Snow in The Hague #2, Regentesse Square

Regentesseplein met sneeuw #2, Den Haag
oil on canvas
60 x 70 cm
painted on location - Mon 20 and Wed 22 Dec 2010
SOLD

You know sometimes when an artist gets in a creative flow, you might be able to compare him/her to a surfer who is riding on the crest of a wave. Especially in this case, as this is no normal situation for The Lowlands. To have so much snow, and then that it doesn't melt, like within a few hours. Looks like we are in for, a very cold winter, indeed! Anyway back to this painting. The Weimerstraat has one of The Hagues' busiest bicycle paths, thus there was a constant flow of them. I have painted in only one who is doing his best to stay in an upright position!

Snow in The Hague #3, Regentesse Square

Regentesseplein met sneeuw #3, Den Haag
oil on canvas
50 x 40 cm
painted on location - Tues 21 Dec 2010
SOLD

Well, here I am back at the same spot as the last posting, doing my best to stay warm, and at the same time bringing to you a unique situation here in The Lowlands. You might be asking, "hey what happened to #2, of this series"? The answer is, it is still in progress, hope to have it finished later today! Yesterday didn't get on location tell after 3pm, by the time I set up, being the shortest day of the year, the street lights already came on, thus was not able to continue on the #2 painting, as the whole atmosphere had changed! What to do,.....make a 3rd painting. And am glad I did, as am quite content with the results. Looks like a nice series is building up, maybe a up and coming exhibition?

The White house with the blue door, The Hague

Het witte huis met de blauwe deur, met sneeuw
oil on canvas
24 x 30 cm
painted on location - Wed 1 Dec 2010/ finished in studio Tues 7 Dec 2010

SOLD


Many of you living abroard may not know this, but snow on the ground in this part of The Lowlands is actually not common. In the hustle and bustle of a cosmopolitan city like The Hague, you can still find buildings such as the one depicted on this quaint oil. I sit up my easel on the corner of Nieuwe Uitleg and Maliestraat, just behind the Lange Voorhout. It was cold, damp, and it was snowing. Hardly no wind to speak of, thank God. I was dressed like an Eskimo! Standing at the edge of a water canal, beleive you me, the cold damp, gets right to the bone, in a matter of seconds. Especially when one is standing still. I took the liberty of spicing up the color scheme a bit, and that tiny flower bouquet was invented. However I must admit that the Dutch are very proud of their window displays, and come up with the cuttiest of installations.

First snow in the dunes, Westduinpark, The Hague

Duinen met sneeuw, Westduinpark, Den Haag
oil on canvas, 30 x 90 cm
painted on location - Sunday 5 Dec 2011
no longer exists - painted over

Well my dear friends, here you see il pittore in his element. This has become my favored subject for the last 3 yrs now. And can you blame me, really. Just look at the array of colors, Nature has to offer. Even on this bitter cold windy winters day! I can't understand, how the painters of The Haagse School, didn't get these colors on their palets? I mean they must have been in a constant state of depression, or something. I am not overstating at all, ladies and gentlemen. These colors are plain to see, if you care to take the time. However, make sure the sunlight is finding its way through the mass of clouds, otherwise the colors will indeed be subdued. One of my most trustworthy locations, over the last few years must have created 25 or more paintings near this spot.

Plein, The Hague

Plein, Den Haag
oil on canvas
30 x 40 cm
painted on location - Monday 22 Nov 2010


Here we are back in The Lowlands! This painting was made more than a week ago. Thank God, because it is now bitterly cold here in The Hague. Temperatures have dropped to well below -14 degrees Celsius! The chap featured on the cement podium happens to be this countries first official King, William Van Orange I. I might be wrong, so if you know better please let me know. With the leaves all fallen off the trees, one gets a glimpse of the stately buildings surrounding this perstigiuos Square (Plien in Dutch). Directly behind the statue is the Mauritshuis. Home to some of this countries most beloved paintings, such as, The Woman with the Golden Earing by Johannes Vermeer.