Falling Tide, Monaco

There has been a lot of rain over the past two days, and we have had a full moon. Hence a very high spring tide that went over the road in places. By the time our group arrived at the end of the peninsular the tide was starting to fall and the clouds to clear.

One of the advantages of painting at a particular location over several years is that you can pretty well anticipate what the weather and tides will do. Sure enough, as I started with the sky, the blue steadily increased, and by the time I reached sea level the tide had retreated sufficiently to give me a nice beach.

The dinghy that had been floating offshore was now beached and the rocks were starting to show. What had started out as a not very promising subject had developed into a reasonable composition.



15066. "Falling Tide, Monaco". 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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Sweet Sheer

This is an old launch moored in the Marina that I have been meaning to paint for ages. Today is the day. The weather has been decidedly dodgy, with frequent showers, but cleared in the afternoon long enough to get this done.

It is only a 6x8 and I had to work fast. I managed, but it was a close run thing.

I call it "Sweet Sheer". The sheer line is the sweeping line at the top of the hull that runs from bow to stern. With her plumb bow, this old lady has the sweetest sheer in the fleet. Most modern yachts and launches have an almost straight sheer line. That is so sad.

A boat with a lovely sheer line is like a pretty girl in flattering jeans. You just can't help looking at her in 'sheer' admiration.



15065. "Sweet Sheer". 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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Hanging Basket III

Whew! What a day. It started out with high winds and torrential rain. Then after the front passed it became a really pleasant afternoon. I found this basket of flowers tucked under a veranda that had escaped the drama of earlier part of the day.

Then I had to go to Blenhein late in the day, and was seriously delayed in getting this post out. My bad. I'll do better tomorrow.










15064 "Hanging Basket III" 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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Hanging Basket. II

Second hanging basket. I had better get on with these as I love painting them, but their season draws to a close. Poor weather threatens, and possible high winds. Who knows what will be left in a week?

Today I found a much better place to stand and paint. I was in the shade, but the basket was across the road in bright sun. Excellent. A bit far away, so I may need to detail it a bit back in the studio, but I'm happier with this one.

My plein air painting show, "Summer Flowers" is less than a month away, and I would love to have some hanging baskets of flowers in it.




15063. "Hanging Basket II". 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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Hanging Basket

Today I painted another of the flowering baskets that hang all round Nelson city.

This one was hanging in the open, over the town bridge. I painted it in full sun, including sun on my panel.

This was not a good idea, as the painting turned out much darker than I expected once I was back in the studio. Never mind. I'll have another go later this week.



15062. "Hanging Basket". Oil on panel. 6x8 in. $100

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

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Cable Bay.

This is the Southern headland of Cable Bay. Rocky, rugged, it is the northern face of Mackay's Bluff. Over the millennia the seas of Tasman Bay have chewed away at this cliff and spread the rubble 20km from here to Haulashore Island, forming the famous Nelson Boulder Bank.

So much geology. History too. This is the bay where the Pacific Telecoms cable came ashore generations ago. But when I first saw these cliffs I was not aware of all this. I was just inspired by their majesty. I still am. This remains one of my special painting subjects.

You can see from the sky that the persistent high is breaking up and moving away. Rain due tomorrow, with wind. I'm glad I had the opportunity to paint this: The calm before the storm...



15061 "Cable Bay Headland". 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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Hermit lsland

The Waimea Estuary is huge. One of the biggest in New Zealand. I believe that there are hundreds of islands, some quite large, like Rabbit Island, and many very small, like this one, just of the end of Monaco, the peninsular suburb of Nelson.

This little Island, barely a hectare at high tide, has this ramshackle dwelling tucked behind some low growing coastal trees and shrubs. I don't know if anyone in fact lives there, but one passing local told me once, "That's where the hermit lives."

This may be so, or not, as the case may be, but I know if I ever felt a compelling urge to do the hermit thing, I can't imagine a more interesting and evocative setting.

Actually, I don't know what a hermit does. Do they sit and watch the tides come and go? Watch the seagull quarrelling over fishy remnants? No newspapers. That could be a blessing. I could read all the great books I promised myself I would read before I grew old.

But no. Probably not. I'd most likely continue to paint en plein air every day. Without distractions perhaps even twice a day. Now there's a thought...



15060. "Hermit Island." Oil on panel. 12x9 in. $150.

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

rosswhitlock@inspire.net.nz

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