Continue Reading →
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Snow Queen' SNOW QUEENS I look up. The hibiscuses are invariably there! Peering through their snow-streaked leaves. Gazing down from the heights, Like inquisitive, spruced up socialites. Curious they are about their surrounds – What is in the air and on the ground. They twist and twirl in all... Continue Reading →
Creation Celebration. Oil. H510mm x W610mm I have painted the six days of creation, and in so doing I developed a love for jungle themes. I love the colours, plants and animals. Painting a jungle scene can be quite daunting for me, as I never know at what point in the canvas to start. I... Continue Reading →
THE SEED OF GOLD. The ground was mould and mirey soil, Choked by weed, briar and toil. But as the mystery of life unfolds, A being swathed in virtuous light Into the sludge, placed he a seed of gold. By-and-by, the seed was birthed With pains at first, Battling rebellious thorn and dirt. Miraculously... Continue Reading →
DAES EAGE. Daes eage quietly unfurls its rays at dawn. Peace and elation, it brings to all. Even in distress, it makes one smile, No wonder! Its fame is far and wide. Found in every jubilant colour, but blue. Symbolic of joy, not moods. It is spread far and wide across all terrains, From... Continue Reading →
1. One old canvas to which a new drawing is added. 2. Fresh oil paint. 3. The painting begins! I have a few old paintings that I never liked, so instead of throwing them in the trash, I am recycling them. Canvasses are expensive, so if one can recycle, why not? The original painting was... Continue Reading →
FEED THE BIRDS. Early morning risers, Some wet to the bone, Snatching sleep Huddling on cold stone. Not much rest after a night of rain, Shelter is scarce. Trees drenched, Big rain drops, Those that make the feathers flop! Ahhh! A ray of sunshine, Breaking through the cold, purple dawn. Those still wet... Continue Reading →
Using blue in a painting, other than where it is considered natural, generally promotes feelings of depression, sadness and mystery. One of my favourite artists who went through a ‘blue period’ was Picasso, from 1901 to 1906. All of his works during this time depict strong feelings of gloom and despair. The Absinthe Drinker (after... Continue Reading →
I am in awe of leaves. They are perfect for abstract photography. I'm usually thinking 'leaf planet' when I photograph them. Hence, the poem, 'Once Upon a Leaf'. ONCE UPON A LEAF. How curious can I possibly be? To envision a day upon a leaf. A Tom Thumb I would need to be! To... Continue Reading →
"May my soul be like a flower; beautiful, yet humble; unique, timeous, bold and perfect. May it colour lives unselfishly, and bring joy to others, even if just for a moment. May it flourish in the 'light' and never wilt in shifting shadows, or die in darkness. May it continuously look up to the heavens... Continue Reading →
BUTTERFLIES ON CROTON LEAVES. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/butterflies-on-croton-leaves-caroline-street.html [This post features 4 images.] I have many favorite things in my life, and I have combined four of them in this post, i.e., art, photography, crotons and butterflies. (You know, those flowers that fly around 🦋🦋🦋 and bring such joy to the heart ❤️! I am fortunate to have... Continue Reading →
What started off as a fairly good year, filled with positive thoughts in fact turned into a nightmare for people all over the world. In South Africa, the virus took a while to reach our shores, but the inevitable happened. It seems that most countries have reached their peak, but in SA it is said... Continue Reading →
[This post contains 4 images.] I was given a Moleskine sketchbook as a gift and needless to say, I was thrilled as I find sketchbook art fascinating. It opens up endless possibilities and the art is spontaneous. Even errors (within reason) can be overlooked. The page size of the book is only 13cm x 21cm!... Continue Reading →
[This post contains 9 painted images, set in 3 collages] I usually paint realistically, but I find that more and more these days, I am painting something that leans towards fantasy or whimsy. I enjoy the freedom that comes with this kind of art. It does not require much planning. I start a drawing and... Continue Reading →
(This post contains poetry and seven images.) THE HUMBLEST FLOWER © The gracious tulip, renowned For its hue and beauty, Humbly bows down Towards the ground. Its posture offers a view of its being, Which glows in a shaft of light. A scintilla of heavenly blue Enhances its purple hues. Minute fingers dusted with pollen... Continue Reading →
There is nothing as fascinating to photograph than the dragonfly. First there is the exciting moment when you spot one, usually near water, but I also find them hovering in my garden on a favorite plant. Once they find a plant they like, they will usually be there for a while. Now, I run for... Continue Reading →
(This post contains 28 images.) For many a trip to the Kruger Park is about the mammals, and yes, so it should be, I love them too! But for me the excitement is about the birds, because they could appear anywhere, even on the loneliest, dullest drive. It is like a treasure hunt - and... Continue Reading →
(This post contains 11 images). Photography has led me into a whole new world of flora. I am no longer happy just photographing these creations, but find myself doing little studies on them as well. I have always been fascinated by the sausage tree but then, who would not be? This amazing tree is common... Continue Reading →
[This post contains 11 images] I was one of those artists who avoided painting roses for many years. The first few miserable attempts I made, I found myself drowning in petals. It was all too confusing to say the least - the way the petals slip in behind each other - the gentle tapering curves... Continue Reading →
[Art and Poetry. This blog contains a poem and an image of a Sloth, painted in oils.] As I live in South Africa, the sloth was never on my list of animals to paint. It is usually lions, elephants, buck etc., however, I was looking around for a very furry animal to paint and came... Continue Reading →
[This blog contains 5 engaging images.] I just happened to see this female African Migrant (Catopsilia florella) butterfly in flight. If I was not in this fortunate position I would never have seen her settle in the Snow Queen Hibiscus in my garden, as the shrub has many white leaves and this offers perfect camouflage... Continue Reading →
This video was taken in the Kruger National Park. When I arrived on the scene the impala had just given birth, and the little one was lying in the dead bush. The ground was hot to the touch as it was 45 degrees celsius, and the impalas were gathered under the meager shade of a... Continue Reading →
If you think a parrot has character, wait until you meet a hornbill up close.
I keep digital art 'real', and would be able to recreate each creation onto canvas using brush and paint.
Birds have that something that is a little more challenging for me as an artist than most subjects. I am a bird-lover and I guess the main reason why I am attracted to birds, besides their beauty, is their happiness! Painting and photographing birds have filled many of my hours. The featured image in this post... Continue Reading →
I first discovered these unusual creatures on a lovely summer day. It was a hot day, and I had the sensation on water been dripped onto my skin, as if someone was flicking their wet fingers at me. The coolness of the drips was quite refreshing, and as I am not one to ignore anything... Continue Reading →
Over the years I have taken photos of the thick-billed weavers building their nests, and I thought the best way to make use of the photographs was to create a video with words and music. I hope you enjoy! Don' forget to turn the sound on! DID YOU KNOW? The thick-billed weaver differs from other... Continue Reading →
BEAUTY FOR ASHES Beaten down? I will raise you up and set your crown. Hopeless and forlorn? There is always a new morn. Fearful and alone? I am with you, I will preserve you. Sick and frail? I will be your guard rail, You will prevail. Do you flounder in the dark? My light will... Continue Reading →
Spotted bush snakes are regular visitors to my garden. I am not a snake lover, but these snakes are quite harmless. If I was ever asked what my favorite snake is, I would say the spotted bush snake. They are slender snakes, and reach a length of one metre. They hunt gecko and frogs and... Continue Reading →
Like I said, I am feeling 'Spring Silly'. I know I am not the only one, it affects the best of us! I love spring. I could jump and shout, and go on and on about this crazy season, but I won't! BUT I did do some crazy stuff with my spring photographs. Just for... Continue Reading →
He [God] spoke and galaxies whirled into place, stars burned in the heavens, and planets began orbiting their suns - words of awesome, unlimited, unleashed power. He spoke again and the waters and lands were filled with plants and creatures, running, swimming, growing, multiplying - words of animating, breathing, pulsing life. Again he spoke and man... Continue Reading →
Do you want your old Teddy Bear painted - you know, that old teddy you have stashed away in storage, covered in wrapping and moth balls, hoping he does not fall apart? The chances are your old bear will probably fall apart, so why not capture your bear on canvas? Just send me a good photo of... Continue Reading →
No sooner is spring sprung and so are the frogs! They usually croak at night from 10:00 p.m until 2:00 a.m. At first I used to collect them in a bucket and put them over the wall, hoping they would head on over to the vlei (stream) behind my house. My efforts were futile. These... Continue Reading →
African wildlife has always featured in my life. I have a special place in my heart for rhinos, as do many South Africans, because they are such amazing animals, ad they are under threat of extinction. The main featured image, above, is of a rhino which I created in mosaic. Beneath is more art of... Continue Reading →
'A Rhino's Tale', is a hypothetical poem about Rhinos which I pray never becomes a reality. I hope the poem does instill a feeling of desperation and overwhelming sadness in the mind of the reader, because the situation of the Rhinos is exactly that! I must just add that although this poem is about Rhinos, it could also... Continue Reading →
What attracted me to these insects was the strange 'stuff' attached to their feet, and as they moved very quickly little bubbles were produced around the feet. They look like spiders but they are insects from the family called Gerridae. They do not bite or sting! They are found where there is water with a... Continue Reading →
I am an Emperor Penguin Suited in black and white. I’m trekking many miles Across the Antarctic ice. My journey will take me to a colony Of others just like me. I will find a mate and procreate, And we'll produce ONE precious egg. I will incubate my offspring. My empress will hunt for food;... Continue Reading →
The water lily is my favourite flower to photograph. Whenever I visit the local Botanical Garden, I head straight to the water lily pond. I am never disappointed! I find that at any time of the day, water lilies photograph well, even when the sun is at its highest. I have been fortunate enough to... Continue Reading →
THE NEW EARTH. A fantasy has not been told, but truth which must be extolled. The true account of eternal life and death, as revealed by Christ in Heaven to the apostle John in a vision, who set the prophecy down on parchment, known as the unquestionable Revelation. The day draws near when every eye... Continue Reading →
Batik is an ancient art form. I am not going to go into the history of this art as Google can tell you all you need to know, instead I am going to show you some of my batiks and tell you how to create a simple batik. If you are the creative type you... Continue Reading →
I am increasingly fascinated with little creatures, and this happened a few years ago when I started with flower macro photography. I often found bugs on the flowers, and this lead me to 'bug hunting'. I am fortunate to have a generous garden that is home to an array of little creatures. A week ago... Continue Reading →
Like many other artists, I do not like been taken away from my studio, just in case I am inspired to do something - and that something would have to be done now! So when I have to go visiting, which I do enjoy, I try to combine art and the trip. Flower Design I... Continue Reading →
Through my journey of discovering nature and trying to fathom out life, people and relationships I came to the realisation that I was pouring all of these experiences into my art, poetry and photography.
