Ama Choje

Well, it has been a while since I last posted. Have been distracted by many other things and so have not had as much time to paint. But I am glad to say that I have finished another painting belonging to the series I have renamed, "Life in the Northern Cape" and no longer "Op die Plaas".

My husband and I were privileged enough to go up to Augrabies Nature Reserve three weekends ago. Wow, it is a definite must see. The drive from Upington, all the way to Augrabies, is full of interesting towns, padstals, scenery and people. This is where I got the inspiration from for this painting.

Quiver trees (otherwise known as Kakerbome in Afrikaans or Choje to the indigenous San people) are quite common in this upper Northern Cape area of South Africa and they spread into Namibia. They are quite interesting looking trees.

Driving home from Augrabies, I was taking random photos of people walking along the road (good references) and managed to catch this one guy walking with his brightly coloured umbrella. I thought that this was sooooo South African. And so after some conceptualisation, I was able to combine two awesome things that make South Africa, South Africa.

Ama Choje
Life in the Northern Cape Series

900mm x 700mm (Acrylic on Canvas)

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2017. All rights reserved.

After the Rain

I'm on a roll here! I'm really enjoying painting these new ideas in this series ("Life in the Northern Cape"). I was inspired by a photo I took of these two ladies who were walking just outside a town called Christiana as we were driving back to Postmasburg from Jo'burg. I also had to throw in the tree, which is not just any tree, it is a Witgatboom (or for the English translation - the Shepherd Tree) which is a protected species.

I have named this "After the Rain" because of the awesome 'wet' texture and feel my paint and brushes made for the ground area. It looks like it's just rained to me. One of the things of the Groen Kalahari is the beautiful golden light that radiates across God's creation about an hour before the sun sets. I tried to capture that golden hour with the brightly saturated colours. I feel that the bright colours also give the painting a sense and feeling of hope, new beginnings.

After the Rain
Life in the Northern Cape Series
(Size: 800mm x 600mm. Acrylic on Canvas)

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2017. All rights reserved.

The Iron Workhorse

I have been quite inspired by my previous windmill painting and a good friend here in Postmasburg, to do a series now of what I should call the 'Op Die Plaas Series', until I come up with a better name for them! (Additional note from 23 November 2010: I have a better name now than that one, it is "Life in the Northern Cape").

This tractor was from one of the reference pictures that I took in a little town called Olifantshoek, one Sunday afternoon. My husband and I stumbled upon a scrapyard of tractors and a variety of other metal things that were interesting, whilst exploring the small town. It's always good to keep your camera on hand as a creative person, because you never know when you might come across something interesting that needs recording for future use!

I started off with similar base colours as The Windmill painting: a combination of browns, greys and that bright aqua blue that I love so much. I really like what is happening with the right rear wheel. That is just a few simple yet effective brush strokes that create the form of the wheel. It is only effective because the brushstrokes and colours are placed in the 'right' place - it is visually pleasing and correct giving you an impression of the real thing. This is one of the key elements that separates the true talented artists from the average hobby painter when it comes to creating a master piece. Not that I am on the level of anyone famous yet... but I am working on it.

The Iron Workhorse
Life in the Northern Cape Series
(Size: 800mm x 600mm. Acrylic on canvas.)

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2017. All rights reserved.

The Windmill

I have just completed this painting today. I started it a couple of weeks ago when I was inspired by a rustic and crudely welded model windmill that my husband and I bought on the side of the road in Postmasburg. Because it was such a beautiful, sunny day I decided I had to start this painting on the grass outside. I got my paints, my water jars, my canvas and the windmill and plonked myself on the small piece of grass outside our house. It was so awesome.

After about an hour or two of painting, I realised it was missing something. So I left it for a few days to let it settle and to let my mind relax because I could feel myself tensing up. This is not a good thing for me because when I tense up, I then mess up the painting by either overworking it or wanting to destroy it because it's not turning out how I would've liked it to. It really helps just to let it stand for a few days.

Then after a few days, I remembered this 600ml tube of Burnt Sienna that I had bought by mistake (I usually buy Raw Sienna) and had kept it because I thought I should increase my range of colours in my palette. I had just been using some of the Burnt Sienna in an illustration and thought that it would compliment the aqua/turquoise colour quite nicely. So I bravely added the colour, hoping that it would be an improvement - and it was! I then added reds and yellows and more Raw Sienna. It landed up being more vibrant than what I expected.

Would be great to hear your comments!

The Windmill
Life in the Northern Cape Series
(Size: 600mm x 700mm. Acrylic on canvas.)

Please note that this painting has been sold. Visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za
All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2011. All rights reserved.

So today is my birthday. I got really spoilt by my lovely husband and family. Thanks everyone for your birthday wishes. My Dad made me this awesome "card" that landed up turning into a framed piece of art that I thought I would share with you. You are an inspiration Dad! Check out his website on www.peterfincham.co.za - he is a fantastic artist :)

Hand

My hand. It's good to do a sketch a day. I still have to get into that habit.

Visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za
All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2011. All rights reserved.

Woman with Sticks

For lack of a better name! Whilst driving around the town, attending to some errands, I spotted these two people walking with sticks on their heads. It was a Mom and a daughter (from what I could see). So I trailed them and managed to get a few good shots of them from my camera. I always keep my camera with me, in case I see anything interesting.

I did a rough sketch of the Mom (see left).

I then decided to do a charcoal sketch of her in another surrounding, including a very cool bicycle that I spotted resting against one of the trees in town. It wasn't too happy with the composition of the first one, so decided to a second one with a different composition. It did seem to come out a bit better. I think I will have to turn these into a painting though.

Sketch 1

Sketch 2


Please contact the artist if you are interested in any works on this blog on artist@christytempies.co.za.
Visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za
All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2011. All rights reserved.

Orchid Series

I have finally finished my orchid series, which consists of three very different orchid paintings. My art teacher, Claudia, who I no longer have as an art teacher because I have stopped with my art lessons (I think I officially graduated after 5 years worth of training under her), suggested that we each do a series of orchid paintings and discuss it as we go along. Well, there were some mixed feelings that I experienced whilst painting these three - joy, excitement, discouragement and fear to name a few. Here they are:

Orchid Series Number 1:

(Size: 500mm x 700mm. Acrylic on Canvas.)

Please note that this painting is for sale.

Please contact the artist if you are interested on artist@christytempies.co.za.

This one turned out the most realistic. It was the first one that I painted. I did not plan it to be so realistic, but I think it worked out nicely. The background was a bit tricky. At one point I was quite worried about the background because it had too many different textures and colours happening in it that it distracted the eye away from the focal point - the orchid. I managed

to persevere and fix it by using a purple/maroon mixture of acrylics to "tone" it down (which compliments the purple in the middle of the orchid very nicely). It worked out really well in the end.

Orchid Series Number 2:

(Size: 900mm x 700mm. Acrylic on Canvas.)

Please note that this painting is for sale.

Please contact the artist if you are interested on artist@christytempies.co.za.

This is my favourite one. I really enjoyed this one. Sorry... it does have a reddish colour cast. I need to take a new photo. At one point, I did fear that I had overworked the top petal of the orchid. But managed to save the painting by stopping myself from painting more on the overworked area to fix it. Instead, I worked a little more on other areas, such as the bottom left corner, which helped balance it out. After doing the first orchid painting, I really made an effort with this one to go more abstract. I did manage to achieve that to point, I think I still need to work on my abstracts! But, I love this painting for what it is and to me, this painting is very fresh and energetic.

Orchid Series Number 3:
(Size: 400mm x 400mm. Acrylic on Canvas.)

Please note that these paintings are for sale.

Please contact the artist if you are interested on artist@christytempies.co.za.

The final one of the series (as my reference plants from Claudia are still in JHB, and now I am in Postmasburg - no orchids here, just cactus plants!). It is a diptych (2 canvases, one picture). This one I finished today, after letting it stand half finished for about 2/3 weeks (not advisable!). It was almost done though, then we had to move. Anyway, this one I also tried to be more relaxed and tried to be more abstract too. The colours landed up being very bright and rich, which was a happy accident. It has some nice curves that makes it flow quite nicely.

Please note that 30% of the sale of these paintings will go to Realstart.
Please visit their website to see the positive impact they are having on the youth of South Africa at http://realstart.org/ 
 
Visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za
All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2011. All rights reserved.

The New Beginning

So a new life begins in the small town called Postmasburg, in the Northern Cape. We recently moved to this small town from the big city, Johannesburg. It's a temporary move. My aim here is to practice, practice and practice art and illustration. I love doing art, I love being able to create new things. And now is the perfect opportunity to finely tune the talents that God has so graciously given me.

I must say that being able to do art full time is not very easy. It takes a lot of self-discipline and will-power to stand, for more than just a couple of hours a day, behind the easel. But who said that it would be easy? It's a battle worth fighting.

I have scouted out the town and hope to sketch many scenes from this small town. There are interesting things to see here and record. I sat outside the Postmasburg Primary School yesterday to see if I could sketch anything. I found a couple of plants... but it did not turn out so well because I did not have the right material to draw with. I was using a charcoal pencil thing, but I really should've taken charcoal instead. Next time, will hopefully be a more profitable drawing experience!

Please contact the artist if you are interested in any of the works on this blog on artist@christytempies.co.za.
Visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za
All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2011. All rights reserved.