Monday, 28 March 2011

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.

Wednesday, 23 March 2011

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

Monday, 21 March 2011

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.

Friday, 18 March 2011

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.

Wednesday, 16 March 2011

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.

Sunday, 13 March 2011

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.

Thursday, 10 March 2011

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.

Thursday, 3 March 2011

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!

Sunday, 27 February 2011

Lemmer Inner Harbor, Winter Scene


Binnen Haven, Lemmer, Friesland
oil on canvas
60 x 70 cm
painted on location - Wed. 23 Feb 2011

donated to Canadian Fund raising charity, Oct 2015

Whilst visiting with friends and art collectors living in this quaint village in Friesland, I managed to find the time to make this painting, on one hell of a cold winters day! A few hours after this painting was finished, there lay about 4cm of fresh moist snow on the ground. Although there are a few modern buildings in this village centre, it still retains a charm of the original architecture, thus making it a popular toutist attraction, in the summer season.

Friday, 18 February 2011

Van Oord in action, South Beach, Netherlands


Gezicht op 'de zandmotor', Zuiderstrand, DH, bij Strandsnslag #10
oil on canvas
40 x 100 cm
painted on location - Wed 16 Feb. and Thurs 17 Feb. 2011


SOLD


Not usually my choice of subject matter, but like all the other curious people passing by, il pittores interest for what was going on, was enough to inspire the making of this painting. A scene which is hardly ever visible, as these are once in a lifetime type of projects. Well, for better or for worse, I tackled the scene at hand. What might be of interest for you the viewer of this work to know is exactly what's going on here! You see that ship, not far away, it is actually discharging tons and tons of sand mixed with water, via that object attached on the front of the ship. This sand and water is then transported by a series of complex pumps, tubes, plastic and metal I imagine. This sand finally gets discharged on the beach. You can see it, gushing(flowing) out of a large iron tube, which is just behind the bull dozer featured on the beach. Thus all that water and sand which is being used to widen the beach, is stemming from that ship! The ship has just sucked all that sand from the bottom of the sea about 6 or 7 kilometers away from the shore. The thousands of seagulls are having a feast, because of course all sorts of delicious sea life is mixed up in the sand/water. By the way, Van Oord is the name of one of the companies that is carrying out this complex operation.




Tuesday, 8 February 2011

Panoramic Sea scape with working Ship


Winters zeegezicht
oil on canvas, 30 x 150
painted on location - Thurs 3 Feb 2011
SOLD

Painted the day before the storm arrived here in Holland. We have had four days of very high winds, and life threatening conditions at sea.

!

Friday, 4 February 2011

Winter Canal Scene, Den Bosch


Gezicht op Brede Haven, s'-Hertogenbosch
oil on canvas
40 x 60 cm
painted on location - Tues 01 Feb 2011
SOLD

Indeed a most picturesque corner of this outstanding medieval city. Joining 4 other plein - air painters I/we had a fine day in the citys center. This scene is so pretty that it even withstands the sombre Benelux greys, and still manages to inspire il pittore to give it a go!

Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Cold Sea mist with snow, South Beach


Koude Zee mist met sneeuwe, Zuiderstrand, DH
oil on canvas
30 x 80 cm
painted on location - Sat 29 Jan 2011


This painting was made on the same session, directly after the painting of the previous posting. Thus by the time this work was complete, my bones were chilled! Here is a little poem that I find works well with this image.

Just stepping out to get some air
That is not the wind beneath my feet
Just a breeze so crispy and sweet

Fresh air is all I ask
A moment alone is all I need.


This beach offers just the remedy, for those moments when one needs to be alone.

Monday, 31 January 2011

Snow on the beach


Strand en Duinen met sneeuw
oil on canvas
13 x 18 cm (thus small format)
painted on location - Saturday 29 Jan 2010

SOLD

On my mailing list, and not yet have an original painting by il pittore? Well I can't make it easier for you than this...... A small painting, yet giving you the viewer a vast space to enjoy. Breath in the air, you might even feel the chill in the air. And yes it was bitterly cold. But thanks to the sunshine and hardly no wind, it was managable. I was painting together with my good artist friend, another dedicated plein - air painter, Silvester Peperkamp.

Wednesday, 26 January 2011

The North Sea, in its obstinate clamour


Halsstarrig clamor van de Noord Zee, Strandaanslag # 10, DH.
oil on canvas
30 x 80 cm - (12 x 76 inches)
painted on location - Tues 25 Jan 2011   -    SOLD

Looks like a decent series is starting to develop here! Usually I include much more sky in my seascapes, but am finding that in this compositional style, the eye has a comfortable focus on what's happening in the foreground. And that is were all the action is taking place. Wild, savage waves breaking in thundering sound on a desolate stretch of beach. The play of light, causing cast shadows, and creating earthly colors, bouncing off the natural grasses of the dunes, all contribute for an esentially intriguing moment, here at the # 10 beach entrance, Westduinpark, The Hague.

Sunday, 23 January 2011

La pace sia con Voi


Peace be with You/Verde zij met U
oil on canvas
30 x 80 cm
painted on location - Fri 21 Jan 2011  -  SOLD

Why this title you may ask? Well let me explain...it came to me while I was on location, working on this painting. Something about the gentleness of this scene, had me repeating these words, like a mantra, strange! ....The municipality has taken away all the poles, the barbed wired fence, and the cement pavement leading to this beach. Actually they were removing the poles while I was painting. Thus apart from the small blue square on the right, which is the backside of a sign, you have before you only Nature. Mother Nature in It's purity. A slight glimpse of the sky, the vastness of a gentle sea, reflecting the soft, shadowy light, on a sometimes sunny morning(as the sunlight was sharp for only seconds/minutes at a time). The forground covered mostly with wild dry grasses, serving an important function of keeping the sand dunes in tact. Unfortunately this is only a temporary situation, as everything, will be replaced. I have to think of the Joni Mitchell song, "You take Paradise, and put up a parking lot' Oh well, for me there is something about this scene that lefts my spirit, thus whether you agree with me or not, the title remains!

Thursday, 20 January 2011

Invitation to fun and adventure, Beach entrance # 10, The Hague


Strandaanslag # 10, Zuiderstrand, Den Haag
oil on canvas
60 x 70 cm - (24 x 28 inches)
painted on location - Wed. 19 Jan 2011  -  SOLD




Yes folks, in landscape painting, "the sky governs everything". That's what the English master landscape painter Constable, said many years ago. As you can clearly see in this work, that couldn't be more true. After almost 2 weeks of constant overcast sky, and much rain, despite the cold, it was great to be out working on this scene. I finished it just on time, as it started to rain the minute I was loading my car with the painting gear. It was unbeleivable just how much the scenery changed, whilst I was setting up and working. As soon as I got on location, there happened to be a fantastic rainbow, coming from the zeinth of the sky, extending all the way to the middle of the horizon line! Of course my intention was to get that on canvas, but it had already dissappeared by the time I got my colors and brushes out!

Friday, 14 January 2011

Fishing Harbor, Makkum, Friesland


Vissers Haven, Makkum, Friesland
oil on canvas
40 x 30 cm
painted on location - Wed. 12 Jan 2011

SOLD

Well, when the Sun is not shining, and rain drops are falling on my head, and I'm on a painting excursion with 3 colleagues, being hosted in a luxurious Bed and Breakfast, near this village, what do I do?..... I look for a subject to paint, then of course in this case I need shelter from the rain, so after more than one hour of searching I finally sighted this location. Affording me to stay dry, but not warm, as I was out in the open, at the entrance to someones residence. Parts of the water are frozen, thus this glass like refelection, and the slight movements of the vessels, (for let us not forget they are afloat!), give the water its character.

Wednesday, 5 January 2011

Rolling Wave with seagulls


Winters zeegezicht #1, 2011
oil on canvas
20 x 40 cm
painted on location - Tues 4 Jan 2011

SOLD


Thought I'd start off with a painting of my favorite subject these days. Thus I dared the brisk cold and windy conditions. The shinning Sun is what gave me the inspiration to make this work. As I had to work very quickly, a simple composition of a rolling wave, and seagulls feeding on, I'm not really sure what. As you can see the seagulls are merely hinted at. What I mean is, they are not painted in, feather for feather. They are painted in a way that fits to the painting, because that is what matters. A painting has a language of its own, and the only way to understand the painting is to decode the language. Now my paintings are quite figurative and thus easily readable, but some paintings from abstract artists can really challenge the viewer.

Thursday, 23 December 2010

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!

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

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?


Wednesday, 8 December 2010

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.

Monday, 6 December 2010

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.

Wednesday, 1 December 2010

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.

Monday, 29 November 2010

San Vincenzo Vecchio(AQ) with first snow.


San Vincenzo Vecchio(AQ) met 1ste sneeuw
oil on canvas
40 x 100 cm - (16 x 40 inches)
painted on location - Wed 17 Nov 2010

The 3rd and last of this series. There would have been at least 2 more had the weather been more co-operative! Actually this painting went through a major face lift, as when it was started, the climatic conditions were similar to the first two paintings. However, due to cool temperatures and overcast skies a fresh layer of snow was lift behind in the high altitudes, when the clouds lifted. Thus seen in this work is a combination of snow and very thin layered drifting clouds. The setting is late afternoon, thus the color scheme of the valley is richer and deeper in tone.

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

San Vincenzo Vecchio(AQ) with olive picker


San Vincenzo Vecchio(AQ) met oliijf plukker
oil on canvas
40 x 100 cm
painted on location - Sun 14 Nov 2010

Here you have the 2nd painting made during my little trip to Abruzzo. This time I opted for a more panoramic view of the valley, which by the way is called 'Valle Roveto'. The light on this painting is a little softer as it was made later on in the day, middle of the afternoon, to be precise. Autumn foilage on the distant mountain ranges, mixed with the still intense greens and silverblue hues of the nearby foilage on the trees, create a harmonizing effect on the human eye. Note the shapes of the mountain peaks on the far left of the canvas. One could make out the shapes of a womans hair and face and a little further to the right, a breast, both in upright position. The locals here refer to her as, "La Bella Dormintata", (The Sleeping Beauty)! Hey what do you expect, from those hot blooded Italians!

Friday, 19 November 2010

San Vincenzo Vecchio (AQ), Italy


San Vincenzo Vecchio (AQ), Italie
oil on canvas
60 x 70 cm
painted on location - Mon 15 Nov 2010

Private collection - Sora(FR), Italy

As some of you may have known I made a short excursion to my home town in Italy. With the idea of witnessing and lending a hand, in the olive picking festivities. I must say, as luck would have it, I ended up at an ideal location. I was hosted by a cousin who has a 2nd home in the village shown on this painting. Nestled in a picturesque gentle mountainous valley, with autumn colors still in full splendour, and temperatures reaching will over 20% celsius, il pittore didn't need much convincing to set his easel up in a field above this olive grove! This is the 1st of 3 paintings produced in this region of Abruzzo. Unfortunately we had some rain, thus limiting my production.

Saturday, 13 November 2010

Koerenbrug by night, Leiden


Koerenbrug 's nachts, Leiden
oil on canvas
30 x 80 cm
painted on location on 3 occasions - 8 Oct/2Nov/9Nov 2010(also worked on in studio)
SOLD 

This actually started as a day time painting, but on the second occasion, it started to get dark so early, I was much more inspired by the whole array of light bouncing off all the objects, especially the bridge of course. As I also worked on this painting in my studio, I took the liberty of inventing a more sophisticated monumental scene. If you look at the photogragh below, you will notice that the roof tops on the right are very boring. They probably most likely had this sort of look at one time. However modern day real estate speculators are not usually putting attention on cultural beauty, rather profit turnover. You might also notice just how important format has on visual representation of the scene. I opted for a panoramic type size, whereas the picture is more mechanically conventional. The fact is we see and are comfortable with the panoramic format, as it is truer to our nature.

Monday, 8 November 2010

Path in the dunes, Texel (re-painted)




Pad in de duinen, Texel
oil on canvas
30 x 60 cm
re-worked in my studio - 27 Oct 2010

Just to make things clear, the top painting is the re-painted piece, which is now for sale. The bottom painting was the original version, which of course is no longer available! It is a common practice for artists to re work there own creations, that is when they are not content with the original version! I feel the new version has a greater sense of depth, thanks to the attention placed on the foreground and the toning down of the path. If you look closely you will see that I have added another pole and created a path which leads onto the main one. Next to the new pole I repainted the small tree bringing in warmer tones, thus making it more dominant. In the older version you see that tree barely scketched in. The painting has now a much warmer feel about it, which if my memory serves me correct, was much truer to the situation at hand, when it was painted on location on that refreshing spring morning back on the 16th of April 2010.

Wednesday, 3 November 2010

Autumn colors, woods Bergen NH


Bos met herfst kleuren, Bergen NH
oil on canvas
30 x 90 cm
painted on location - Sunday 31 October 2010

SOLD

It's about 9am on a Sunday morning. That couple are taking their dog out for a walk. They are sharing some nice thoughts. One can't help but to be feel refreshed and in good spirits, in the company of all these healthy life nuturing trees in this wooded area which surrounds the village of Bergen. This was painted just prior to the work featured on the last posting. The splendor of the autumn colors, being reflected in that narrow pond, definitely was my inspiration for the making of this piece.

Monday, 1 November 2010

Soft Autumn colors in Bergen NH


Feitsen door 't centruum van Bergen NH
oil on canvas
40 x 100 cm (16 x 40 inches)
painted on location - Sunday 31 October 2010 SOLD


In my estimation, one of the best paintings I've made of this subject. Made in one session of three and a half hours, it retains a freshness that can only be achived by working on location. It was actually a very dismal day, with a dull overcast sky. I decided to keep the blue of the background, as the sky, thus creating a more cheerful scene. Hell, life is tough enough! Besides my purpose in painting is to create beauty, sometimes reality just has to take a lesser position!
Painting in this style, I take great comfort in the words of the landscape Master painter, John Constable. "Light - dews - breezes - bloom - and freshness; not one of which has yet been perfected on the canvas of any painter in the world!"



Friday, 29 October 2010

Soft autumn day in Delft



Herfst dag Oosteinde, Delft
oil on canvas
40 x 30 cm
painted on location - Thursday 14 October 2010
SOLD


One of my favorite canal scenes in Delft. This time with an accent of autumn colors, makes this view a delight to paint. All those yellow/greenish hues work well with the warm colors of the houses and wall of the canal. Not too obvious is that mother and child walking in front of that pink house on the left, thus the detail below.

Tuesday, 19 October 2010

Sailing on the North Sea


Zeilen op een mooie dag
oil on canvas,20 x 140 cm
painted on location - Sunday 10 October 2010  -  SOLD

This painting was made recently on what was a beautiful day here in The Lowlands! Not a cloud in the sky to speak about, except for that hazy vapor, way off on the horizon. There was some sort of sailing competition going on, thus I had many a variety of sail boats to paint. Amazing that this is the same stretch of water that you see on my previous posting. As the English landscape master John Constable (1776 - 1837) used to say, "The sky is the source of light in Nature and it governs everything." As it is difficult for me to get a sharp image of this format painting, I strongly urge you to have a good look at the detail below (make sure you click on it to see it properly).

Sunday, 17 October 2010

View of the North Sea, Westduinpark, The Hague


Gezicht op de Noord Zee, Westduinpark, Den Haag
oil on canvas
18 x 24 cm
painted on location - Friday 15 October 2010
SOLD

Here I am back at a familiar location. Feeling the need for some peace and to get my head cleared up from what can be defined as ones lifes struggles. I decided to head for this secluded location in Westduinpark, with this spectacular view of the North Sea. Despite the fact that it was not a very suitable day for outdoor painting, (as rain clouds drifted over me on 3 occasions), I nevertheless managed to knock off this small format earthly colored seascape. The light reflecting on the surface of the water was of such an intense light pale green hue, it seemed to be lit up from the bottom of the sea! On the horizon, one can distinguish what gives this country its extreme wealthy finicial position. That tiny dark spot on the horizon is an oil platform. To the right, a tanker, most likely waiting for the price of the oil barrel to increase, thus securing a gaining of millions!

Wednesday, 13 October 2010

Beach Cafe at Wassenaarseslag



Strandpavilijon te Wassenaarseslag
oil on canvas, 50 x 70 cm
painted on location - Tuesday 12 October 2010
SOLD

I'm having some fun here developing what is working up to be a series of oils made at this location. Yesterday was a bit cool, however, as evident in this painting, worth being on location. That never ending famous Dutch light, together with those beautiful Dutch clouds, which seem to be wanting to get somewhere in a hurry, was more than enough inspiration to get me going. Might be interesting for you, the observer to note just how those flag poles were placed in this work. If you check out the detail below, (make sure to click on it), you will clearly see that they were not painted in, but rather the wet paint was removed off, in order for the white from the canvas to show through. Kunst van weglaten, is what they call it in Dutch, The Art of leaving out, in English.


For all you Saint Thomas's out there, proof that I actually make these paintings on location!

Thursday, 7 October 2010

Looking North from Wassenaarseslag


Gezicht van kust vanaf Wassenaarseslag
oil on canvas
60 x 80 cm
painted on location - Sunday 3 Oct 2010       SOLD

Like I mentioned in previous posting, here you have the 2nd painting that was made on that lovely Indian summers day on the beah at Wassenaar. This time the vanishing point takes you to Noordwijk Aaan Zee. I found the pink/rose colour of the windbreakers an attractive accent for the overall composition. The warm tones of the objects on the forefront, combine harmoniously with the cool hues of the sky and sea.


Monday, 4 October 2010

View of Scheveningen from Wassenaar's Beach



Gezicht vanaf Wassenaarseslag
oil on canvas, 30 x 150 cm
painted on location - Sunday 3 October 2010 SOLD

A little off my "beat and track", but not so far. Usually I'm painting on the other side of that small scale skyline and pier, about 3 kilometers done the coast.
I rather enjoyed myself, meeting all sorts of friendly new people. Many 'Expats' live in and around Wassenaar, thus got to speak my native language on a few occasions! The scenery also took me by surprise, somewhat similar to South Beach, The Hague, just a little less built up. Personally I find that attractive, more Nature, less human intervention. Speaking about Nature, I purposely, painted in the horizon quite low, thus affording one to take in and breath all that fresh Sea air, (figuratively speaking of course). Probably the last warm, ideal weather situation this country will experience for a long time. Thus 'il pittore' was rather obligated to pack his gear, and sieze the day! Which I did, getting myself ready the night before, and produced this and another modestly large beach scene.