The new look, South Beach/DH (re-painted)

Recente gezicht op Zuiderstrand, DH
oil on canvas
40 x 120 cm - (16 x 47 inches)
painted on location - Tuesday 29 March 2011
SOLD

I set up my gear directly in front of strand pavilion 'de Kwartel', locating myself half way between the dunes and the coastline. Facing south, in the direct Kijkduin, I was inspired by the light and somewhat foggy condition at hand, to work on this panoramic format canvas. Ideal for the new look of our beach, as it has undergone and is still undergoing, a major filling and widening process. We here in Holland love this, as it just means more room for us! In a small country, filled up shoulder-to-shoulder, this is a much valued comodity. On a more practical reason, this is being done to prevent the coastline from being entirely washed up, due to the predicted rising sealevel!

Just a perfect day on The North Sea

Windstil, zacht licht an de Noord Zee
oil on canvas
60 x 90 cm (24 x 36 inches)
painted on location - Sunday 27 March 2011

SOLD

With the intention of painting a Van Oord ship spouting out sand to raise the level of the coastline, here at South Beach, The Hague, I sit up near the water, and began this rather large canvas. It began to take shape, the forms and spaces started speaking to me, and before I knew it, I had a decent scene developed on my canvas. A ship did come into my viewing space, and would have occupied a large area, had I painted it in. But you know sometimes less is more, and I had the feeling, this work of art is about peace and tranquility, something we all could use now and then.

Spring in the air, Sourh Beach, The Hague

Lente begint, Zuiderstrand, DH
oil on canvas
80 x 120 cm (please note size)
painted on location - Sunday 20 march 2011  -   SOLD


As I mentioned on my last posting, this is the large painting made Sunday morning. Absolutely no wind on my back, otherwise it would have been impossible to execute such a large size canvas on location! By coincidence, a professional freelance photographer, saw me working and took the picture which I've included. A new step for il pittore , to work on such a large format, from start to finish on location. I must say the challenge was met with delight and much to my surprise, very rewarding. Since it is difficult to bring you a sharp image, have included two close-ups for your viewing pleasure.






picture by Johan Westra

The rolling wave, South Beach, DH

De branding, Zuiderstrand, Dh
oil on canvas
30 x 40 cm
painted on location - Sat. 19 march 2011

SOLD

Spring is definitely in the air! Here in The Lowlands at least. A productive weekend for il pittore. This painted on Saturday afternoon, Sunday a large canvas created in the morning and started on a fair size city scape in the afternoon! Right down to the waters edge, with the intention of focusing in on the waves breaking at the shorline. As a finalé, a spark of color, featuring a young girl with her pet enjoying the nice weather.

Soft bright light affect, North Sea

Zachte licht, Noord Zee, strand bij DH
oil on canvas
40 x 60 cm
painted on location - Tuesday 15 march 2011

SOLD

Not the situation we are having today, at the seaside. However on Tuesday, just before I started work on the painting of the previous posting, this canvas was created. An over-painting of an earlier work I made at Wijk Aan Zee, last year. This explains the rough texture of the undergound on this canvas,(see detail below). There is at present, much construction work going on at the beach, as the building up of the beach cafes, has started. However, not finding that an interesting subject, a tender scene...A mother spends some quality time with her 2 childern.

View of Scheveningen Harbor entrance

Gezicht vanaf duinen, Westduinpark, DH
oil on canvas -  40 x 30 cm
painted on location - Tues. 15 March 2011
SOLD

A magnificent day to be out painting yesterday. Signs of spring are in the air already! Don't confuse these trees with olive trees. The thing they do have in common is the way the trunks are bent and twisted. That is due to the enormous strong winds that come off the North Sea from time to time. These trees are still quiet leafless, and the colors are created due to the sunlight reflecting of the dry dense branches. As they say, beauty can be found almost anywhere. An important task of us plein - air painters is to open our eyes and find it! Almost exactly in the middle of this canvas, can be seen, one of the Scheveningen Harbor lighthouses, guiding vessels to safe haven. A little to the right, the mast of a yacht entering the harbor.

High up in the dunes.

Pad door de duinen, Westduinpark, DH
oil on canvas, 30 x 80 cm
painted on location - Fri 11 March 2011

donated to charity

Views like this can give me a natural 'high', thus a little play in the words on the title! Painted at one of my favorite locations in Westduinpark, The Hague. As this path is hardly ever used, one gets the sensation of being immersed in Nature. Funny how some paintings need a proper viewing distance, in order to appreciate. With the advice of a good friend, we established that 7 meters is the distance necessary to see this painting, in the real, properly. Thus, one can take in the whole picture in a glance, rather than getting caught up in the details. You don't have this problem on your screne however, as the image is termendously smaller than in the real.

The broken branch.

de gebroken taak
oil on canvas
20 x 50 cm
painted on location - Tues 8 March 2011 SOLD


I call the painting, "the broken branch". Like my broken feelings, inside me, due to the sudden death of a Dear friend and fellow plein - air painter, Silvester Pepekamp, (Dec. 31 1950 - March 2 2011). I choose to paint at this location, because 2 days prior to my friends unexpected passing, together, we had made a walk down that very path, to the sea. Sometimes change is sudden and catastrophic, life as we know it is abruptely overturned. We have an earthquake of the heart so severe, that the landscape will never look the same. In times of sudden chaos, the soul finds its ground in the Eternal. It turns instinctively towards God, even if it uses other names. Like the tree in this painting, will grow a new branch, so will I grow a new way to be with my deceased friend and colleague, Silvester. Just like the miracle of Nature will help that harmless, vulnerable tree, repair itself. So will Nature show me the way to repair my broken heart.

Path to the Sea, Sunny conditions

Pad naar Zee, Westduinpark, DH
oil on canvas
40 x 50 cm
painted on location - Wed 2 March 2011

NO LONGER AVAILABLE. PAINTED OVER

It is still winter, yet here you can see for yourself the benefits we enjoy here from the warm waters passing by here from the Gulf of Mexico. The sun has finally decided to make itself present here in The Lowlands. Still crispy and cold, but due to no wind, the situation at hand was a joy to paint. The sudden heat caused termendous evaporation to take place, thus one can not distingush, were the horizon line is. The whole area above the sea was covered in such a thick layer of vapor, it made for an interesting simple, yet pleasurable viewing condition!