Painting at Ohio Farm

We couldn't have wished for a more agreeable day: sunny, blue skies, a bit of a breeze and the beautiful gardens and animals at Ohio.



Some 12 Fish Hoek Art Society members and friends drove to this Noordhoek location and enjoyed the views and animals in a variety of media.

 

The alpacas have moved to the shade of the oaks - water and South African heat being a problem for these creatures at Ohio - and horses have taken their place in the front paddock.
Marcelle brought her oils and easel and worked on these.

John S turned out a lovely watercolour of the manor house.








Di Breeze did her usual beautiful pen and wash style of the trees.







Maureen stuck to graphite and depicted a magnificent old tree.

   

 

Frances (and Di) hid themselves amongst the oaks, acorns and March Lilies.

We all brought our coffee or refreshments and once again had a good paint out at this remarkable and near venue.

  

USEFUL CONTACTS

Framers:       

Jacqui’s Framery, Main Rd, FH, tel: 021 782 7324

John Steer, Silverglades, tel: 0832631798

Frame 4 U, Marlene, tel: 082749652

Art Supplies: The Write Shoppe, Long Beach Mall, tel: 021 785 7614

The Deckle Edge, www.deckleedge.co.za, 

Brickfield Road, Salt River, tel: 021 180 4442

The Italian Artshop: www.italianartshop.co.za  tel: 021 685 1877

Riverside Mall, Rondebosch

Artsauce, 62 Roeland St, Gardens, www.artsauce.co.za tel: 021 461 0885

Addictedtoart: online art supplies: addictedtoart.co.za  

Printing: 

Art Assist, specialized printing, artassist@cybersmart.co.za,

tel: 082 257 4896

Lam it All, repro printing cards etc lamitall@vodamail.co.za.

Recreation Rd, FH, tel: 021 782 7397

Websites to see art works:

FACEBOOK PAGES

For pastel work: pastel artists UK 

Watercolours: watercolor collection (US artists)

watercolours UK,  also https://www.royalwatercoloursociety.co.uk

general art: artists and illustrators magazine

coloured pencil: UK coloured pencil society also www.ukcps.org.uk

South African Society of Artists: SASA, sasa-artists.co.za

If anyone has other useful contacts, please send them in for inclusion.

The Monthly Workshop: capsicum peppers

FHAS AGM ON 28TH FEBRUARY. PLEASE ATTEND. 
THIS YEAR WE HAVE WINE, JUICE AND SNACK (BRING YOUR OWN GLASS) 
AND IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY AN ART HISTORY QUIZ AND RAFFLE (R20) PER TICKET.

A fine number of members and guests came along to Nerina this afternoon to attend the monthly workshop. There were some 22 people present and most were painters keen to tackle today's subject: a plate of capsicums and a few lemons and oranges.



For those of you who missed the workshop, here are there views of the two plates that provided the subject matter. Those who want to continue or to start another work, can use one of the photos below.

The idea we put into practice today was one whereby three different artists worked on the same theme in three different ways - producing therefore quite different results.

John Strickland handled the watercolours and had done lots of preparatory work - including offering a tracing of the capsicum outlines to hasten the work for others, as well as a nearly finished water colour (see below),
   

Sue Green brought her pastels and easel and worked in ... pastel, and Fiona Nichols brought a half finished work in coloured pencil (see below) and continued on that.





        








All artists were open to comments and questions and it was interesting to see the various different interpretations. The range of media included watercolour, pen and wash (Di knocked off a great little picture while most of us were still getting to grips with the subject), oil crayon, coloured pencil, pastels both hard and soft, and graphite. No one tackled oil or acrylics on this occasion.







One comment: few people worked on A4 or larger. There were lots of A5 and smaller sheets of paper which doesn't lend itself to anything more than a quick sketch. Unless economics interfere, grab an A3 block of paper and think BIG and you'll make better pictures.

Remember that MOST watercolour can be washed off a good quality watercolour paper so, as our famous local lady artist, Hazel Soan, would say: "If you don't like it, wash away your work and start again."

Thanks Rob for your photos. One day we'll take the photos and you'll have the time to do your own painting.

 

Next week we're off to see the alpacas at Ohio Farm.


MAKE A NOTE: It's the 21st February with whichever medium you feel comfortable in. How can one resist these long-legged beasts?!?  Think: quick charcoal sketches, silhouettes, even portraits.

Or the flowers, or the oaks, or the pond! 

Ohio Farm has so much to inspire an artist so don't miss out.

AGM on February 28th.

Put it in your diary.

The future of FHAS is in your hands. Come pay your subs and show some support and the Society will continue to work at promoting and helping artists grow.

     

The alternative is a little hard to imagine.

With your support we'll organise outings, get in a live model, provide instructive videos and give encouragement to all. With the water crisis, we may not be able to provide tea and biscuits every time, but we'll offer enthusiasm. And in the case of attendance at this year's AGM there will be wine and juice, courtesy of Ann Zwets and others.


To make a Society thrive, it needs new ideas,  assistance and a hands on approach.

That is up to you.

DVD night with a Hazel Soan classic.

This lady always brings in the crowds even if it is only a DVD.



Wednesday 24th was the DVD evening and many members and some visitors turned up to see the DVD that Hazel Soan made some years ago about painting animals in Africa. Apt for all of us here in South Africa.



She started us off with painting flamingoes and jackals, and moved on to zebra and elephants, finishing with a great picture of elephants at a waterhole.










Hazel assures us that watercolour 'is very forgiving' and not at all difficult. Of course, in her hands it would appear that way... but such DVDs are an inspiration and I for one got out my watercolours on return and started some animals.

How about you?

Next meeting is the workshop on February 13th when three of the society's artists will be painting the same still life set up in three different media. That's you chance to see a variety of approaches and techniques - not to mention styles - that the same subject can be interpreted in.

See you there.

Thanks Rob for the group photo and to Hazel for the clips from your video.

KIRSTENBOSCH and SIMON'S TOWN LIBRARY

Hands up those who have been to see the exhibitions at these two popular venues?

A good artist, as well as an aspiring artist, has much to learn from his peers and visiting the local galleries is a brilliant way to see what is going on, and indeed to learn what sells.

Don't you want to sell some of your best works?

Get out there, dear fellow artists, and be inspired to create even more innovate and interesting works.