Untitled African Landscape

(Untitled)
24*48"
Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas



So how long does it take to paint a landscape?

Well, very, very long if you decide to attempt a more realistic landscape painting for the first time. And to make it even more of challenge, paint it on a 2*4 feet canvas. So, I started this painting last spring (May/June) and after quite a bit of repainting and some more layers. Some technique building such as painting clouds, trees and grass. It is done.

But I do not know what title to give it? If you look at the landscape, it is a picture of Wildebeest migrating at sunset. When you look at the clouds, you will notice that they look like clouds that hang around after a thunder storm. So imagine that there was a late afternoon thunderstorm. The wildebeest waited it out and now that it has cleared, they are moving on in the last few minutes of sunlight. The sun is very low. It is reflecting yellow on the bottom of the clouds and shiny reflections of the side of the trees and wildebeest. Now you know the setting and maybe you can help me to title it by leaving a comment.

Thank you so much for looking at my art and if you leave a comment thank you again. This painting is done. What a relief!

Chickadee and Willow

Chickadee and Willow
Oil on Wrapped Canvas
63" by 23"



As we are all eagerly waiting for spring, the first clue that it is coming, is the color change in the willows. It turns from a bland grey, to blazing red and sometimes yellow. To me it is just the prettiest sight! It promises that spring is on its way! But do not be fooled. These willows can bloom in temperatures as low as -25C. It is almost as if they are saying: " I have been waiting long enough for spring. It is - 25C, I do not care! I am blooming!" So even if they are promising spring it can still get pretty cold. I think that is pretty amazing.

Another thing that is really cool about nature in Central Alberta is the fact that the Chickadees stick around summer and winter. It can be -30C and these little birds will be flying around outside, when most other birds have left. Their little chirps are heard through the cold snowy days to remind us that all is well.

So here is my tribute to the Willow and the Chickadee. May the willow tease our visual senses soon!
And may the Chickadee, keep on chirping to bring life to our ears!

Happy New Year (by the way)

:)

New Happenings.

Hi There,

I would like to invite you to follow my blog. Here is a link that explains the two ways that you can follow a blog.
http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=104226
Please let me know if you have any difficulty doing so I am not a computer wizz but I can try.

You are also invited to the Alberta Beach Public Library where I have a little display of paintings and mural Black and White photographic prints.

The image that is stimulating your visual senses on the top of this post is a picture of a Wildebeest that I took in Pilanesberg.

Until next time soon!
Sepela Gabotse!

Marries' Giraffe

6*6"
on Stretched Canvas
In oil

Here is the Fourth and last Animal for the African Animal series: a Giraffe.

African Landscapes to come....

Third in Africa Animal Series.

Cheetah
6*6"
Oil on Canvas

Second in Africa Animals Series.

6*6"
Oil on 2" stretched canvas
Here is the Elephant. Two more to come.

Back @ It!

6*6"
Oil on 2" stretched canvas.
Long Time….No See….
The Good news is that I am back. And I am painting after a long drought. FYI: it was not like I was not doing anything and just being lazy. We got pregnant, bought an acreage and then had a baby. All this through the snowiest and coldest and longest winter on record! But the sun is shining, the robins are back and I am painting again. Now we have a new normal.
A friend asked me to paint her African Animals so here is “Marries’ Zebra”. Keep an eye open for the next one. There are four.
Until next time…soon.
Marika