Summer fun on South Beach, The Hague

Zomers plezier op Zuiderstrand, DH

oil on canvas - 30 x150 cm

Painted on location - 12 & 29 June 2025 

€ 1450

Yes here we are at one of  The Hague's top touristic attractions....THE BEACH!

The only city in Holland that has a beach. Others may be close to one, but not here, we have it right at our doorstep. Jump on a tram, get on a bike, or if you got a shit load of money, go with your car (I say that because parking is rather expensive).  On any given sunny day the beach is jam packed, because in this country the term Carpe Diem is taken seriously and has significance.  

Promises of Spring

Beloften van de Lente, Westduinpark, Den Haag

oil on linen - 90 x 120 cm

painted in studio - Jan 2025

SOLD

Hey, hey, I'm finally happy with the way this scene has worked out on this large format canvas. Working largely from memory, reference photos and paintings already made of simular subject matter, I came to create this painting. Clouds casting shadows on the agitated waters of the North Sea, one should and hopefully feels the cool windy breeze, just by gazing at this painting. On the bottom right  a young flowering bush, showing promises of spring!    

 

Sailing, sunbathing and chilling at The North Sea

Strandslag 11, Westduinpark, Den Haag

oil on canvas - 30 x 40 cm

painted on location -  5 June 2024

SOLD

I totally forgot to post this work when it was made back in June this year.  I was quite pleased with the situation at hand,  lovely typical Dutch sky, the clouds were continually casting dark shadows on the sea of green. It made for an interesting composition.  Also I liked the way the wind blew the sand covering most of the cement blocks used to pave the beach entrance.

Walking the dog on Zuiderstrand, DH
oil on canvas - 40 x 100 cm

painted on location - 19 Sept 2024

SOLD

Here you have the last beach scene painting made on location for this warm weather season, which is coming to an end. Made during the early evening, in time to capture all those warm tones being casted by the descending Sun.

Resting Seagulls

oil on canvas - 30 x 40 cm

painted on location - 30 April 2024

€ 275

An intimate scene of a vast area, captured during low tide at The North Sea. Coloration of the Sea is always in flux, depending on the atmospheric conditions for the most part. 

 

 

Beach Entrance #10, Westduinpark, The Hague

Strandslag 10, Westduinpark, DH

oil on canvas - 30 x 40 cm

painted on location - Sun 28 April 2024

SOLD

A bit too windy for me to be making a painting on the beach, so the next best thing to do was make a painting leading to the beach! The colors were fantastic thanks to the sunlight and shadows created on the water of partially cloudy sky. While I was working, a wild dune rabbit dashed across the road leading to the beach, right in front of me,  thus that inspired me to paint him in, checking me out in his still stance. 

Beach Entrance in the winter & a windy Sea

 

Strandslag #10 s'winters

oil on canvas - 30 x 40 cm

painted on location - 06 Jan 2024

SOLD

First seascape painting of the beach for 2024! I was inspired by the untidy natural entrance to the beach. Normally it is clean of the sand, thus cars and trucks could drive down the concrete plates to the beach  to delivery goods and such.  We have been having stormy weather lately, so you can see for yourself that the sand gets blown around and starts to form dunes in a matter of days. Of course the seagulls love to be tossed around by the wind, thus had to include them blowing about.

A windy seascape

oil on canvas - 20 x 30 cm

painted on location - 16 Sept 2023

SOLD

Made this near the end of the summer last year, for some reason forgot to publish it on my blog. Anyway a quick warm up small format painting, as later on that afternoon I tackled a large format 50 x 120 cm painting. A simple composition, sky and water, with the details showing some variation in movement, of the clouds for example. A large three mast sailboat on the horizon, indicates high wind conditions, perfect for sailing.

Beach entrance #11, South Beach, The Hague

Strandslag 11, bij Zuid

oil on canvas - 60 x 80 cm

painted on location - 26 Sept 2023

SOLD

A theme I have worked on many times over the years. And why not, who doesn't find this view of the North Sea, inviting and welcoming? Keeping the composition simple and not too crowded, a nice sky, partially open, very little wind, perfect lighting, just makes one want to stop and enjoy the view if nothing else.

Beach paviljoen De Staat #1 & #2

 

Strandpaviljoen De Staat, na zomer #2,

oil on canvas - 50 x 120 cm

painted on location - Sat 16 Sept 2023

SOLD

Strandpaviljoen De Staat, na zomer #1,

oil on canvas - 50 x 100 cm

painted on location -  9 Sept 2023

Private collection, The Hague

My favorite beach cafe by far, have been making most of my seascapes in the vicinity of this location. I can keep my 3m parasol stored at this cafe, thus saving me the inconvenience of taking it back and forth. The first version was a commission that I made with pleasure, in fact liked it so much I decided to make another one shortly there after thus #2 came about. As you can see there are a lot of similarities, however composition differs upon close observation.

Entrance to beach, by beach pavilion Zuid

Ingang naar strand bij strandpaviljoen Zuid

oil on canvas - 40 x 60 cm

painted on location - 4 May 2023

SOLD

On location nice and early on this one. Personally I much prefer these quite views at the beach. There's a certain meditative quality that I manage to capture as a result. The Dutch flag is hanging at half mask in order to honor the dead who gave their life's for our Freedom.

 

Beach Entrance #11, WestduinPark, The Hague

Strandslag 11, Westduinpark, DH

oil on canvas - 40 x 120 cm

painted on location - Sat. 15 April and Wed. 19 April 2023

SOLD

Decided to produce a body of work showing the entrances to the beach and beach pavilions of The Hague. Here you see a glimpse of  Zuid, with its two white flags and the Dutch flag. I like how the path splits in two, one leading to te beach and the other up through the dunes heading towards Schevening. The days are getting warmer, and although you don't see much activity, belief me, it was pretty busy. 

 

Beach entrance #10, Westduinpark, The Hague (calm)

Strandslag 10, Westduinpark, DH (kalm)

oil on canvas - 30 x 120 cm

painted on location -  Thurs 13 Oct 2022

SOLD

When I started this on going project, Wet Paintings from The Lowlands, beach entrances here in The Hague was one of the subjects I frequently painted. It is always a pleasure for me to return to this theme, and make new paintings. Even though the subject is the same, every painting made is never the same! As is evident in these two versions presented on this and the previous posting.    

 

Family outing at the beach

                                                                                                                                                                       

Familie-uitje op het strand

oil on canvas - 50 x 150 cm

painted on location - Wed 21 July 2021

SOLD

Another fantastic day at the beach! Early afternoon and the crowds are still at bay, It's the middle of the week, thus won't really get that busy, but still by the time I put the signature on this baby, there were many more people than depicted on the painting. When one looks closely he will see that much is going on in this scene. Personally I like the father holding a bottle of water and the child runn8ng towards it. 

The Pond in the Dunes #1 & #4 - repainted

 

De Duinplas, Westduinpark DH #1 

 (opnieuw geschilderd)

oil on canvas - 50 x 70 cm

painted on location  - 21 April 2021

SOLD

Here I have revisited a location were 2 years ago I made a series of this pond, located in our dunes here in The Hague. This was the 1st in this series. The Scottish Highlanders, the woodpecker and the swallow were added, giving more life to the scene.  If you look here below at the original painting, you will notice the changes made. 

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De Duinplas, Westduinpark DH #4 

 (opnieuw geschilderd)

oil on canvas - 50 x 70 cm

painted on location  - 21 April 2021

€ 1550

Also this painting has been reworked recently. For the 3rd time I might add. I'm pretty sure this will be the final version.  As you can see from the previous 2 versions quite a few changes have been made. Namely the addition of the cows and our the 3 feathered friends.  It has become much greener and the tree trunks have been softened in a few cases removed entirely.

                                   

                                                     

Entrance to beach #10, Westduinpark

Strandslag 10, Westduinpark, DH

oil on canvas - 30 x 120 cm

painted on location - Sat 20 Feb 2021

SOLD

Back at a subject I was painting when I first got started with this project, and that is beach entrances, This time I'm going to be working on larger horizontal formats. Duin grass is still very dry, officially we are still in winter season even though it felt like a spring day. Enjoyed making this rather hazy atmospheric scene with characteristic subdued colors. 

 

Parents and their children at the beach #5

Ouders en hun kinderen op het strand #5
oil on linnen - 50 x 175 cm
painted on location - Tues 11 Aug 2020

SOLD

The largest of this series was made on a really hot summers day, was off to an early start, thus most of the work was done, with comfortable temperature. I had to make use of the 3M parasol which I have ready for me at the strandpavilijoen De Staat, otherwise I would have melted in the heat! There is alot going on in this work, but not too much. I left out at least 70% of the crowds sunbathing or otherwise enjoying the fresh Sea water that afternoon. It was soo hot, i also felt compelled to take a dip in the Sea on a few occasions, with my shirt and shorts on.

Mates kicking the ball on the beach

Vrienden schoppen de bal op het strand

oil on MDF - 17 x  64cm

painted on location -  Thurss 30 July 2020

SOLD

This is a classic view which I paint often. However every painting tellss a different story. Here it was early evening, as you can see space calor is to be found at this location. I was inspired to paint in those friends kicking a soccer ball, I liked the uniformity of their attire, and will it was jusst the right spice to give this view that special flavour.

Family fun by the Sea

Familie uitje aan Zee
oil on canvas - 30 x 120 cm
painted on location - Monday 27 April 2020

SOLD 

My latest painted on a day the was comfortably warm, not really hot like in summer. With all this social distancing going on, there really is no place better to go than the spacious beaches we have right ar our doorstep. As long as not thousands show up at the same time, it is quiet safe. A simple composition, made lively with the those water pools on the forground, showing reflections of the kids enjoying the fresh water. A detail below, as this format is really difficult to represent properly on this social platform.

Free at last

eindelijk vrij
oil on canvas - 50 x 100 cm
painted on location - Monday 6 April 2020

SOLD 

I feel this painting is true to the expession, less is more. Doing my best to bring the Sea in focus. A close up view of a gentle rolling wave, a sailboat off in the distance, a cloudless blue sky with some haze on the horizon, and God only knows what lies under the surface of the North Sea.  A simple view, yet it affords soo much space and freedom, at times just what we need, to pass the time of day. 

Westduinpark, The Hague

pad met uitzicht, Westduinpark, DH
oil on canvas - 20 x 30 cm
painted on location - Wed. 5 Feb. 2020

SOLD

When the Sun shines magic in tthe dunes takes place. The dark shadows in contrast with the lightened areas creates all sorts of forms and shapes, a feast for the eyes really. And yeah we outdoor painters love this scenario. It felt fine for me to be on a location where approx. 12 years ago I started working on my ongoing, Wet Paintings from The Lowlands project. I would like to express a special thank you to all the persons that have been following me in these years.

The Lifting of the fog, Westduinpark, The Hague

Kwartelpad, Westduinpark in de mist
oil on canvas - 50 x 150 cm
painted on location - thurs. 5 Dec 2019

SOLD

This must be the 8th or 9th time i make a painting from this location. And after a long wait, I finally got a chance to paint this scene with mist. Characteristic of coastal environments, the mist is a commen occurence.  However to paint it can be difficult, as it is always either coming or going. I found a solution, and it allows me to paint it with accuracy. A close up below for better viewing.

Beach Entrance with orange "Oma" bicycle

Strandslag 9, Westduinpark en Stillestrand, DH
oil on canvas - 40 x 50 cm
painted on location - Tuesday 3 Dec 2019

SOLD

If you live in The Hague, and haven't been for a walk at the beach, you might be confused as to where this beach entrance is located. What attracted me to make this painting was the shadow casted from that dune on left side. With that orange bicycle secured on wooden railing, it's a dead giveaway as to the country of this seascape.