Also known as torch lily or red poker, I grew up in south Africa knowing them as ‘vuurpyle’. We had them in the garden and every summer they flowered in abundance. I have them in my garden now as well, a little reminder of my South African roots.
Kniphofia, watercolour on Arches HP watercolour paper
It is time for the grapes of autumn, my favorite being Muscat. the problem with grapes is that you don’t keep track of how much you eat and before you know it you have devoured bunch after bunch of sugar! That is exactly what happened to me when painting this still life. This little painting is 15×20 cm and is available on my website, Ronell van Wyk
Bowl with grapes,
15x20cm, oil on board
The peaches are nearing the end of the season so I have to get in as much painting… and eating as possible. It is not a bad thing though. Autumn has its own wonderul fruit and vegetables to paint…and eat.
Available on my website, Ronell van Wyk
Cup and two peaches
oil on board, 15x20cm
I still feel unsafe and weird to venture off in public, so most of my sketching is done at home. These two sketches are of our house and the old bread oven which is now being used as a garden shed.
Four a pain(old bread oven), watercolour in Stillman and birn sketchbook
Our house, watercolour in Stillman and birn sketchbook
The Iceberg roses(fee des neiges) are still blooming profusely with a few white button dahlias alongside. Even though I brought A stm or two insife to the atelier to paint, I wanted to portray them as if still in their natural environment…a corner of the rosebush.
Three white roses and a dahlia in oil.
oil on linen, 30x30cm
à bientôt
Ronell
It feels so great to work in oils again! It is and will always be my first love. I neglect it far too much. In fact, there a lot of things I neglect too much. Anyway…
My hydrangeas are at the end of their summer colour. they were beautifully white and I had dark pinks. The whites turned to greens and the pinks to this beautifully seductive deep burgundy. Some really suffered from the hat and drought of August and crumpled into brown and black splotches among the greens and magentas. I love these colors…rich and old and weathered.
hydrangeas set-up in atelier
Hydrangeas 1
oil on linen, 55x45cm
halfway through hydrangeas 1
Hydrangeas 2
oil on linen, 45x33cm
halfway through hydrangeas 2
I am more impressed with the halfway through hydrangeas 2 than with the completed painting. At this stage I wanted to stop, but just wanted to do a touch more to the surrounding greens. Before I could stop myself, I added touches all over and the painting completely changed. So much for being happy with the painting before adding touches..
Until next time
Ronell
Africantapestry 