Roses in the Sun

Today our plein air painting group met in the Queen's Gardens Rose Garden.
It was very hot, with a cloudless sky, so it was good to be able to stand in a shady spot.

I was very taken with an avenue winding away from the Rose Garden, into the shadows. In the middle distance light pink roses blazed in the sunshine. In the foreground big pink roses climbed into the composition. It was really interesting to paint.

Generally these tricky compositions call for planning a sequence of steps before you begin, otherwise it can get a bit messy.

Some subjects are so straight forward that they almost paint themselves. Others, not so much. Especially when there are figures, or bright clear colours. You have to decide even before the paint is mixed, what should go where first, then second, and so on.

This one seemed to work out ok.



15059. "Roses in Sunlight". Oil on panel. 8x10 in. $150.

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

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Dappled Shade, in the Queens Gardens

I really thought that I would have the Queens Gardens to myself today. What with the cricket match of the week NZ vs Aust, a scorchingly hot afternoon under a cloudless sky, a rising tide at Tahunanui, why would anyone be there?

I was intending to stand in the shade, and paint a flower bed in the full sun. I found my spot, was just setting up when several people turned up, put down their rugs, and settled down to read and snooze in the dappled shade.

Sigh.

But then I noticed the composition. I ignored all the other elements and just concentrated on the young person reading. Nice. Then I painted the rest of the setting. I even managed to include my flower bed.

Works for me. What do you think?





15058. "Reading in the Dappled Shade" Queens Gardens, Nelson.
Oil on panel, 8x10 in. $150.

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Cat and Cut

This is a whimsical title that hints at a nautical theme with some meaning for Nelson people. The Cat is a catamaran, and The Cut is of course the entrance in the boulder bank that was cut in the early twentieth century.

After the sea bed silted and became shallower at the end of the nineteenth century, large vessels could no longer enter Nelson Haven by going around Haulashore Island, so there was a need for a new entrance.

Seeing the catamaran today, anchored by the cut, ready for sea, was a natural composition.

I am guessing that my old friend Tony will see this painting with just a twinge of nostalgia. We miss you too old chum.



15056. "Cat and Cut". Oil on panel. 8x10 in. $150.

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

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Flower Bed, Queen's Gardens

Back to the dear old Queen's Gardens. This time I went earlier and managed the dappled shade better. Generally the composition is more settled, and I think that there is a better sense of recession through the trees.

It is my belief that a complete re paint like this is allowed in the rules. It is a plein air painting, completed outdoors, but has taken two sessions.



15051. "Flower Bed in the Queen's Gardens". Oil on panel. 8'x10 in. $150

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at
rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Sea Fever

This is a boat, sitting on the hard down at the marina, I have been meaning to paint for ages. Today there was someone working on the boat, and I thought, today's the day.
I call this one "Sea Fever" after John Masefield's poem. All about getting ready for the tide. Every so often as you work on your boat you find yourself pausing, and looking into the distance, hearing the sea murmur, and the gulls crying...




15055. "Sea Fever". Oil on panel. 8x10 in. $150.

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

Dry creek bed

I found this not far from where I live. I was looking for a golden tree hanging over a reflecting pool, instead I found this. I really liked it. Something about the stark nature of the autumn tree hanging over a dry creek bed. About change and loss.

I am not sure about my painting though. Not quite a scraper, but not exactly what I was after. I might try again later. I don't know how long the tree will last though. They are changing so fast.



15054. "Dry Creek Bed". Oil on panel. 8x10 in. $150

Most paintings from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Sailing Away

This is very probably the last time I paint Miss Otago. She is due to go any day now. I was not sure that she would still be on the hard, and anyway, we had a few hours of heavy rain today in Nelson. If it had not cleared I had several other options apart from the marina. In the event, the rain cleared, some watery sunlight arrived, and she was still there.

Today I painted her from the stern for the first time, and it seemed to me that she was sailing away.

So long old girl. It's been good.



15053. "Miss Otago. Sailing Away". Oil on panel. 8x10 in. $150

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Rose Garden at Broadgreen

This charming old colonial house is in Nayland Road. It was originally a homestead with acreage, but that is long gone. Now it has this wonderful rose garden instead, and some superb trees. It is fast becoming one of my favourite summer locations.



15052. "Rose Garden at Broadgreen". Oil on panel. 8x10'in. $150

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

Flower bed, Queen's Gardens

It's lovely working in the Queen's Gardens on a hot day. I was able to stand in the shade of a big tree and paint this flower bed that was in the full sun. As it happened I was just off the main thoroughfare and many people stopped to watch and chat. Quite different from the quiet valley I've been working in.

Today I tried for a degree of abstraction. I'm not sure now how successful it's been. What do you think?



15051. "Flower Bed, in the Queen's Gardens". Oil on panel. 8x10 in. $150

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Golden willows at the Ford

Another very hot day, and my paint was setting up fast. When I used a bit of medium to spread the paint, it tended to wipe it off. Not helpful, but certainly character building.

I've been using up my alkyd paints, and have been brushing more. When painting with a knife fast setting paint is not an issue. You just scrape a little harder. Never mind. We made it. I think that the final painting works.

This is the old cattle crossing ford on the lower Maitai River. My dogs used to love it. Especially the river rushing through the small arches. Jim would paddle around it and sniff the hidden spaces. Very dog friendly.



15050. "Golden Willows at the Ford". Oil on panel 8x10in. $150

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

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Golden Willows, at the Ford

This was painted very close to where I painted yesterday. Today I have included photos of the preliminary rub in.

The first image is the initial sketch for proportion. The colour is a neutral I mixed that seemed right for this subject.


The second image is rubbing in the brights, and the darks.


The third stage image covers all the white. This whole process takes about twenty minutes. Now the painting proper can begin.


The finished painting an hour or so later.


15049. "Golden Willows by the Ford" Oil on panel. 8x10 in. $150

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

Location:Hardy Street,Nelson,New Zealand's

Golden Willows.

Goodness gracious me. Autumn is upon us! Suddenly, over the past week, while I've been concentrating on "Miss Otago" the willows that line the banks of the Maitai River have turned golden.

I realised that the mornings are cooler with occasional heavy dew, and the days are definitely shorter, but it has still come as a bit of a surprise that autumn Is not just around the corner, but is coming down the street towards us.

As a plein air painter this is marvellous. I move my standard palette from cadmium yellow pale to cadmium yellow medium, and prepare to add cadmium red medium as well. Burnt Sienna and yellow ochre will also make their appearance. I love the warm colours of autumn, after all the bright greens of summer.

I really enjoyed painting this one today.



15048. "Golden Willows". Oil on panel. 8x10 in. $150

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Haulashore Island. Rising Tide.

Another Nelson icon. This was painted from up on Princes Drive. One of my favourite views. Always different. Sometimes quite challenge to paint en plein air when the sea breeze kicks in. Great today though.

I had to get a move on, as the tide was rising steadily and the sea breeze began to pick up. I made it in time.

It is a monstrous size panel: 8x10 in. Felt enormous after six weeks of 6x8 in!

I was using my new easel. It is now sadly christened with its first paint splatters. I'm going to have to stop thinking about it as a delightful piece of furniture to be nurtured, and accept that it is a working part of my plein air tool kit.



15047. "Haulashore Island, Rising Tide." Oil on panel. 8x10 in. $150

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Four views, four media.

One hundred posts!

I thought that I would celebrate by marking the occasion with four different treatments of the same subject, "Miss Otago", done over a number of days.

The first is an oil painting done with a brush. The second, same view, done with a palette knife. The third and fourth are from the reverse angle, one in acrylic, and the other in pastel.

All were painted en plein air, at the same time of the day, mid afternoon, and in similar weather. (Glorious Nelson weather of course).

What do you think? They each have their own particular flavour.

Comments welcome.

Cheers, Ross












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Miss Otago, on the beach

I went down to the estuary with the laudable intention of painting the shingle banks and sea birds as the tide went down. However, I saw Miss Otago looming above the other vessels, and found her clean lines simply irresistible.

Honestly, this is not obsessive compulsive behaviour. There was another old trawler further along, called "Alfred", that I painted many times, but Alfred was there for years. He has been broken up for some months now, and I was bereft.

Then Miss Otago appeared. Unfortunately she has been hauled out to be cleaned up, before being taken out to deep water and scuttled, probably next month.

I will be bereft of looming trawlers again, so I'm taking every chance I get to paint her en plein air before that irrevocable day.

Yes, I'm painting her tomorrow probably for the last time, and in pastel. That should make an interesting afternoon. Check out my pastel painting tomorrow.



15046. "Miss Otago, On the Beach". Oil on panel. 6x8 in. $100

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

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Ponga Fern

Found this today as I travelled up river from our place. Our glorious silver tree fern. The beautiful Ponga, otherwise known to the gardening tragics as Cyathea dealbata. I haven't painted one for years. Mainly because there aren't very many around here, and they tend to drop off my conscious horizon.

Then, as happened today, I come around a corner and here it is. The moment I saw it I knew that this was today's subject. I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed painting it.

I still haven't christened my new easel. Nearly there. Just sorting out the palette today. This weekend for sure Ian, the paint splattering process begins...




15045. "Ponga". Oil on panel. 6x8 in. $100

Any painting from this blog may bro purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Field of Daisies.

The wild flowers just keep on coming. Few at first, they become many, then become an impressive show indeed.

I have been observing this field over summer, watching the daisies grow. I'm not sure what the cattle would think of it now, but there have been no livestock here since before Christmas. I'm not even sure whether they like eating daisies, but the field surely looks gorgeous.

I note that the willows are starting to turn. They are the true harbingers of autumn. We are having quite heavy dews in the morning now, and are wearing our jackets in the evening when we go out. So the seasons turn, and the plein air painter is out there, part of it.



15044. "Field of Daisies". Oil,on panel. 6x8 in. $100

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

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Little Rapid on the Maitai River.

I found this little rapid near Branford Park. What attracted me in particular was the dappled light and shade on moving water. I'm not entirely sure that this has been captured, so I'll have another go some time soon.
Autumn is definitely upon us. Whew! So soon. The willows are starting to turn, and the mornings are heavy with dew. Evenings are still delightful, but somehow you just know that the "End of the Golden Weather" is at hand.
Naturally, to a plein air painter, that means autumn colour. O joy...



15041. "Little Rapid on the Maitai River". Oil on panel. 6x8'in. $100

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

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Miss Otago. III

Here is the third painting of the series. This is the acrylic version. Today was a good day for laying the work in, but not so good for finishing. It was hot, dry, and breezy. The advantages are the rapid drying, but the disadvantages lie in the rapid drying. Sigh.

This is one of those plein air pieces that will have to be fine tuned in the studio, where the drying rate of the final glazes can be controlled. It looks ok now, but I will post the final version later. You may be interested to compare them.

Some artists prefer to finish an acrylic under painting with oil glazes, but I personally am uneasy about mixing and layering different mediums. For this reason the final glazes will be acrylic.



15042. Miss Otago III. Acrylic on panel. Sold.

Any artwork from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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"Catamaran and Co."

As you can see, the theme of the day is once again boats. I really love boats, and that is what Nelson is actually all about. It may be the gateway to many other delights, but it was as a port that Nelson was established. Even now it is referred to as "Nelson Haven", and was named after our greatest naval hero.

The rather official company that the big cat is keeping are the Harbour Master and the Coastguard. Formidable company indeed...




15040. "Catamaran and Co." Oil on panel. 6x8 in. $100

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Miss Otago, under the knife.

I have an interesting series of commissions. A client who watched me paint Miss Otago in oil, using a brush, bought that, and asked me to paint another version, same size, same angle, but using a knife.
This is the result.
He now wants two more versions of Miss Otago, same size, but from the reverse angle. One in water media, (acrylic) and one in pastel.
He likes the way that the change in media changes the aspect and even the meaning of the piece.
As I said above, an interesting week or so ahead.



15089. "Miss Otago, Under the Knife". Oil on panel. 6x8. Sold

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

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Flowering Gum and the Fifeshire Rock

This was one of those paintings where the subject essentially took over. As followers of this blog will have noticed I tend to follow themes, at least for a while. Recently it has been flowers and flowering trees. Today this magnificent flowering gum on Rocks Road caught my eye. However, when I settled down to paint it, the Fifeshire rock in the background refused to be ignored.
Essentially, the lovely flowering gum became a frame for this iconic rock. Sigh. As usual, the painting knows best, so who am I, the mere facilitator of paint application, to argue. I think it makes a better painting so that is all to the
good anyway.



15038. "Flowering Gum and the Fifeshire Rock". Oil on panel. 6x8 in. $100

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rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Flowering gums.

Nelson is one of the oldest settlements in NZ. For this reason there are some remarkable, even astonishing huge exotic trees around the city. This isn't one of the biggies, but is a very beautiful flowering gum beside the Maitai walkway.
While I was painting it a lot of passersby stopped to look and comment. They were all complimentary which is always reassuring. My guess is that those who mightn't have been, decided to keep schtum, for which I must be grateful.
Because it was Waitangi Day today, there were more people on the walkway than usual.



15037. "Flowering Gum, beside the Maitai". Oil on panel. 6x8 in. $100

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Wild flowers by the pool

Another blustery day. It was quite pleasant tucked down by this tranquil pool. The Maitai flows gently here. I noticed that these little wild flowers seem to flourish in their sheltered spot.



15036. "Wild Flowers by the Pool". Oil on panel. 6x8 in. $100

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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Miss Otago.

This old trawler has had some bad moments recently. She banged up against rocks in Croiseilles Harbour during a storm, was salvaged, and now has ended up herein Nelson, on the beach. She will sail again, but for now is resting up.
I find her rugged trawler hull irresistible, a plein air painters dream. Today I painted her from her port side, against the sun. This is the second time I've painted her. I'll be back!



15035. "Miss Otoago" oil on panel. 6x8 in. Sold

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

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From Cable Bay

Not actually Cable Bay, but looking away inland, Pepin Island to the left. A very blustery day, with the tide going out. I loved it. I was also glad to be standing behind a big hedge, sheltered from the wind. Unfortunately some wasps also thought that it was a splendid spot, but were unsure about sharing it with me.
However, after a while, and a few swats, they decided to push off, and I was able to complete this little painting.



15034. "From Cable Bay". Oil on panel. 6x8 in. $100

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

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Cloud Streets over the Maitai.

I could have painted this three ways today. It started out as a hill and tree study, then it drizzled a bit, and I thought of misty hills, then it cleared, as the wind picked up and the sun came out, and whoopee! Dynamic cloud study! I just love it when the clouds do such cloudy things.
I can understand why Constable did so many. I'm actually painting the same size as he did. I remember looking at his cloud studies some years back and thinking then that paintings did not have to be big to be impressive.

In homage to the great master I have subtitled this: "painted 5pm, 2nd February 2015."



15033. "Cloud Streets over the Maitai". Oil on panel. 6x8in. $100

Any painting from this blog may be purchased by emailing me at

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz


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