The Insect Circus visits The Hague

Gezicht op de 'Kop Van Jut' Carnivale, Huygenspark, Den Haag
oil on canvas board
18 x 24 cm (7.5 x 9.5 inches)
painted on location - 29/30 Dec 2009

SOLD

For the 1st time in The Hague, The Insect Circus, the main attraction of the Kop Van Jut Carnivale, puts on a delightful fun show, with acrobats clothed in the most colorfully detailed insect costumes imaginable. The action is going on inside the tent, however, il pittores imagination takes flight with this ostentatious Fellini - like setting. Afforded by the warm display of lights and artifacts, nestled in the heart of the extremely cold and damp Dutch capitol. I couldn't figure out why an English Circus Company performing in Holland would choose to have the Italian flag prominantly displayed? Oh well,..... thought it contributed nicely to the whole color scheme, and besides, I'm Italian. The greenish/yellow light, bouncing off the trees in the background, also have a harmonizing affect on the painting.

For your pleasure, an image of what was going on inside the tent.

South Beach covered in Snow.

Zuiderstrand met sneeuw
oil on canvas board
18 x 24 cm /( 7 x 9.5 inches)
painted on location - Tues 15 Dec 2009


Sorry, not at all a wet painting, this one. For technical reasons, I was not able to send this out 2 weeks ago, thus here you have it now. Notwithstanding the Sun shining in its full glory, it was still the coldest day of the year. It dawned on me while I was painting this scene, that it was not snow covering the sand, but frozen dew! To give you an indication of how cold it was, this was painted at 1.30pm, (remember dew is formed between nightfall and morning, and usually evaporates with the Sun's first rays).



The figures (and dog) on this work are so small, it was a challenge to properly photograph. However here is a detail, just the same.

A Place in Leiden, # 8/2009

View of Nieuwstraat & Burgsteeg
oil on canvas
40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 in.)
painted on location - Mon 14 and Thurs 17 Dec 2009

Painting donated

I have decieded to call this body of work, A Place in Leiden, and this being the 8th painting that I've made, on location this year, thus the title. Setting myself up on the corner of Middelweg and Nieuwstraat, I chose to capture this quaint winter scene, totally ignoring this huge monumetal church, which I,ve just hinted at on the extreme right. Thanks to Mother Nature, we have been gifted with a fresh clean layer of that fluffy cold white matter, commonly known as snow! Most of the country goes in a panic mode, but il pittore, packs his gear and takes delight in bringing you an a fresh update, here in The Lowlands. For your viewing pleasure, a detail.