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!

Ndebele Inspired Birch Trees

Oil on Canvas
20*30"



This is a painting of Birch trees. What I really like about Birch Trees are the knobs, old branches and scars that turns black on the smooth whitish bark and the lines that develop around these "marks of age". As you can see I have moved away from my traditional style of almost realistic florals but is now moving more towards abstract and geometric forms inspired by the Ndebele paintings.
I have always found their paintings very appealing due to the bright colour use. If you have not noticed, I thrive on vibrant colour!

So why use Ndebele paintings as inspiration?
See every artist is influenced by everything they see, I wish to call this my visual vocabulary. The Ndebele tribe lives in the Pretoria region where I used to live and I use to see ladies wear blankets and beads with bright coloured geometric forms. Thus, it is part of my visual vocabulary.
Currently I am residing in Alberta where I see plenty of Birch and Aspen trees. Birch trees happens to be my favourite :). So now I have combined my visual vocabulary on one painting.
Birch trees through African eyes.

If you are intersted in Ndebele Paintings aswell here is a very informative link.

http://academic.evergreen.edu/projects/wallpainting/ndebele.htm

Here is a picture of a birch tree forest. It is not the picture  I used as reference in the painting, but here you can see the light color bark and the black spots and lines. You can also see that they grow in "waves" sometimes.

Landscape Abstract

Landscape Abstract
16*20"
$150

 Who said an artist can't interpret the object? Who said colors  have to be realistic? This landscape painting is about the paint, the push and pull of warm vs cold colors and texture. Inspired by Henry Matisse a painter of the Fauvist Group in the early 1900's.  

Here is a description of Matisse's painting style in the Open window, Collioure 

 Matisse
Open Window, Collioure
1905


" In Open Widow, Collioure behind the free, spontaneous expression, one feels the invisible organic reality of nature, balanced against the demands of pictorial science"

Protea

Protea
11*14"
Oil on Canvas
$100 

The Protea is the National flower of South Africa. Here is a little extract from Wikipedia:

 

Etymology

The genus Protea was named in 1735 by Carl Linnaeus after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his form at will, because proteas have such a wide variety of forms.

 

Taxonomy

The Proteaceae family to which proteas belong is an ancient one. Its ancestors grew in Gondwanaland, 300 million years ago. Proteaceae is divided into two subfamilies: the Proteoideae, best represented in southern Africa, and the Grevilleoideae, concentrated in Australia and South America and the other smaller segments of Gondwanaland that are now part of eastern Asia. Africa shares only one genus with Madagascar, whereas South America and Australia share many common genera — this indicates they separated from Africa before they separated from each other.

 

Distribution

Most protea occur south of the Limpopo River. However, Protea kilimanjaro is found in the chaparral zone of Mount Kenya National Park. 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mountainous coastal land from Clanwilliam to Grahamstown, South Africa. The extraordinary richness and diversity of species characteristic of the Cape Flora is thought to be caused in part by the diverse landscape where populations can become isolated from each other and in time develop into separate species.

In die Karoo: Sleutelfontein II

16*20"
Oil On canvas
Sold

Here is the second in the "Karoo Series" I really like the landscape of the Karoo. My intention is not to make a realistic representation of the landscape because then I could just take a picture with my camera and be done with it. But instead it is an interpretation which involves layering the paint, playing with textures and the push and pull of warm and cold colors.

Black and White Photography

King Protea: The National Flower of South Africa

8*10" Print on Silver Gelatin Paper

For sale for $20.

Click on my "Buy Now" PayPal button and I will mail it to you.

Little Switzerland in the Drakensberge

8*10" Print on Silver Gelatin Paper

For sale for $20  

These prints are printed by hand from a 35mm negative. Yes, Old School. There is something mysterious about waiting for a print to appear in the developer, and then to patiently wait for the Stop Bath and Fixer before you can take it out in the light .... and really look at it. I can still smell the smells of a darkroom when I close my eyes.

In die Karoo: Sleutelfontein

16*20
Oil on Canvas
$150

While in South Africa last year we visited my uncles' farm Sleutel fontein. The beauty of the Karoo is so simple. It almost resembles the Prairies, but with cooler looking trees, like the one in the painting. I believe it is a Bloekom Boom.

In die Karoo

16*20"
Sold

Wow! Halt!
Life happens and then before I know it has almost been a month since I promised African Landscapes. Well better late than never. This painting is painted from a picture we took while driving in the Karoo. These huge Aloe-type trees were fascinating. And yes they are really as tall as a building.

Update!

Hi There! Or How'zit?

There are two new big things that you need to know about.
For one, I recently returned from a trip to South Africa. What an inspiring time it was! Keep your eyes peeled for my new paintings inspired by African landscapes.
And the second note worthy news is that I am participating in the Night of Artists in Onoway again this year. It is April 23rd and 24th in the Onoway Community hall. There you can come see the new Africa inspired art pieces. You can see who else will be present at this website.
http://www.noao.ca/

Until later
Sepela Gabotse