The Way of the Crow

W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm - unframed

Black Crow (Corvus capensis) 

“If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be clever enough to be crows.”
-Rev. Henry Ward Beecher mid 1800’s

There is little wonder that crows are very often the subjects of legends, folk-tales, and storytelling traditions around the world, all of which is very deep-seated and arising from myth and folklore thousands of years old. Anyone that has ever spent time with a crow will know how absurd these myths are and that Crows are no more ‘evil’ or ‘dark’ as depicted in these legends than a canary in a cage.

Read more HERE.

ITEM ID : WayOftheCrow

PRICE - R350.00 including postage

Life Force

Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm – 12″ × 8″ - unframed

In this painting I tried to depict the fires that rage over our country-side every winter here in South Africa, destroying as it goes, but also giving life, cleaning up the landscape and allowing some flowers, that are dependant on the seasonal fires, to bloom.

• Energy is the life force that is present in all good art. This is not something that is easily defined, but it is the opposite state of static flatness. It is this energy that makes a painting speak to you, and makes an artist’s work original and identifiable as the work of that artist. Energy is created out of the artist’s materials and tools, but the end is more than the means in the same sense that a musical composition is so much more than a collection of notes.

Colour, shape, line and texture are the physical elements that combine to make up an image. Abstraction indicates a departure from reality in depiction of imagery in art. This departure from accurate representation can be only slight, or it can be partial, or it can be complete. Abstraction exists along a continuum. Even art that aims for verisimilitude of the highest degree can be said to be abstract, at least theoretically, since perfect representation is likely to be exceedingly elusive. Artwork which takes liberties, altering for instance colour and form in ways that are conspicuous, can be said to be partially abstract. Total abstraction bears no trace of any reference to anything recognizable.

ITEM ID : LifeForce

PRICE - R350.00 including postage

Burning Desire

Watercolour in Moleskine 200gsm sketch-book – 12″ × 8″ - not for sale due to being done in a sketch-book

“When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.” 

W. Clement Stone – American best selling Author – 1902-2002 

Sometimes my work is inspired by a sight or sound, sometimes by a few words. In this instance, it is the many veld fires we have here in South Africa in winter and once I had finished the work, it evoked a feeling of a “burning desire” and the words followed. Or should I have named it “This little bird” …?

The year's last, loveliest smile!

Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm 12″ × 8″ - unframed

Stanley Horowitz says, “Winter is an etching, spring a watercolour, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.”

For me, Autumn holds a special fascination. First of all because my birthday is in Autumn in May, and although May could officially be classified as Winter, here in South Africa some of our most gorgeous days are in May – clear, cloudless skies, temperatures still in the early 20 degrees Celsius and a landscape filled with colour, with Nature unwilling to let go of her summer finery. It is also the month for mid-year tax returns, and I always enjoy getting that out of the way!

The month May has been named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. In both common Western calendrical systems, no other month begins on the same day of the week as May. This month and June are the only two months that have this trait, though the first day of August in a common year and the first day of October in a leap year are also unique.

ITEM ID : LastLoveliestSmile
PRICE - R350.00 including postage in South Africa

The Colour of Happiness

Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm – 12″ × 8″ - unframed 

Summer is in full swing in South Africa and a summer sunrise always takes my breath away. Together with a cool morning breeze, before the mid-day heat sets in, it’s one of my favourite times of the day. And to me, this is the colour of happiness… 

ITEM ID : ColourOfHappiness
PRICE - R350.00 including postage

::

Large Clear Quartz Crystal pendant

Quartz Crystals can be used to clear and activate the energy centres of the body and it aids greatly in purifying the physical, mental and spiritual bodies. Clear Quartz heals negativity and stimulates positive thoughts. 

Chakras: Crown, Earth Star, Heart, Link, Third Eye, Thymus

 Unique hand-crafted Clear Quartz crystal pendant wrapped in silver wire, silver chain with Turquoise beads. From my "Earth range"

This is a large crystal, 3½" (9cm) long and the chain hangs at 42cm (16"). Once-off.

ITEM ID : ClearQuartzCrystalPendantTurquoise
PRICE - R350.00 including local postage
 

::

View across the road

W&N watercolour on DalerRowney 220gsm heavy-duty sketching paper - unframed

I open my eyes and see the world in a new light. I view everything as if I were a child seeing a freshly opened flower for the first time. 

The view across the road from my studio – I stare at this every day, and every day I am amazed at the different play of colours on the landscape….

ITEM ID : ViewAcrossTheRoad
PRICE - R350.00 including postage

::

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)

Black ink sketch and Windsor & Newton watercolour on DalerRowney 300gsm - 8" x 12" unframed

While the vibrant, strong sunflower is a recognized worldwide for its beauty, it is also an important source of food. Sunflower oil is a valued and healthy vegetable oil and sunflower seeds are enjoyed as a healthy, tasty snack and nutritious ingredient to many foods.

ITEM ID : SunflowersHelianthusAnnuus 
PRICE - R350.00 including postage in South Africa

A Crow's Dream

Corvus capensis (Cape crow, Black crow) - W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm 
- 12" x 8" Unframed 

To build a nest 

with twigs unrest 

lying here, lying there 

to lay some eggs 

and breed some chicks 

to teach them how to click 

to swing in the branches 

and spy through the arches 

to bathe in the poodles 

all cool bathed rooms 

in search of green woods 

fully loaded with ripened fruits 

all life did I stood 

for life and livelihood 

my nest my homes 

one for one crow-hus 

same straws yet new nest 

next time I breast 

sweet life, luxurious breeze 

small problems everything within reach 

friends of mine 

plenty and more 

we dine together 

that is where we gather 

we dirt eat to purify the earth 

our souls divine burn the heaps holy 

Yet I dream of cages untold 

where parrots feed on milk and grains 

mellow fruits are ripe and ready 

anytime to taste without buddies. 

- lalitha iyer  

ITEM ID : ACrow'sDream 

PRICE - R350.00 including postage in South Africa

Whitefronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides) SOLD

That little bird has chosen his shelter.
Above it are the stars and the deep heaven of worlds.
Yet he is rocking himself to sleep without caring for tomorrow's lodging,
calmly clinging to his little twig,
and leaving God to think for him.
- Martin Luther

W&N watercolours on Visual 200gsm - 12" x 8" - unframed (SOLD)

The White-fronted Bee-eater, Merops bullockoides (endemic to Africa), is a species of bee-eater widely distributed in sub-equatorial Africa. They have a distinctive white forehead, a square tail and a bright red patch on their throat. They nest in small colonies, digging holes in cliffs or earthen banks but can usually be seen in low trees waiting for passing insects from which they hunt either by making quick hawking flights or gliding down before hovering briefly to catch insects.
From "Wikipedia"

Rooikeelbyvreter [Afrikaans]; Sitembandayi (generic term for non-Carmine bee-eaters) [Kwangali]; Muhladzanhu, Muhlagambu (generic terms for bee-eater) [Tsonga]; Morôkapula (generic term for bee-eater) [Tswana]; Witkapbijeneter [Dutch]; Guêpier à front blanc [French]; Weißstirnspint, Weißstirn-Bienenfresser [German]; Abelharuco-de-testa-branca [Portuguese]

These birds are monogamous, strongly gregarious colonial nesters. It has one of the most complicated societies of all birds, with each colony comprising a number of groups, known as clans, each clan containing 3-6 "families", each containing one breeding pair and 1-5 helpers. The nest is built by both sexes and sometimes a helper, consisting of a tunnel 1 - 2m long, ending in an oval chamber. The burrow is usually dug into riverbanks or gullies by moving sand with its bill or, if it finds a more serious obstacle, using a bicycling action with its feet. (Oh, how CUTE!)
Info from "Bidodiversity Explorer"

“Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings.”

Thank you to the buyer!

Symbol of Adoration

W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm - 12" x 8" - unframed

Vibrant and strong, Sunflowers are symbolic of adoration.

I see you there in glory shining bright,
Following the sun and its path of light.
Standing tall above all others in the field,
You grow, conquer, and do not yield.
The little birds take great delight
In playing round you, from day to night.
With your petals of yellow and leaves of green
How very easily you are seen!
- Extract from 'Poem to a Sunflower' By Katherine R. Lane (April 19, 1995)


ITEM ID : SymbolOfAdorationSunflower
PRICE - R350.00 including postage iin south Africa

The Poinsettia and the Daisy

Watercolour and Acrylic on Bockingford 300gsm - 12" x 8" - unframed

Did you know that the poinsettia has a special day all its own? By an Act of Congress, in the U.S., December 12 was set aside as National Poinsettia Day. The date marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who is credited with introducing the native Mexican plant to the United States. The purpose of the day is to enjoy the beauty of this popular holiday plant.
So, be sure to give someone you love a poinsettia on December 12, National Poinsettia Day!

The star-shaped poinsettia has become one of the best known floral symbols of the Christmas season and is considered the most popular potted plant during that time of year.

They were introduced to the United States over 125 years ago when they were brought here in 1828 by America's first ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Joel Poinsett. Native to Mexico, the “Flor de Noche Buena” - flower of the Holy Night, was thought by many eighteenth century Mexicans to be symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem.
http://www.santasearch.org/texts.asp?Do=4&TextID=531

A charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy.

"I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes," said Pedro consolingly.

Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.

As she approached the alter, she remembered Pedro's kind words: "Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes." She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene.

Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.
From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season. Today, the common name for this plant is the "poinsettia!"

See more of my Flowers on RedBubble

ITEM ID : PoinsettiaDaisy
PRICE - R350.00 including postage in South Africa

Winter moving in

Brew me a cup for a winter's night.

For the wind howls loud and the furies fight;

Spice it with love and stir it with care,

And I'll toast our bright eyes,

my sweetheart fair.

~Minna Thomas Antrim

Acrylics on canvas panel 12" x 9"- unframed

South Africa is famous for its sunshine. It's a relatively dry country, with an average annual rainfall of about 464mm (compared to a world average of about 860mm). While the Western Cape gets most of its rainfall in winter, the rest of the country is generally a summer-rainfall region.

The Western Cape gets most of its rain in winter, with quite a few days of cloudy, rainy weather. However, these are always interspersed with wonderful days to rival the best of a British summer.
The high mountains of the Cape and the Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal usually get snow in winter.

Winter in South Africa (May to July) is characterised in the higher-lying areas of the interior plateau by dry, sunny, crisp days and cold nights. So it's a good idea to bring warm clothes.
The hot, humid KwaZulu-Natal coast, as well as the Lowveld (lower-lying areas) of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, offer fantastic winter weather with sunny, warmish days and virtually no wind or rain.

A subtropical location, moderated by ocean on three sides of the country and the altitude of the interior plateau, account for the warm temperate conditions so typical of South Africa - and so popular with its foreign visitors.

At the same time, temperatures in South Africa tend to be lower than in other countries at similar latitudes - such as Australia - due mainly to greater elevation above sea level.

On the interior plateau the altitude - Johannesburg lies at 1 694 meters - keeps the average summer temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius. In winter, for the same reason, night-time temperatures can drop to freezing point, in some places lower.

South Africa's coastal regions are therefore warmest in winter. There is, however, a striking contrast between temperatures on the country's east and west coasts, due respectively to the warm Agulhas and cold Benguela Currents that sweep the coastlines.

Being in the southern hemisphere, our seasons stand in opposition to those of Europe and North America, so, yes - we spend Christmas on the beach!
From "South Africa Travel Info":http://www.southafrica.info/travel/advice/climate.htm

ITEM ID : WinterMovinginAcrylic
PRICE - R350.00 including postage in south Africa

The Magical process

"Painting is a magical process that I like, where you conjure something out of nothing; you get a little idea that leads you through ... You can go into a trance while you're doing it, so it's a nice contrast to real life."

- Paul McCartney

Watercolour on Arches 300gsm 12" x 7" - unframed

Stuck indoors again, lots of rain, so no field sketching at the moment! This is one of the 6 paintings I did while it poured outside and being without electricity (and therefore internet as well!) - having to boil water for coffee on the little gas burner and sitting close to the window (for light). Did this from my imagination, taking inspiration from the blue, wet hues outside, the bright green of all the grass and all the muddy patches everywhere.

ITEM ID : MagicalProcess
PRICE - R350.00 including postage iin South Africa

Her Majesty the Cat

"With their qualities of cleanliness, discretion, affection, patience, dignity, and courage, how many of us, I ask you, would be capable of becoming cats?"

- Fernand Mery Her Majesty the Cat

Cat sketch - W&N watercolour - on Bockingford 300gsm 8" x 12" - unframed

We all know the superstition about a black cat crossing your path. It is said that, to reverse the bad luck curse of a black cat crossing your path, first walk in a circle, then go backward across the spot where it happened and count to 13! Here are some more superstitions about cats.

Dreaming of white cat means good luck. - American superstition
To see a white cat on the road is lucky. - American superstition
It is bad luck to see a white cat at night. - American superstition
If a cat washes behind its ears, it will rain. - English superstition
A strange black cat on your porch brings prosperity. - Scottish superstition
A cat sneezing is a good omen for everyone who hears it. - Italian superstition
A cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means cold weather ahead. - English superstition
When moving to a new home, always put the cat through the window instead of the door, so that it will not leave. - American superstition
When you see a one-eyed cat, spit on your thumb, stamp it in the palm of your hand, and make a wish. The wish will come true. - American superstition
In the Netherlands, cats were not allowed in rooms where private family discussions were going on. The Dutch believed that cats would definitely spread gossips around the town. - Netherlands superstition
To reverse the bad luck curse of a black cat crossing your path, first walk in a circle, then go backward across the spot where it happened and count to 13.

ITEM ID : HerMajestyTheCat
PRICE - R350.00 including postage in South Africa

Struthio camelus

“An ostrich with its head in the sand is just as blind to opportunity as to disaster.”

W&N Watercolours on Bockingford 300gsm 8" x 12" - unframed

The Ostrich (struthio camelus) is a member of a group of birds known as ratites, that is they are flightless birds without a keel to their breastbone, and are native to Africa. Of the 8,600 bird species which exist today, the ostrich is the largest. Standing tall on long, bare legs, the Ostrich has a long, curving, predominantly white neck. The humped body of the male is covered in black patches and the wings and tail are tipped with white. The female is brown and white. These huge birds, which sometimes reach a height of 2.6 m and a weight of 135 kg, cannot fly, but are very fast runners.

Ostriches were almost wiped out in the 18th century due to hunting for feathers. By the middle of the 19th century, due to the extensive practice of ostrich farming, the ostrich population increased. The movement changed to domesticating and plucking ostriches, instead of hunting. Ostriches have been succesfully domesticated and are now farmed throughout the world, particularly in South Africa, for meat, feathers and leather. The leather goes through a tanning process and is then manufactured into fashion accessories such as boots and bags.


ITEM ID : StruthioCamelusOstrich
PRICE - R350.00 including postage in South Africa

Gentle Giant (SOLD)

“Keep five yards from a carriage, ten yards from a horse, and a hundred yards from an elephant; but the distance one should keep from a wicked man cannot be measured.”
- Indian Proverb

Acrylic on Acrylic Gesso primed un-stretched acrylic canvas sheet 12" x 8" - SOLD

With a height of just over 3 - 4m (measured at the shoulder), a length of between 6 to 7.5m (that's the length of an average motor car garage!) and weighing in at 6 tonnes, these mostly gentle giants of the African bush are highly intelligent with a strong sense of family and herd, and a complex social structure.

Elephants are incredibly social animals: they form strong, long-lasting bonds within their herd. They adopt orphaned calves, help injured elephants and work together. They have surprisingly complicated behavioural patterns and interactions. An injured member may be helped to its feet and supported by other herd members: if it is badly wounded, it may be vigorously defended by the herd, with even the calves taking part. Although elephants are normally peaceful individuals, they can be aggressive and extremely dangerous, especially if they are sick or injured. Females in groups with young are particularly unpredictable, as are males in musth.

Here in Africa they are native to a wide variety of habitats including semi-desert scrub, open savannas and dense forest regions. Besides its greater size, it differs from the Asian elephant in having larger ears and tusks, a sloping forehead, and two “fingers” at the tip of its trunk, compared to only one in the Asian species.

For this sketch, I looked at many different photographs from a great many angles, and developed this stance from all the 'information' I had gathered in my mind.

ITEM ID : GentleGiantAcrylic

PRICE - ORIGINAL SOLD

::

African elephant

"You know ... they say an elephant never forgets.

What they don't tell you is, you never forget an elephant."

- Actor Bill Murray

Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm - 12" x 8.5" unframed

With a height of just over 3 - 4m (measured at the shoulder), a length of between 6 to 7.5m (that's the length of an average motor car garage!) and weighing in at 6 tonnes, these mostly gentle giants of the African bush are highly intelligent with a strong sense of family and herd, and a complex social structure.

Here in Africa they are native to a wide variety of habitats including semi-desert scrub, open savannas and dense forest regions. Besides its greater size, it differs from the Asian elephant in having larger ears and tusks, a sloping forehead, and two “fingers” at the tip of its trunk, compared to only one in the Asian species.

From Alma's beautiful photograph "Time to Retreat" with her kind permission.

Framed prints, canvas prints, posters and greeting cards for sale on RedBubble

ITEM ID : AfricanElephantRetreat
PRICE - R350.00 including postage in South Africa

Veld fire over the Mountains

"Man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself."

~ Rachel Carson

W&N watercolours on Bockingford 300gsm, no sketching - 11" x 7.5" - unframed

Winter is looming and soon it'll be time to be cutting our fire-breaks again. Every Winter we have this veldfire (bush fire) phenomena, spectacular, yet devastating at the same time. Such a great loss in animal life, yet so necessary for the health of our ecology... Many of our plants will not flower until they have been ravaged by fire and many of the fires ARE naturally caused by lightning, but it is man's carelessness that causes fires in areas that are not ready for it yet that is the most heart-breaking.

This is a depiction of the fires raging over the hills of Magaliesburg and Tarlton (Gauteng, South Africa), where I live.

Framed Prints, mounted or Laminated and Canvas prints as well as Greeting cards and Postcards available on my RedBubble Site

ITEM ID : VeldfireMountains
PRICE - R350.00 including postage in S.A.

Unusual Winter in South Africa

Softly the evening came. The sun from the western horizon like a magician extended his golden want o'er the landscape; tinkling vapours arose; and sky and water and forest seemed all on fire at the touch, and melted and mingled together.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This was done from my imagination, no preliminary sketching - 
W&N watercolours on Arches 300gsm - 10" x 7" - unframed

A couple of years ago, in August 2006, South Africa was struck by an unusual phenomena, snow! It is something we rarely experience and it therefore always creates great excitement as well as hard-ship. Especially in the farming community, as livestock is always at risk because of the vast sizes of our farms and the large numbers of livestock we farm with - no barns really big enough to house all of them. No protection against the freezing temperatures and also a great problem with feed supplies. Luckily, people like us on smallholdings (8.5ha, which is 10 morgen or 21 acres), have fewer animals, making winter much more manageable, but still not worry-free.

ITEM ID : UnusualWinter
PRICE - R350.00 including postage IN SOUTH AFRICA