Sunrise over No. 84

W&N watercolour and ink sketch in Moleskine 200gsm sketch-book

Sunrise over our smallholding in Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa. We lived on this particular smallholding for 13 years, and many mornings, weather permitting, I would exit my garden gate and walk around the tall wall surrounding our house to catch a glimpse of the sunrise. Luckily the sunset was visible from my garden and I would often sit on my patio watching the sun setting and listen to the birds getting ready for the night.

Sunrise over a winter landscape

W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm – 15″ × 11″ (38cm x 28cm)

Winter here in Tarlton (Gauteng, South Africa) means a late sunrise, often accompanied by clouds, which usually clear up as the day progresses.

“Nature is painting for us,
day after day,
pictures of infinite beauty
if only we have the eyes to see them.”
— John Ruskin

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Sunrise in Tarlton

"Sunrise doesn't last all morning, a cloudburst doesn't last all day;
seems my love is up and has left with no warning -
it's not always going to be this grey.
All things must pass, all things must pass away."
- George Harrison

My first post for 2010 and I thought it fitting to start with a sunrise, depicting a new day, a new beginning, filled with hope, joy and lovely sunshine for all!


"South African Sunrise" Watercolour on a sheet of Daler Bockingford 14in x 10in watercolour paper, 90lbs (190gsm) - Maree©

At the edge of our smallholding stands this lonely little Syringa tree, and I was up early enough one morning to capture the sun rising.

I did 286 posts from April to December last year and I hope to stick to
a-sketch-or-painting-a-day pledge I made back then.