JUST ME :: and a stack of blank pages

:: Living creatively ::

About me

This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realise it is play. The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That’s all there ever is. I’m here to tell you that the path to peace is right there, when you want to get away. When you are present, you can allow the mind to be as it is without getting entangled in it. If you miss the present moment, you miss your appointment with life. That is very serious!

Saturday, May 31, 2014

HOME Décor - throw pillows

 African Indaba

You may be interested in purchasing some of my art printed on throw pillows, the perfect décor accessory for any home, with a wide variety of colours and themes. You can head over to my site at RedBubble and on any artwork, click on the THROW PILLOW option.

Redbubble’s new Throw Pillows are really something to get excited about! As soft and comfortable as an alpaca full of marshmallows but considerably better looking! The super soft 100% spun polyester pillows come in 3 sizes to suit even the most extravagant of couches. And with such a vast range of excellent designs to choose from it’ll be a breeze to personalize any room.

  • Selected design printed on both sides
  • Three square sizes available: 16”, 18”, 20"
  • Concealed zipper for aesthetic wonderment
  • Soft yet hard wearing 100% spun Polyester Poplin fabric
  • Available with or without 100% recycled polyester fibre insert
Care Instructions: Dry or Spot Clean Only

Affirmation for Healing the Earth

 African clay pots - Ethnic series

African Lion - Ethnic series

A word lovingly written

Cosmos beauty

Daisies in Spring

Kingfisher Daisies

Daisies postcard

African Tribal dress

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Friday, May 9, 2014

Looking back at your art

Looking back at my art since early 2009 when I started this blog, I've come to the pleasing conclusion that my art has improved, I have grown and I seem to have developed a "style". Style comes about by our preferences - preferences of the colours we use, preferences of subjects and preferences of how we look at things. I think every artist's fear is stagnating and getting nowhere, doing the same thing year in and year out.

My subjects have stayed the same - landscapes, birds, wildlife - the things in nature that I love. I did branch out into portraits, and there was a slight improvement, but I found that portraits were not really my forté at all, so I don't do many of those. I also now and then try acrylics and oils, but unless I spend a LOT more time practicing in those mediums, it's not going to get very far!

Early paintings










Recent paintings












What do you find when you look back at your art? I hardly ever throw anything away. Even though I cringe at some of the older paintings, it's a reminder of where you were. I love scratching through some old pieces, finding something that might have some potential and adding to it. Often something of value appears, if not, it's then destined for the dustbin. It's amazing what a feeling of freedom arises from the fact that it doesn't matter whether you botch it or not, it gives you a free hand to really go for it!


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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Winter is coming



W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm

The first signs of winter are already showing amongst the bluegum trees on our smallholding (Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa). Yellow grass, fallen leaves and longer shadows accompany me as I take my (now cold) early morning walks. The lizards and snakes have all but disappeared or only come out much later in the day as it warms up. Even the birds seem to be more quiet, preferring to sit in the top branches of some dead trees, basking in the early morning sun and warming up before taking on the day.

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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

The road to a friend's farm

W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm

Two years ago I visited a friend in Tarlton and sketched the road leading to their farm (above). When I visited them again this past weekend, I noticed a few changes along the road and decided to sketch it again (below).

W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm

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Friday, April 4, 2014

No. 51


Another quick watercolour sketch in one of my Moleskine watercolour sketch-books - 8" x 5" (21cm x 12cm). It seems like I was going through a green and blue period when I did these...

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Monday, March 31, 2014

No. 52


The 52nd sketch in one my Moleskine 200gsm sketch-book - 8" x 5" (21cm x 12cm).

I have several Moleskine watercolour sketchbooks in this size and then I have a few that are A4 size (12" x 8") - the 200gsm paper is lovely to work with and doesn't bleed through to the back at all.

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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

No. 53


The 53rd sketch in my Moleskine 200gsm sketch-book - 8" x 5" (21cm x 12cm).

I just love these small Moleskine watercolour sketch-books. They have lovely 200gsm paper and are so easy to pack and are great for pencil, pen or watercolours.

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Monday, March 24, 2014

Magalies River

With all the rain we've been having, the Magalies River is in full flow, winding its way down to Hartebeespoort Dam in the NorthWest Province (South Africa), where they have all the sluices open to release some of the water.

W&N watercolour on smooth cardboard, very similar to Yuppo. The paint is all slippery and can be manipulated around and even wiped out.

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Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Balmy autumn days

"Now Autumn's fire burns slowly along the woods, And day by day the dead leaves fall and melt."
- William Allingham

W&N watercolour in my Moleskine 200gsm Nature Journal

Balmy autumn days and the landscape is softly turning yellow, heralding that winter is close.

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Thursday, March 13, 2014

The promise of things to come

W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm 

There is a chilly whisper in the breeze reminding us that winter will soon be here. We’ve really had a cold and rainy past two weeks here in Tarlton (South Africa), but today the sun is shining brightly, the temperature is in the middle 20C’s and it’s now turning into that blissful time of year when it’s a joy to be outside in nature before we settle indoors to sit out the winter.

So, IF YOU NEED ME…
I’ll be somewhere outside,
soaking up those last few rays 
of autumn sun…

what are you up to?

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