An afternoon at Helderberg reserve

Posted by Stephen Quirke on November 22, 2009 under Art, Helderberg, en plein air, painting | 8 Comments to Read

This afternoon I went up to the lake at Helderberg reserve.  I had about an hour for painting.  The sun was baking down and there was a light breeze.  I set up my new bamboo painting box – with fold up feet!!!! and I sat back to contemplate the view.  There is a LOT going on in this scene.  There are a multitude of greens, greys, reds and browns in the mountain slopes.  Then there are all different shades in the water.  And there are also waterlilies and phragmites (reeds) on an island in the middle.  Things happened fast as I painted.  I will have to develop a different approach to painting in this hot weather.  In winter I can only do one wash because it doesn’t dry.  Now in summer I must maybe do lots of little washes.  Anyway…

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And here is a photo of my new set up with Helderberg in the background.  Don’t you love the box?

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  • Carol King said,

    HEY! You’re back!!!!! So happy to see you. Love the painting, love the bamboo box, love the fact that you included a photo of Helderberg. It’s very interesting to me to see how you’ve interpreted your view by showing the painting and the photo. Thanks!!!

    It’s summer in your world and winter is only a month away here. Brrrr. So keep showing us your beautiful paintings so we can vicariously enjoy summer here too.

  • Leslie White said,

    Stephen, this is so impressionistic! I like all the individual brushstrokes like you were building the painting.

  • artiseternal said,

    Lovely painting – and a great set up for doing it. I’m glad you treated yourself to the box. It’s such a good way of transporting materials.
    I’m always impressed at the way you get lots of colour into your mountains.
    Good luck with your upcoming exhibition. I hope you sell out on the opening!
    K

  • dissengallery said,

    I have to say, I do love the box, I have so wanted one of those I’m jealous….Isn’t that a french style easel? very nice painting…

  • Stephen Quirke said,

    It is coming on hey? I have been looking at the mountain paintings in “Splash” and some other books – I am not alone in the quest to knowing how much to put where – which is heartening. thanks hey Leslie

  • Stephen Quirke said,

    Hey Carol – phew – yes its cooking here – I love Summer – I am like a lizard. So I am pushing on – time for the next leg in this journey in watercolour – that mountain is a challenge… Nice to hear from you too – I will come and visit soon.

  • Stephen Quirke said,

    Hi K – lekker to see you here – eek I have three more days to prepare – thursday is set up day – very exciting stuff…

  • Stephen Quirke said,

    Hi DissenG
    the box is great – I have just taken all of the dividers out of the drawer so that I can fit in a nice big pallette. And I took off the fancy aparatus for mounting a board – which I may use if I do big paintings out there. For now I will just put my paper on the top of the box. The legs are really clever, the way they fold up.
    thanks for the comments – I am keen to do this scene again. Cheers hey Stephen

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