Stephen J Quirke watercolour blog and online gallery
Posted by Stephen Quirke on May 5, 2013 under en plein air, painting, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 
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As Morne pointed out – yesterday was Thtar Warth day – May the 4th (be with you).
I had a surf at The Pipe – which was crowded – but I managed to have a bomb. I did not ride it expertly maybe – but I rode it and it was a blast. Then I did this watercolour:
This is on Arches 300gm cold pressed and is 290x390mm – more or less
Posted by Stephen Quirke on April 15, 2013 under en plein air, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | Be the First to Comment
Calvin and I entered the family tag division again this year. He surfed really well but I surfed like a moegoe. So we made it through the first round but not the second.
On the first day I did this painting:
This is 190x280mm on Arches 300m Cold Pressed. I donated it to the prize giving.
On the second day (yesterday) I did this one:
This is on a half sheet of Arches 380×560 mm on 300gm Arches Rough.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on January 22, 2013 under Art, en plein air, painting, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 4 Comments to Read
This morning I had a chance to go down to The Pipe to do a painting.
This is 180x280mm on 185g Arches Cold Pressed.
I have been battling with a lung infection for over a week now. it has improved to the level of a dry cough so this morning when Aura and Sinead went for a walk on the beach I went and sat in the sun to paint. It was nice to chat to some of my mates and others as they passed. Cosmic Mike came and chatted while he waited for Scottish Mike to arrive. He is keen to wheel out his mother’s Watercolour kit he said.
Sinead is going off to study medicine tomorrow and had quite a bit to do so I was told not to hold up proceedings. So I did this in about 30 minutes. It was good to stop when I did as I was in danger of overworking this. However I can see little bits I could work on. I also tried to introduce some dark highlights but the scene really is medium tone. There is scope to add details to the poles and under the walk-way. Maybe next time I will sit a little closer and make this a more central feature of the painting.
Right now I am getting ready for another workshop in Town tomorrow. I will be working at a venue near Kirstenbosch Gardens – under the Eastern face of Table Mountain – mmm – must take a sketch kit…
Posted by Stephen Quirke on January 5, 2013 under Art, en plein air, figure, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | Be the First to Comment
This is a couple lying on the beach at The Pipe.
This is 190x280mm and is on Arches 185gm cold pressed.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on December 28, 2012 under Art, en plein air, landscape, painting, watercolor, watercolour | 4 Comments to Read
At last have managed to make time to paint in my studio. This is a view from the top of the A-Ridge ( I think Mike called it) in the Du Toits Kloof pass:
This is painted on 300gm Arches Cold Pressed and is about 280 x 380mm.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on December 23, 2012 under Art, en plein air, figure, Kogelbaai, watercolor, watercolour | 3 Comments to Read
It is Summer solstice and we are cooking down here in the Cape. Last night to celebrate we went with friends to spend a night at Kogelbaai beach. It was all a bit of rush and we were a bit disorganised but it was a beautiful evening. I managed to do a little painting before it got dark and another early this morning before we got going.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on December 9, 2012 under en plein air, painting, watercolor, watercolour | 4 Comments to Read
No now it really is time for me to start posting my work here again. This has been a hectic year but, it is time to go again.
This is from the stoep of Smitswinkel – between Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp.
I spent the weekend with friends in George as I met with a new client there. On Saturday morning Ted and Sue decided to head out to Calitzdorp to pick apricots on a farm there. Apparently the farmers allow the public to come and pick every year. So I joined them.
On the way back I persuaded the guys to stop off at Smitswinkel – a roadside coffee shop to have a pancake and a cup of tea. Also so I could do a quick sketch. I knew I would not have much time so I went as fast as I could. There was quite a bit of detail what with the pillars holding up the roof and the fences and plants – and all the rafters – too much so I could not put it all in. They had a brightly coloured geranium in a pot on the wall just next to me and there was a row of spekboom (Portulacaria afra) planted at the edge of the stoep. They call it elephants food in the Eastern Cape. A pleasant little scene.
The sound of the cars passing on the road reminded me of my hitch-hiking days and I just plugged along at the painting. The lady in the shop showed us a painting someone had done of her. We all agreed did not do her or the place justice.
As I worked some farmers pulled up in bakkies and sat on the stoep drinking beer. How did I know they were farmers? They were talking shop. Some guys Bonsmara bull – “een van die oue tipes met lig bruin…” heh heh – it was so pleasant. Apparently they were gathering for their year-end function where they were driving up in to the hills in the picture to have a braai and kuier for the evening.
All too soon the spell waned and we had to go…
Posted by Stephen Quirke on September 23, 2012 under en plein air, painting, watercolor, watercolour, Wortelgat | 2 Comments to Read
Here are two paintings I did at Wortelgat, yesterday afternoon and this morning. The first I did yesterday.
This is on 300gm Arches cold pressed and is 280x380mm.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on September 8, 2012 under Art, en plein air, figure, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | Be the First to Comment
This afternoon I got to The Pipe again.
This is 380x560mm and was painted on Arches Cold Pressed. Read more of this article »
Posted by Stephen Quirke on August 19, 2012 under Art, en plein air, painting, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 6 Comments to Read
We had a beautiful day in The Cape yesterday. After a stormy, rainy, chilly week, we had a bright,warm sunny day. It has been a busy week and it was great to go down to The Pipe and sit in the sun and paint. Here is the watercolour I produced:
This is 560x380mm on Arches Cold Pressed.
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