Friday, June 10, 2016

A Farm in Franschhoek




As promised, more watercolour sketches from Franschhoek - done in my large w/c moleskine, which is getting a bit old and the paper sucking up paint around the edges (to make excuses for some of the murkier bits). I'm looking forward to when I can call them paintings, but have a long way to go finding the best palette for these landscapes, and in which order to put the paint down, it's all a bit random! The old La Cotte mill is in a dilapidated state, but due for restoration. A friend from Cape Town joined me for this one (and the stoop view) - we sat in long grass, lightly 'tickled' around the ankles by spiders, which erupted later into madly itchy, swollen, angry lumps, will be much more careful next time.
The flower is a tibouchina, of which there are several big bushes around the guesthouse, as well as lavender, proteas and what I think is Lantana montevidensis - it smells exactly like baby powder. Such beauty everywhere you look in this valley, what a privilege to be there!

6 comments:

Sadami said...

Hi, Cathy, lovely! I look forward to your following sketches. I like the third one most and the flowers. Best wishes, Sadami

dinahmow said...

I thought being tickled by spiders was charming...until I read on! And I recognised the Tibouchina right off.Gorgeous, aren't they?

Charlene Brown said...

Love, the vines and their shadows -- you've captured them perfectly! Did you use a rigger?

Cathy Gatland said...

Thanks for your interest Sadami and Dinah - yes they are gorgeous, am wondering if they, like lantana, are regarded as alien invader species as they are South American..?

Hi Charlene! I didn't have a rigger with me, I used a small travel brush and a thin waterbrush to finish off the twirly bits. Thanks for your visit :)

Cathy said...

What a priviledge for us to see the sketches too! Thanks for sharing such beauties! They powerfully remind me of SA : the light, the colours, you captured everything (except the smell, sorry, but you must work harder on that); I love the stoep view and the flowers are stunning!!!

Cathy Gatland said...

Thanks Cathy, so glad they bring back memories... I will work on the smell! :)