The Yellow Buoy, South Beach, DH

de Gele Buoy, Zuiderstrand, DH
oil on canvas, 50 x 100 cm
painted on location - Mon 25 March 2013

"As we live a life of ease, Everyone of us has all we need.  Sky of blue, and sea of green, in our yellow submarine"! (The Beatles).   Had to think of these lyrics as I was making this painting, which features a  yellow buoy and I was next to a yellow beach cafe (De Fuute) ha, ha,....  Extremely cold temperatures due to high winds, most unusual this time of year, thus had to find some shelter in order to get this painting made. Was grateful for the clouds, that add an interesting dimension to this scenery, and gives an indication of the wind.  .

Stormy beach scene at South Beach

Zuiderstrand met hooge wind en naderende regen val,
oil on canvas, 40 x 50 cm
painted on location - Wed 20 March 2013

painted over

The situation yesterday on the beach! Had my parasol with me, using it as a windbreaker, otherwise would have been not possible to be on location! The rain down pour was heading inland thus not a threat to me and the many workers busy with building up the seasonal beach pavilions.

Rower's, Reeuwijkse Ponds

Roeiers, Reeuwijkse Plassen, Klein Elfhoeven, vanaf Korssendijk, 
20 x 40cm, oil on canvas
painted  - Wed 6 March 2013


The painting was made right after I finished the 3 little studies from my previous posting. What inspired me was the reflections on the water. It was just past mid afternoon, the sky had  cleared up a bit, the Sun well into its descend, casting those soft warm hues.....what else could I do but get it on canvas!  As happens quite often, some Higher Intelligence, throws in a little visual treat, like those rowers passing by, thought it was a nice compliment to this scene, thus painted it in.

Windy Summer beach scene, Noordwijk

Strand gezicht met hoge wind, Noordwijk Aan Zee
oil on canvas
50 x 100 cm
painted on location (see picture above)  -  Fri 22 june 2012


The 1st of six paintings made on this very sunny yet extremely windy day at the Noordwijk painters festival. This was the start of the 5th day, I had already produced 17 paintings at this point, since the start of the festival on Monday evening 18th June. The next two postings, I´ll show the other works made this day. Rather intense circumstances to work under, with the wind force reaching almose 8.5! My popular yellow parasol, faithfully held together for more than 7hrs, until the sea finally gulfed it up at 18.45hrs. The waves coming up much high than expected, the pressure of the water ripped through the fabric with the slightest of effort.  Under such conditions, one must work efficiently and with the upmost attention at getting the paint on the canvas as quickely as possible. Resulting in fresh vibrant, rendering of the scene at hand.

Large Beach Scene, Noordwijk

 Strand gezicht, Noordwijk Aan Zee,
 oil on canvas, 50 X 100cm,
 painted on location  -  Tues 19.6. 2012

no longer exists, painted over!

One of the early paintings made on the Noordwijkschilderfestival, think it was the 3rd of 24 paintings made in 5 days. The weather was still rather pleasant. However on close observation, you can see evidence of a shifting weather pattern. Look at the stiffness of those 5 flags on the right. The clouds are actually moving rather quickley inland, this is shown by the upward movement of the clouds. The wind was picking up, and was bound to stay with us for the rest of the week!

Winter Seascape #2- 2012

Sailing the North Sea
oil on canvas
40 x 50cm - (16"x20")
painted on location - Sun 4 March 2012

painted over - no longer exists

This work is characterized by simplicity, space, and air, three qualities we can all use a little more of, don't you agree? Especially for us urban dwellers, here in The Lowlands. The mist has just lifted, the Sun is trying hard to spread its nuturing light on this part of the planet, however the thick wall of clouds is keeping it at bay! The fresh breeze helps these sialors manouver their vessels in the direction of the harbour, they have just taken part in a fun regata.

View of the 'ZANDMOTOR' Project, from Kijkduin

Gezicht op de 'ZANDMOTOR', Kijkduin, NL
oil on canvas
30 x 80 cm
painted on location - Thurs 10 Oct 2011 


Dear Readers, Here you have a view of the latest extension to our small yet powerfull country, here in The Lowlands! This man made peninsula, has been created to further continue the growth of South Beach, The Hague. The natural erosion of the peninsula, due to the waves, will transport the sand to the beach, thus preventing it (South Beach), from being washed away, due to threatening future storms! That, my friends, is the theory, now I guess we'll get to see if it actually works. I'm sure it will, as Dutch Landscape Engineering, is superb! It is still not ready for beach goers to walk out on the Zandmotor, as the works still continue to this day, however, just like that elderly couple are taking in the view, one can get a good look at it from Kijkduin. On the horizon a cargo ship approaching the harbour of Rotterdam.

The North Sea, clouds and shadow

de Noord Zee
oil on canvas
60 x 70 cm
painted on location - Wed 22 June 2011 and June 2012     (no longer exists!)

Why I'm posting this work now and not earlier, God only knows! Painted during the Noordwijk Painters Festival, one of 4 paintings I made that day, and let me tell you, what a day it was!!! Have a look at the picture below, that's me working on this very painting. I even made the National News here in The Lowlands that day. Rain, wind, Sun, more wind, less rain, more Sun, then no Sun, and more high winds,... as you can clearly see in the painting, Dutch clouds were the order of the day, and taking advantage of this were the hard core kitesurfers. Not like most of the other painters that day, who stayed indoors, I braved the elements, mind you I did position myself next to a beach cafe, thus somewhat protected from the wind. As a result, the freelance photographer, Johan Westra, who was looking for subjects to shoot, found me.

The red beach towel

't rode strandhanddoek
oil on canvas, 150 x 30cm
painted on location - Fri 16 Sept 2011


Here is something different, for a change! Up to now have made these so called, 'vertical format seascapes' a modest hieght of 100cm. As most of you know, Holland is re-knowned for its lovely clouds. Well, with this format, I have choosen to focus the attention to the them, by covering most of the surface of the canvas with sky. Again, as taking pictures of these format paintings does not justify the details


Just to give you an idea of the size of this painting!

View of Scheveningen from Wassenaarseslaag

Gezicht op Scheveningen vanaf Wassenaarseslaag
oil on canvas
20 x 50 cm - (8 x 20 inches)
painted on location - Wed. 14 Sept 2011
no longer exists

Yes folks that's sand you see on the surface of this canvas! With a very non hospitable wind force, I still decided to tackled this scene. Setting up my gear about 8 meters from the shoreline, I got down low, thus worked on my knees. This was the 2nd painting made, both excuted as quickly as possible, as the sand found its way into my eye sockets as well. Very irritating let me tell you! When I started painting there was much more blue sky, as you will see in the next posting. I felt confident enough to knock off this little canvas, even though the sky was showing signs of rain. It eventually did start pouring down on me I carried on working for about 7 minutes but had no choice but to pack up.

A Calming Sea view with yellow bouy

Rustgevend zee met gele boui
oil on canvas
20 x 140 cm
painted on location - Thurs 25 August 2011



You come home from a rough day at the office. You battle your way through heavy traffic on the motorway. You turn on the tube, and all you see is violence and mostly disturbing situations. What the hell, is it all coming to, you ask......Well, the good news is, there is still hope, there is still sanity, if all you will do, is look for it...... Il pittore makes it his business to look for it. But not only that..... to record it and to bring it into your home, is what il pittores mission in life has proven to be. Is there some value in this? I certainly think so, and if only you will allow yourself the luxury of re-experiencing that perfect moment, in time and space, that il pittore experienced, on location, with his paints and canvas, you might find that your own being would benefit from his efforts.

Path to the Sea, Westduinpark, The Hague

Nieuwe Pad naar Zee, Westduinpark, DH
oil on canvas - 60 x 90 cm
Fri 29 April and Sun 01 May 2011

painted over, no longer exists

What a difference a day makes! If you look at the painting on the bottom of this post, you will see just what I am talking about! Today, I present to you a repainting of the same scene, as depicted on the bottom picture, (which btw was paintied on 29 July 2010). Something about that painting made last summer, just didn't sit right with me. I finally decided to re-work it, opting for a more serene situation of the same view. Thus no clouds, and less growth in the flora, to calm things down. The municipality has taken away one of the paths, allowing for nature to fill in vacant space. Incidentally, this path leads to the sailing club and the strecht of beach that I so often paint.

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.

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.

Path in the dunes, Summer Splendor

Pad naar de Noord Zee, Westduinpark, DH, Zomers Schoonheid
oil on canvas
60 x 90 cm (nice size, not too big and not small)
painted on location - Thursday 29 July 2010

Painted over, no longer exists.

Welcome back to all you that were on vacation. As you can see, provided the right conditions, you have all the wonders of Natures' beauty, right at your doorstep (that is provided you live in The Lowlands!). So next year, get yourself a good pair of hiking shoes, or a decent touring bicycle (feits in Dutch), and enjoy what beauty that can befall your eyes, right here in Holland. Of course the food is not as good and affordable as you could find in Italy or France. However, when your camping, or staying at a bungalow park, along the North Sea coast, with a bit of creativity and the right ingredients, you can easily cook up a tasty pasta dish. Back to the painting, bright sunny day with scrumptious fluffy clouds, casting shadows, creating the right contrasts, in order for you the viewer to easily digest this colorfull visual display, on a splendid summers day.



Just for your interest, the same scene painted this yaer in the winter

A beautiful day at Wijk Aan Zee, NH

Mooie daag bij Wijk Aan Zee, NH
oil on canvas
40 x 100 cm
painted on location - Thurs 20 may 2010


No this is not a copy of the posting made on Wed. 26th of May. In fact this work was made almost a week before that painting. The same beach, yes, but have a close look, you will notice that the prespective is different. On this painting I'm postioned somewhere about the middle of the beach, on the other one I was very close to the shoreline. The atmospheric conditions on this one are less dramatic, sea vapour is clearing up, promising azure sky on the way. This was painted on a week day, thus the beach is less populated, the other one was made on a national holiday. There are times when being on location working in such ideal conditions, is such a privilidge, man am I ever gratefull, my expereince at Wijk Aan Zee has been great fun. Hope you are enjoying these images.

Beach Scene # 5, Texel, Holland

Strand gezicht #5, Texel, NL
oil on canvas
50 x 100 cm
painted on location - Sat 10 April 2010

As one can clearly see in this view, the sand is actually raising higher at the horizon line. This is not to common on beach paintings, but as I said on one of the postings from this series, the sand of the beachs here are being sculpted by an invisible hand, due to high swirling winds from the North. The heavy volumonous clouds over the horizon line are just beginning there journey to cover this beach and much of the island, in fact those are the cumulus clouds that I featured on that small painting of the previous posting.

Lighthouse, Texel, Holland

Vuurtoren met s'avonds licht, Texel,NL
oil on canvas
40 x 50 cm
painted on location - Friday 9 April 2010

Just behind me and above my left shoulder the Sun was beginning its descent. Thus the colors in the sky and land are bathed in warm hues. The lighthouse absorbs the light in a rather fashionable manner, casting off a remarkable hue of Cadmium red. These Islands are renowned for their lighthouses, I'm sure that the American artist, Edward Hopper (1882-1967), would have delighted in painting them. Just to give you an idea of the size of this building structure, I painted two figures walking up the dune.

View of The North Sea with Scheveningen trawler

Scheveningse sleepnet visser boot op de Noord Zee
oil on canvas
60 x 80 cm
painted on location - Mon 15 March 2010

painted over, thus no longer in existence

The colors were so inspiring at the Sea yesterday morning that I opted for a view of the sky and water rather than a path in the dunes. The result is for you to enjoy. Mind you this situation lasted the better part of 45 minutes, afterwhich the heavens became overcast with clouds to the point were no celestial blue sky was visible. Setting myself up on a spot, in the dunes, risking the chance of getting a fine (boete) from the local authorities, I had this rather brilliant vantage point. That trawler made a good model and was just what I needed to give a reference of location to this scene.