Spring returning

It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanates from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.
- Robert Louis Stevenson

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

Watercolour in Moleskine 200gsm Watercolour Sketch-book - 8" x 5"

Some blue gum trees (Eucalyptus) at the bottom of our smallholding (Gauteng, South Africa) - everything is already turning green, but some trees are still showing signs of the veld fires that raged through here just a couple of days ago. These trees provide me with endless hours of sketching pleasure - together, in pairs, singly - and each tree looks different when seen from its other side.

Daisies Postcard 1

Myriads of daisies have shown forth in flower
Near the lark's nest, and in their natural hour
Have passed away; less happy than the one
That, by the unrolling ploughshare, died to prove
The tender charm of poetry and love.
- William Wordsworth

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

Watercolour on Ashrad 200gsm - 12" x 8"

I'm exploring doing some watercolours on textured back-grounds (this one from Boccacino), and find it gives some lovely soft effects. I first of all print out the back-ground on Watercolour paper and, once it's dry, paint over that.

I wanted to take it home!

"A dead cow or sheep lying in a pasture is recognized as carrion. The same sort of a carcass dressed and hung up in a butcher's stall passes as food."
- John Harvey Kellogg

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

Dorpers - Watercolour in Moleskine Watercolour Sketch-book

I'm sure I'd posted this before, but upon going through my posts, I can't find it at all! Anyway, here it is again!

My neighbour's sheep - a while ago some ewes had lambs and it was the first time for MANY, MANY years that I actually held a little lamb in my arms again - oh my word! I'd forgotten how precious that can be! I wanted to take it home...!

The Dorper is a South African breed of domestic sheep developed by crossing Dorset Horn and the Blackhead Persian sheep. The breed was created through the efforts of the South African Department of Agriculture to breed a meat sheep suitable to the more arid regions of the country. It is now farmed in other areas as well, and is the second most common sheep breed in South Africa.

Kingfisher Daisies

The happy bells shall ring Marguerite;
The summer birds shall sing Marguerite;
You smile but you shall wear
Orange blossoms in your hair, Marguerite.
- Thomas Bailey Aldrich

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

Watercolour in Moleskine watercolour sketch-book

Felicia amelloides, Blue Marguerites, or Kingfisher Daisies, call them what you like, these beautiful little indigenous South African daisies provide colour and light up the winter landscape like no other! Hopefully our winter is starting to recede a bit now, we've had a couple of wonderful sunny and warm days, and then it'll be time for the Nasturtiums again

Time to Retreat

"You know... they say an elephant never forgets.
What they don't tell you is, you never forget an elephant."
- Actor Bill Murray

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

W & N Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm

Still on my quest for painting elephants! This one was done from a RedBubble friend's photograph (Alma) and this I really enjoyed! Another RedBubble friend, Sue Nicholl, also did a sketch of the same photograph, and you can see that HERE.

The name "Time to Retreat" stems from Alma's experience with a charging elephant cow on their visit to the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

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