Stephen J Quirke watercolour blog and online gallery
Posted by Stephen Quirke on December 17, 2010 under Art, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 
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I have spent a few days now doing some of the projects that have been crying out for attention. Today I completed putting a new top on a table I had made long ago. And that was enough. The wind had dropped today and I decided my soul needed watercolour.
This is 180x280mm and is on 185gm Arches cold pressed.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on October 24, 2010 under Art, en plein air, figure, painting, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 5 Comments to Read
The Pipe was so beautiful yesterday morning with Cumulonimbus lifting high in the sky, underlined by mauve lenticular clouds. The waves were messy but the sun was warm. I just wanted to stay and paint but had a car full of people with other ideas so had to return to hit the job-jar. After fixing irrigation systems I had time to go down again.
I painted this on Arches 300gm 190x280mm (Cold Pressed)
Posted by Stephen Quirke on October 18, 2010 under Art, en plein air, figure, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 4 Comments to Read
Saturday cooked here in the Helderberg basin. I was feeling tired and thought a good surf would be good, with sometime under the African Sun. mmm. The waves were good and there were not many people in the water so it was fun. Then I came out and sat in the sun to paint this watercolour. I want to get a smaller sketch book to draw the people as they walk up and down the beach. I met some friends of mine and as we stood chatting this charming little old couple stood in front of us watching and commenting on the surfers – it would have made such a cute painting.
Anyway – here we are this is on Arches 300gm cold pressed and is 280 x 380 mm
Posted by Stephen Quirke on September 8, 2010 under Art, en plein air, landscape, painting, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | Be the First to Comment
Tonight I had a surf on the way home from seeing a client. I was very pre-occupied but the waves were OK and I had a couple of great rides. I chatted with my bud Leith, on the waves, who I had not seen for a while. I was keen to paint so I went out and changed.
This is 760x560mm on 300gm Fabriano
Posted by Stephen Quirke on September 3, 2010 under Art, en plein air, landscape, painting, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 4 Comments to Read
Well it has been a beautiful calm sunny day – high light clouds. I took some time for a quick surf just before midday and noted the beautiful cloud patterns above the Gordon’s Bay mountains. And I decided it was time to go BIG. A full sheet. This afternoon I took Ethan to his surf class and did not take my board or a wetsuit – so as not to be distracted from my course. I also took a big board and luscious sheet of Fabriano 600gm rough (NB 600gm – its thick!) I have been keeping it for ages for a suitable subject or occasion. Well tonight was it.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on August 29, 2010 under Art, en plein air, figure, landscape, painting, seascape, Strand beach, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 5 Comments to Read
Ethan and I went down to the pipe this morning after church. He had a surf and I had a chance to stand in the sun and paint. There is not a breath of wind. The guys coming out of the water said the waves were fun although they were smaller than yesterday. People stopped to chat as usual. All in all a great morning.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on August 21, 2010 under Art, landscape, painting, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 8 Comments to Read
At the August monthly meeting of the Western Cape Watercolour Group I rashly offered to do a demo, if they needed someone. Cherry, our erstwhile chair, suggested this month would be good. And it was. This afternoon I rushed through the coming storm to the library hall to set up. I had prepared nothing. My idea was to encourage everyone there to go out and paint in the field. Earlier in the week I had taken some photos at the Pipe. I had got there just as the sun was going down so I actually missed the bright son on the mountains but I got enough for a demo. So I pretended we were at The Pipe and I set up my box and pretended the photo on my laptop was my ‘view’. And off we went.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on August 17, 2010 under Art, en plein air, painting, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | Be the First to Comment
There were so many people walking along the beach this evening. I had gone down for a surf but when I saw how crowded the line-up was I decided I did not have the energy for the hassling that happens out there. Also I am still feeling a bit jaded so…
This painting is on a half sheet of 300gm Arches Cold Pressed (280 x 380 mm)
Posted by Stephen Quirke on August 13, 2010 under Art, en plein air, painting, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 4 Comments to Read
That’s Thursday. Donderdag – Thunder day. mmm… I was still not feeling so great so when I took Ethan down for his surf-school I did a painting instead of enjoying a surf. The swell was quite small anyway – though I would not have minded that. I did this on Fabriano rough. It is OK I guess but I was hoping to make more of the texture of the paper.
There were many people walking up and down the beach but I did not try to put them into the painting.
Posted by Stephen Quirke on August 9, 2010 under Art, en plein air, landscape, painting, seascape, Strand Pipe beach, watercolor, watercolour | 7 Comments to Read
Tonight was a beautiful moody rainy evening in our corner of False Bay. We had a nice strong wind last night so there was a large swell running on the high tide. Just right for a good surf. Only I have been battling with flu today and trying to finish my documentation from last week. I just wanted sea air so I took Calvin down for a surf with his bud. After he left I waited for a light rain to pass then took my stuff down the beach. The mountains changed by the minute, first dark under the clouds and then sparkling in the sunshine. It was magnificent. What a beautiful place to be. Read more of this article »
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