More India paintings for Duncan Yard

These are the next 2 paintings I finished for the February exhibition. I realy am having so much fun with them. The more I play around with shapes and transfers the more ideas I get for future paintings.

India 2
Mixed media on boxed masonite 30x30cm

India 3
Mixed media on boxed masonite 30x60cm

SOLD

India painting for The Gallery at Duncan Yard

After a month of holidays and getting the kids back to school I have been dying to start my first painting of 2009.

Cecily at The Gallery at Duncan Yard invited me to take part in their group exhibition next month, just the inspiration I was looking for. The theme is "With love from India".

At first I was unsure where to start. I had all these weird and colourfull images in my head but after much thought and consideration I came up with the following painting.

This is going back to my roots as a crafter. I used gold leaf, decoupage and photo transfers as a base and then painted the lotus flowers in oils and aged the whole painting with burnt sienna.

I am very happy with the end result and think it does capture a romantic image of India.

With the creative juices flowing I am planning on doing 6 paintings for the exhibition which starts in 2 weeks!!

India 1
Original oil on board 30x30cm

Sodwana Bay - South Africa

We spent our Christmas hollidays at Sodwana Bay on the east coast of South Africa. We have been visiting Sodwana for the last 15 years and never tire of the stunning landscape and warm tropical water.

Sodwana is one of the best dive destinations in the world and have regular sightings of whale sharks, leatherback turtles, dolphins and ragged tooth sharks.

Sodwana is one of the last beaches in South Africa where you can drive on the beach with your 4x4. This makes it a unique experience and gives everyone his own piece of beachfront property for the day :)

Here I am praying for a save return before my first microlight flight ever! Can't believe I was so scared, it was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. Just to see what the area looks from the sky after all the years we have been coming here was extremely interesting. It gives it a whole new perspective.

Here you can see the beach with all the cars parked for the day. Sodwana has some of the highest and oldest forest dunes in the world.

This is the lodge where we have a house. The houses are all log timer homes and have to blend in with the environment. We don't have a sea view but look out over an inland lake and on the opposite side are forest dunes. A very special place indeed.

Another photo I took from the microlight showing how secluded and magical the coast is.

Just 50km from Sodwana are many game reserves. On Christmas day we went to Mkuze game reserve. This is a very special place with grassland, mountains and wetlands.

Njala at a water hole.

Wishing everyone a peacefull 2009!