- From Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
A daily practice of sketching and painting gives you a chance to exercise the big three P's - practice, practice, practice!
Seagulls in Randfontein - a quick watercolour study in my Moleskine watercolour sketchbook 8" x 5.5"
Not far from us, about 22km, lies the gold mining town of Randfontein, about 45 km west of Johannesburg. With the Witwatersrand gold rush in full swing in 1889, mining financier JB Robinson bought the farm Randfontein and floated the Randfontein Estates Gold Mining Company. The town was established in 1890 to serve the new mine and was administered by Krugersdorp until it became a municipality in 1929.
(If you click on the "Randfontein" link, you will also see the Hartebeespoort Dam area on the left of the map, my favourite sketching spot, and where it is situated from where I live in Krugersdorp.)
We visited Randfontein yesterday, and what amazes me about this town is the fact that you can find flocks of Seagulls there, 600km from the coast! I've tried to track the history of how these birds could have landed up there, but to no avail - I have now contacted the Randfontein Publicity Association to see if they might have some information.
Your gulls are fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThank you Melissa! I'm in a gull mode at the moment!
ReplyDeleteI love your gulls and the stories about them! I noticed that you own that lovely little book now which tells a lot about their spiritual side. Have you ever listened to Neil Diamond's music which was for the film Jonathan Livingston Seagull?
ReplyDeleteThank you Marie! I know I'm a "late bloomer" only reading (and you're right, the "little book") Jonathan Livingstone Seagull now, but I was a HUGE Neil Diamond fan back then and loved the music.
ReplyDeleteThese are really fabulous birds! They really look as though they are flying across the page - Full of life! My husband Paul is a huge Neil Diamond fan too. I can never hear it because he sings so loudly over the top!!
ReplyDeleteLovely gulls Maree - I must read Jonathan Livingston again, it was so long ago that I did - amazing that there are seagulls in Randfontein!
ReplyDeleteMaree, your gulls are just beautiful! You've perfectly captured their grace when flying. Have you just redesigned your blog or has it been a while since I've been here? In either case, I love the new design!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful gulls Maree. Please let us know why they are where they really shouldn't be!
ReplyDeleteTerrific Maree and a total mystery that I hope you solve!
ReplyDeleteThank you Sandra! Maybe you should play Neil Diamond one day when hubby's not home!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy, do read it again, quite inspirational. And the seagulls now also visit Tarlton from time to time!
ReplyDeleteThank you Carol, I certainly will, as soon as I find out!
ReplyDeleteI just hope the Randfontein Publicity Association has the answer Liz, and thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words Debbie! Yes, I've chosen a new template and added some PAGES to the top bar menu - it's so nice just clicking on HOME and being back at the start of all blogs!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. Jonathan Livingston Seagull. That is a blast from my past. I loved that book. I think Rod McKuen did something with some of the work also. Love your work. I am new to this blog world. Come over and see me sometime.
ReplyDeleteThank you Martha, and love that you popped in to see my blog! I've just read "Jonathan Livingstone Seagull" for the first time (can you believe it!) but was mad about Neil Diamond's music during the 70's. Hope to chat to you here again!
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