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


Posted using BlogPress from my iPad