The Art of It

CONSTANTIABERG ART SOCIETY KIRSTENBOSCH EXHIBITION

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:28:00 +0000

Constantiaberg Art Society is holding an exhibition in the Sanlam Hall, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens from 16 January to 25 January 0900 to 1730 every day. Entry into the exhibition is free and on Tuesdays entry in to the Gardens is free for Pensioners. Members will be exhibiting some wonderful art at very reasonable prices.

South African Society of Artists Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Mon, 30 May 2011 14:09:00 +0000

The first of two Members Exhibitions was opened on Saturday 28 May at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town. This exhibition runs until Monday 6 June 2011.

I entered one of my en plein air paintings done at a private home at Marina de Gama. The whole painting was done on site, I didn't touch it at home in case I messed it up. I hope I have conveyed the tranquility of this beautiful venue. What a place to retire to!

Beacon off Bailie's Cottage

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Fri, 27 May 2011 14:44:00 +0000

This was painted on one of those extremely exciting days of painting in the field. Some days everything just works!

Baillie's Cottage, Muizenberg

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:53:00 +0000

I have been very brave and highly stimulated attending an online workshop run by Johannes Vloothuis backed by Wetcanvas. https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register

This free workshop starts at 10pm SA time and it actually keeps me wide awake! I eventually fall into bed at about 12.45 and sleep on all the invaluable information I have received.

I have been having a good look at past paintings and I have now adjusted this one. The trees behind the chimney do not exist and the embankment doesn't quite look like that but that is what art is all about! I think it looks a lot better!

Baillie's Cottage, Muizenberg

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:55:00 +0000

Painting out has started again with a vengeance! I have been trying to finish off my painting out work in the studio and starting to get ill with the smell of my oils. In desperation I tried to go back to acrylics but nearly landed up in tears. I phoned Catherine at Art Source in Observatory and she said that they had just received small starter packs of water soluble oils from Reeves and that I really should try it out as they were only R65. Well, this morning I tackled a photo of Baillie's cottage that I took on the first Monday paint out. Oh what a pleasure to be able to fiddle and fuss and create. I love them! I must say that I did miss using a medium and I must get some of that. It is water soluble as well with no harmful solvents! What do you think??????

Cable Car, Table Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:33:00 +0000

This is a slightly different view of the Cable Car from Signal Hill. This was on exhibition a few weeks ago and I noticed some changes that needed to be done. Amazing how one keeps on seeing little tweaks that need to be seen to! Hopefully it is now finished!

Cable Car, Table Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:23:00 +0000

Last year we spent many weeks painting on Signal Hill. This was another small painting done from a short way along the path leading off the car park. I have also done a larger variation of this view which I will post at a later date.

CONSTANTIABERG ART SOCIETY KIRSTENBOSCH EXHIBITION

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 14:04:00 +0000

Lions Head from Oudekraal

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:19:00 +0000

During the cold winter months we painted at Oudekraal. What a magnificent venue, so quiet and peaceful but oh so freezing. I don't know where summer has gone to as it is still freezing!

Paths to Nowhere

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:27:00 +0000

This was another view of the pathways on Signal Hill where I have participated in so many painting sessions.

and still I battle to photograph paintings! The gloss of this one has interferred with the colour somewhat.

I have just discvovered an incredable website called Wet Canvas and have had the most amazingly mind bending morning learning from the wise words of other artists. If any of you get the chance, go and have a look at this very extensive website.

Life Drawing from June/July

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:09:00 +0000

I discovered that I forgot to post these drawings that I did at the SASA life drawing sessions over our Winter holidays. I truly love life drawing and only wish there was a way to get this much needed practice at a more reasonable cost.

Our trip to meet Jack Hadfield

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 16:04:00 +0000

We have just returned from a roundabout journey to Johannesburg to meet our new grand son Jack! Our first two nights we spent with a delightful lady, Poppie van Wyk at her B&B in Kamieskroon. We visited the Namaqua National park close by but many of the routes around Kamieskroon needed a 4x4. Our two wheel drive car with low profile tyres was a nightmare on such roads! We even missed the opportunity of visiting Poppie's farm as our car just would not have made it. I was very sad about that as the whole area is quite beautiful, and parts are very reminiscent of Cecil John Rhodes grave site in the Zimbabwean Matopos National Park. There were very few flowers as they had not had enough rain. We did a lot of walking but the heat was incredible. I intended to paint and draw but didn't.

We then headed off to Springbok. We didn't even attemp the Geogab Nature reserve as we had met two ladies in a Toyota Tazz who had got stuck in the sand!

We visited the mining town of Aggeneys but there was nothing much to photograph. We did get a lot of very respectful waves so maybe Bryan looked like a visiting VIP! It is amazing the amount of money required to set up the structures needed for a mining town.

We then headed to Pella to visit the Cathedral in the Desert! After trying to avoid beggars that accost you as you enter the little town, we eventually found the Cathedral which was founded by the London Missionary Society in 1814. A sanctuary for Khoisan driven out of Namibia, the village was named after the one that gave refuge to Christians in Macedonia in biblical times. Abandoned in 1872 because of drought, the Roman Catholic Church reopened the mission in 1878.

The Old Cathedral, surrounded by date palms, has a curiously Arabian atmosphere. Using an encyclopaedia as their building manual, it took two missionaries seven years to complete.

Set on a sandy plain backed by high, sun-baked hills denuded of vegetation but vividly coloured by minerals in the soil, a spring reaches the surface, giving life to a green oasis. Pella’s dates are sold by mail-order to customers all over South Africa and exported to Saudi Arabia.

We then headed off to see the waterwheels in Kaimoes and visited the information office which is now housed in an old Egyption house of worship. It was so cool insite due to the very thick walls. We were now very close to the banks of the Orange river and now started seeing massive vineyards. Yes, there is a wine route up on the orange river. They also do a lot of dried fruit.

Augrabies falls was our next stop. The miggies were too terrible! They got up your nose, in your eyes and ears! The secret was to wear sun glasses, hat and keep a tissue over your nose so that you could breath without bugs! Insect repellent did not work and I believe they are there all year round! The only respite was when the wind picked up. This seemed to blow them away.

There was not a lot of water going over the falls but it was still very powerful. The gorge was spectacular. We spent two nights there, visiting all the viewing points and doing some waking too. The heat and dryness was amazing. We managed to get some spectacular photographs of some Springbok.

From Augrabies we set off toward Johannesburg via the N14. The trucks travelling this route were a nightmare and progress is erratic due to the "RY/GO'es" as lots of work is being done on the roads. A "Ry/Go" is a sign which says you can RY (drive) / Go and the other side says Stop. It is used to control traffic when the road has been reduced to one lane due to construction work on the other lane. We had a truck in front of us that hit the load on an oncoming truck, knocking something off which bounced off the road into the front of our car causing some minor damage. A nerve wracking trip.

We got to Kuruman and could not find overnight accomodation as there was some agricultural show in town so headed on to Vryberg for the night.

Next stop Johannesburg and seeing my son, his wife and little Jack. I still I had not done any drawing but instead I got to feed and burp my first grandson. Amazing how it all comes back! I was actually quite nervous as I thought I would never remember what to do!

Windmills of her Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:24:00 +0000

I loved painting this portrait. It was taken from a photo shoot I did at the beginning of the year but inspiration I think, took it into a different realm. Strangely the lady did not like it. Her loss, my gain I think.

I am a Grandma !!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:40:00 +0000

After only four hours of labour my very clever daughter-in-law produced a beautiful 3 Kilo baby boy. Mum and Baby well and Dad is just so proud, as are we. They have named him Jack. Unfortunately they live in Johannesburg but we are going up to see them in September, I just can't wait!

Moody Mountain Path

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:48:00 +0000

This painting was done on one of our outings to Signal Hill on a beautiful misty morning.

Goodbye Gypsy

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:30:00 +0000

At lunch time Gypsy went out for a wee and could not get back up the stairs onto the verandah. She sat in the rain crying and I just knew that this was it. After drying her with the hair dryer I took her through to the Doctor and he just shook his head. The disease had spread to all four limbs and all stability had gone. She had lost her independence. She could not function on her own anymore. Goodbye Gypsy, we will always remember you and the wonderfully spunky personality you had. Her story is below.

Not Art but very close to my heart

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 16:36:00 +0000

The Story of Gypsy

This is the story of the unfailing fighting spirit of a little 1.2 kg puppy with the heart of a lion.

I have not been blogging for the last, nearly two months, due to the arrival of a new member of our family. To start the story at the beginning …..........

Tammy is our little Maltese Cross child who is now 15 and getting very old. She is not in need of that much company any more. She just waits every day for her highlight walk and sleeps the rest of the time. She slept right through the recent burglary we had. She was on the bed when they came in and took my bag from next to the bed! I knew then that a new and more alert dog was needed as another warning system.

I phoned all the shelters but there seemed to be very few puppies around. Probably not the season with winter on our doorstep. Eventually I found a rescued litter at Animal Welfare. I went rushing out to see them, taking Tammy with to see if they were compatible. They had three beautiful little white Maltese puppies and a funny little brown dog. I have no idea whether he was from the same litter or not? I wanted another female so I had the choice of the two little white ones. I liked the one with the rusty ears, she just seemed to have more personality.

They brought her through to the office where I could see her on her own, play a bit and introduce her to Tammy. There was an instant connection; on both sides I think. This tiny ball of fluff even ran and fetched a ball I threw for her and brought it right back to me. “Very intelligent,” I thought! All the ladies in the office were absolutely amazed.

Tammy totally ignored the puppy. I felt sure that she would come around later. Next step was an inspection of my property by the Animal Welfare to see if it was puppy friendly. No uncovered pools, gates that she could get through or drain pipes that she could get into and out of the property. I went home to puppy proof our property.

The inspector came the following day and I must say that I was very impressed. He was very strict and examined every little nook and cranny. Quite a character he was. He told me outright that his first love was animals and their welfare. He has seen more than his fair share of cruelty and did not have much time for humans. After piling up more rocks at the base of one wall where the builders next door were due to put in a pipe, he finally gave the thumbs up approval of the property and said that he would notify the office and I would be able to collect my puppy in a day or two.

On the Thursday I received a phone call that she was ready for collection. She had apparently had a temperature in the morning but was now fine. I have never heard of a temperature from too much playing, but that is what I was told! I was so excited and immediately went rushing out to get there before they closed for lunch. The previous day I had stocked up on chewing goodies and puppy food.

She looked too beautiful for words. All fluffy and clean after a much needed bath! I did all the paper work, paid and signed on the dotted line. To keep her safe while I drove I had brought a box with a towel and blanket in it. On the way home she cried a lot and then there were the most awful retching noises and the smell was too terrible! Nothing I could do about it so I just drove as fast as I could hoping there were not too many speed cameras around!

I got her home and there was sick everywhere. Welcome to motherhood! I cleaned it all up and got her as presentable as possible and proceeded to let her explore her new home. She was rather quiet but I put this down to the strange environment and missing her brothers and sister. At walk time I bundled her up warmly and carried her. Until she had her second inoculation she was not allowed to walk outside our property.

We proceeded to take Tammy for her usual perambulation. On the way back the puppy was sick again. This time I was prepared and held her away from me. When we got back I phoned Animal Welfare. We all thought that maybe it was car sickness and carrying her on the walk was also a form of motion sickness. That night I put her in the kitchen with a “Happy Hugger” and paper on the floor.

I didn't get much sleep that night. She cried an awful lot but I put it down to being lonely and stayed with her, holding her every time, trying to get her back to sleep. The next day she was very lethargic and slept most of the time. This was not the lively little puppy I had chosen. By the afternoon she had diarrhoea as well. She was not a happy chappy.

I phoned the Animal Welfare and was told to immediately take her to the Vet who saw to all their animals. I later discovered that he is also an Honorary Member and Vice Chairman of the Society. This was on Friday. By the time I got her through to his surgery in Pinelands she was just lying limply in my arms and I was a very worried new Mum.

The vet was a lovely very caring Scott, who was furious that Animal Welfare had let her out after she had a temperature. By this stage her temperature was very high and the vet said that he would have to keep her in Hospital until they knew what was going on. He subsequently had the whole litter transferred to his surgery as they all had the same problem.

So, after only one night my little puppy was in Hospital and I went home in tears. On the Sunday the vet phoned to tell me that she seemed fine and I could collect her. I had wanted at least a few days with her before I had to go back to work but this was not to be. When we collected her she was sitting in the vets pocket looking very content indeed! This gave me the idea of putting her into my jacket and taking her to work with me. I OK'd it with my boss and it actually worked very well indeed. She slept a lot.

The nights did not get any easier. After falling asleep on a blanket on the kitchen floor I decided that we needed a new plan. I was just too old for this! We landed up putting a towel between our pillows and letting her sleep there. I am a very light sleeper and that way I would know when she needed to go out for a wee. It worked very well as I put her into her bed next to my bed after the last pyjama walk of the night.

Along the way she acquired the name Gypsy, which suits her well. The chances are good that her farther was a travelling man and her dark, sometimes mournful eyes make Gypsy quite descriptive!

House training went well but unfortunately the runny tummy persisted. I had to feed her on chicken and rice and egg but it didn't seem to help. After a week or so there was blood in her stools and the Dr. said that he wanted to get a sample tested. There had been a very bad outbreak of Parvo Virus in the Somerset West/Strand area and he was worried.

The test came back with the verdict of “e.coli infection” He said that the new strain of Parvo would actually not show up as there was as yet no test for it. There were only two drugs that this strain of e.coli was not resistant to, one of which she could not have until a year old. The other drug was only available in Injection form.

“Easy,” says the Dr., “I will show you how!”

I had never in my life ever expected to have to give an injection and now I had to inject this tiny little puppy! I never even played Doctors and nurses! Horror, but I had no option. It didn't look too difficult but I think it is the whole psychological hurdle of sticking a needle into a living creature. It's a bit overwhelming – and, to add to it, they cry!

I left Pinelands with five hypodermic needles, ready loaded, and my heart sitting in the pit of my stomach!

Well, I managed the injections. There was not a lot of liquid in them and it went well. I had to just keep telling myself that it was for her benefit and it had to be done!

Sadly there was no change. We went from normal stools to pouring and back again. By this time she was very skinny indeed. On one of my trips through to the Dr he wanted to hospitalise her again but I asked him if I could not keep her home rather as she was now house trained and would be happier. Thank heavens he agreed. He gave her her injection for the day but increased the dosage and gave me a further three injections with the increased dose. Now she cried every time. The first time I got such a fright that I had to give it to her twice! Very traumatic.

The following night I chickened out and I took her across the road to a Doctor neighbour who was a bit horrified as she said she had never given an injection to an animal. She actually gave a brilliant injection, thank you Justine! Gypsy didn't even cry! She told me that the main thing was to carry through even if the patient reacted. This helped me a lot the next night when I had to do the necessary.

The second stool sample took another five days to process and unfortunately the e.coli was still there. Another course of injections with the increased dosage was prescribed! This time I was armed with a tube of food supplement (Malt flavour) and powder to put into her water to balance the flora in her tummy. Thank heavens for the food supplement as I was now feeding her by hand! She was a little skeleton of a puppy. It was awful to see but she was not yet beaten.

One Thursday night she kept me awake all night coughing. She sounded like a baby with croup! So it was back to the Dr., who checked her out and said that she had Tonsillitis! I never knew that dogs had tonsils! He gave her an injection and I went home armed with cough mixture. Surely nothing more could possibly go wrong!

Finally, after the first month had gone by, the tummy cleared up and I phoned the surgery to find out if it was now OK to take her through to get her second inoculation and to sign up for puppy classes. They said yes, fine. She was only three days late according to the paperwork I received from Animal Welfare. I planned to take her the next day. Alas that was not to be....

At about 5:30 that evening her left leg started to twitch and she started to cry. I phoned the surgery again at 6:30 but the Secretary said that I would have to contact the Dr. on his emergency cell as he had left for the evening. I hate to worry people out of hours and so waited. I tried to be the proverbial optimist, maybe it would get better? By 8:30 it was worse.

My husband said that maybe with all the problems, I was just getting paranoid! I eventually listened to my gut and plucked up the courage and phoned. The poor Doctor said “Oh dear, sounds like 'Distemper'”.

Always listen to your gut feelings, they seldom lie. How I cried. He said that there was nothing we could do as it was a virus. Keep her warm and bring her through to the surgery in the morning for him to assess. Haven't we all heard that one before! What a night. She cried almost constantly.

By the next morning she had lost the use of her left front leg. I was a bit of a basket case by the time I saw the Dr. He confirmed his original diagnosis and gave her an injection of something that he said would slow down the spread of the disease. We would have to now sit it out and see how things progressed. Keep her warm. The virus attacks nerve endings and the damage would remain for the rest of the animals life. Not too encouraging.

To live with the disease the dog has to learn to sleep with the twitching. This sounds easier than it actually is. Every time she curled up to sleep the twitching would wake her up with a jolt making her cry. Eventually she just lay and cried as she was so tired but just could not get to sleep. It was at this stage that we thought it would be better to be in her bed on the floor as she threw herself around a lot at night and I think we also disturbed her. She was going out through a small low level window to have a wee at night quite happily now anyway. In the evening, on Dr.'s orders, I gave her Valium, which stopped working after the first two nights. We then had to start with the phenol-baritone which the Dr. called “Lethal”; a bit scary but we had no option.

Life has become an emotional roller coaster ride. She goes from crying piteously for hours to playing happily for an hour or two. The disease has now spread. Sometimes her whole body goes up and down in a bowing motion and she often falls over. She sometimes manages to sleep for a while and then plays happily afterwards.

She is eating like a wolf and is now round and rolly poly like one would expect a puppy to be. She is the sweetest little thing and still has just so much spunk! She steals socks off the clotheshorse and chews on books if left within her reach. She has her favourite toy and loves her Ostrich chewer. She tries to take Tammy's biscuits because she knows that Tammy can't see too well and will take a while to find out that it is gone!

I Googled Distemper but there is actually very little on how to live with the neurological effects that the animal may be left with. It seems that not all cases advance to the neurological stage and many animals die before that. The virus may also advance to fits. Distemper is also not found in first world countries. Africa is unfortunately still full of it and those initial inoculations that a puppy must have are vitally important. Sadly Gypsy was just too sick to have her second one.

In 2005 my Dad spent 6 weeks in Hospital dying from post operative MRSA and various other new mutations thereof. He had a 'living will' but at the time one thought he may just pull through. Not one family member even considered 'pulling the plug' even though I knew he was not going to make it. With an animal one can choose euthanasia. This does not in fact make it any easier. If anything it makes it more difficult as one is left with guilt. How can we play God and make the decision that life is not worth living? When things are looking bad then that is admittedly the option. Then, the next day, things go better and she is roaring around the garden, even occasionally using her lame leg, then you just cannot even begin to consider euthanasia as an option. What is quality of life? Being able to go for a walk? Eating good food and having a cuddle? Greetings after being at work all morning? Two or three hours out of 24 being 'happy'?

Gypsy is still fighting. I have a feeling that the virus is still active and we have no idea what tomorrow will bring. All I know is that we love her and this whole episode has emotionally torn us apart. It is an awful disease. Tomorrow we will visit Dr Mac again for his verdict on the latest problems. Thank you for being the most wonderfully compassionate and supportive Doctor. We could not have gone this far without your support.

Destination Lions Head

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 12:23:00 +0000

This was painted on one of our mornings at Signal Hill. The mist was roaring in from the sea, ahead and to the right and Table Mountain is on the left.

Commission Accomplished

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:36:00 +0000

This painting was a commissioned artwork which thankfully the parents loved. I thoroughly enjoyed painting it and am happy with the finished product.

Constantiaberg Art Society Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:43:00 +0000

Yesterday was another hanging day at Kirstenbosch! Constantiaberg Art Society is growing in leaps and bounds as this latest echibition shows. Some beautiful work! Well done all and good luck - may there be many sales!!!

Visions in the Mist 1 Visions in the Mist 2

View from our veranda

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:35:00 +0000

These trees sit on the ridge of Wynberg Hill. I have never established whether they are planted on open land or in someones garden, but they look spectacular from accross the valley.

Oude Molen eco-village

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 17:02:00 +0000

Many months have passed with no blogging!!! 2010 has so far not been too kind to us but things are beginning to change - in August, we are going to be grandparents!!! Unfortunately my son is in Johannesburg but we will just have to make a trip up there as they don't come to Cape Town very often.

Back to my painting - we started off the year painting at an Eco village in Pinelands called Oude Molen. This is a side view of the little restaurant. To the right is a big veg garden which supplied us with beautiful tasty fresh veg for the duration of our stay at a very reasonable price. I also bought some horse manure for my compost heap.

Di Mc Naughton's Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:43:00 +0000

Complements of the Season to one and all. Rather late than never!

At the end of last year, 12 Dec, I attended a wonderful workshop held by Di. All my followers know Di, her brilliant writing and her creative work very well. I went for two reasons really, not just because I like her work, although that helped! The main reason was to get better acquainted with acrylics as I have a problem with turps and am now starting to have a problem with Artists Spirits. The other reason was that I wanted to free up, or at least try to.

Di is so creative and wonderfully inspiring. She makes it look just so easy! but it is not! The day disappeared so fast. It always does when you are having fun. I could have continued for longer and only realized when driving home just how exhausted I was. Everyday life got in the way of painting over the Christmas break but early January I took out my attempts at freeing up and studied what I had achieved. The floral one was not great although I did try to get it looking a bit better. I may go back to it again and play some more, but the landscape one showed some promise. It was not as abstract as many of the other works done that day, but also not my usual style. I had some fun adding bits here and there and here is the result! I will probably go back and play some more when the inclination arises.

Di, thank you for a wonderful workshop. I found it very informative and inspiring. It is obvious though that you have delved very deeply into the nuts and bolts of the path you have chosen and it is a long path. I think that every one of us artists needs to just have fun and be free from time to time. I wanted to put a pic I took of Di and her painting but for the life of me I can't find it!!! When I do I will add it!

Centre of the Book

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:08:00 +0000

We spent two Tuesday mornings in the Company Gardens in central Cape Town. The first day I tried to paint this and failed dismally. The next week I used charcoal in an attempt to capture the architectural beauty of the building. Now I must try to paint it again! I love charcoal!

Cheval Voyeur Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Carol) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:06:00 +0000

The last few "quickies" from Cheval Voyeur Farm.

This was a quick oil while there was still quite a lot of water around.

A charcoal sketch done while hiding in the bushes trying to keep out of the sun!