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!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Magaliesberg Mountains 2

The true artist paints for himself.
- A. C. Leighton

A daily practice of sketching and painting gives you a chance to exercise the big three P's - practice, practice, practice!

"Magaliesberg Mountains 2" - watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm - 12" x 8" - Maree©

This 30 000-hectare mountain preserve is almost entirely the property of agricultural, mining or industrial landowners. But legislation ensures that no more quarries, factories or unacceptable developments can take place that would threaten the integrity of the natural area. There is a fragile and secret world in the kloofs of the Magaliesberg, with places where you can see vultures soaring on updrafts, swim in clear mountain pools - and perhaps even catch sight of a pangolin, a brown hyena or a leopard.

For this wet-on-wet scene of the mountain, after wetting the paper, I sketched the main outlines of my scene using my Rigger and Cerulean Blue, a "trick" I picked up at my watercolour workshop in April this year. I'm sure many of you use this technique, but I've always been somewhat of a sketchy person, using my pencil, going into great detail with a lot of erasing happening. It's only been the past couple of months since I started practicing painting with no sketching beforehand that I feel confident enough to consider doing this.

The other day I was reading the article "When can you call yourself an Artist?" - and that morning, painting this scene, I felt like an artist! Standing in front of the easel, arm outstretched with the Rigger, creating a beautiful masterpiece!

I didn't use any reference material either, just my imagination.

By the way, to answer the question above, I think the best reply was as follows :

“You are an artist when you make art. Many artists spend their lives not selling their work … One of the first requirements for an artist is to ignore those who would define whether they are artists. The only real measure is the person making the art or, if need be, posterity.”
-- Jon

8 comments:

  1. Well done, I like the idea of drawing with the rigger, that really takes confidence. Love your colours too!

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  2. Thanks for your inspirational comment Marie! And I appreciate your support on my blog!

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  3. Beautiful, beautiful mountains Maree. To live amongst them must be heaven. Love Solly's rooster, by the way - cheeky so and so!

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  4. Thank you for your lovely comment Liz (the Mountain Queen nogal!) Glad you like it and Solly's Rooster!

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  5. I just found your blog- really nice watercolors!

    My blog is currently getting off the ground. Please feel free to stop by sometime. I'd love to have your feedback.

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  6. Your blog is great J.O.E., just love your studio and your sketches! Glad you like my art and thanks for stopping by!

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  7. I love the loose fresh feel of this watercolour Maree - I'm glad to learn of that trick too... and you are so an artist!!

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  8. Aaaaw! You are SUCH a darling Cathy! Thank you very much!

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Your comments are welcome! And thank you for visiting my blog!