Christy Tempies (Artist)

Friday, August 4, 2017

Tree on a Hill

It's been a while since I last posted and that means that it has been a while since I last painted. But in the last few weeks I have been able to pick up the paintbrush again.

This is a tree that I saw in the Umfolozi Game Reserve that I thought was beautiful. God's creativity is amazing.

Tree on a Hill

700mm x 500mm x 50mm (Acrylic on canvas)

Click on image for larger version

FOR SALE.

Please contact the artist if you are interested at: christytempiesartist@gmail.com.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Hills of Lesotho

A few months ago, my son and I were taking a walk around the block. I found this large canvas print on the sidewalk. Someone was throwing it out. It looked usable. So I went back later with my husband. He carried it up the hill, back to our house for me. Soon enough it was mounted on the wall (after flipping the printed canvas around so that I could paint on the back of it which was white). It remained there, blank and untouched for a few more months.

Finally, I made the time to paint it. I used a reference pic that my brother-in-law had sent me after visiting the Drakensberg. He had found this Lesotho man looking out over the valley and had taken a photo of him with me in mind. Thinking that this would be a great painting. So here it is!

Side note: The warm glow on the sides of the painting are from the lamps in the living room! A bit hard to take a good photo of this one.

Visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

New Year - New Sketches

It's a new year. I'm inspired again, after moving countries and taking some time to adjust to the new way of life in Southern California. I have less time now, but still a desire to be creative. I hope and pray that I get to do more artwork as time goes by.

I was looking through old photos and found a photo which we had taken on the N3 highway whilst driving from Jo'burg to Durban with my husband, son and Mom-in-law. It was a great photo of some guys on a back of a bakkie (truck - in American). Something not too common in CA, but very common in SA. Although it was a great photo, and I felt the need to use it as inspiration for a sketch, I do not agree with piling people in the back of a bakkie like this. Especially on the highway. Life is so precious.

It is hanging in our dining room. The national anthem of SA has a part to play too: "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (which means "Lord Bless Africa" in Xhosa) was composed as a hymn by Enoch Sontonga in 1897. For us, it is a good reminder every day to pray for our beloved country.

Visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Victory

Victory

700mm x 1000mm x 50mm (Acrylic on canvas)

Click on image for larger version

Victory! It aptly describes the content of the painting as well as the timing of finishing this painting. The reference picture that I used for this painting comes from a Saturday afternoon in Postmasburg while we were playing games with some children at a Bible Club. I really felt that it captured a special moment for these boys after they won a relay game with bean bags.

I started this painting in October 2012, with the intention of having it completed before our baby boy was due to arrive in November. Well, 9 months down the line it was still incomplete. There was a looming deadline, however, that I had to meet: we were relocating to Los Angeles on the 31st of July 2013. So, there I was (as I do best - leaving things to the last minute) finishing the painting on the 31st July in my parents house a few hours before leaving for the airport. When I finished, I thought "Victory! I finished it!"

So, here we are in Los Angeles, as I write this post. My husband is about to start his studies for three years. I hope to continue with my art, so keep watching this space.

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

From the Sketchbook

A few sketches from my sketchbook. Hope you enjoy looking at them!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Dry Point Etching and Sketching

I have been hibernating this Winter. After a few months of not doing much art and taking a break, I was invited to a friend's house where he teaches his Mom, daughters and friends art on a Saturday afternoons. He just recently purchased a printing press on which he can print his dry point etchings. He was gracious enough to let me make my own etching. Choosing the subject wasn't too hard, I felt like sketching a tree - it's a lot less complicated than a person's face in my opinion. And, trees are good to use in this sort of medium.

The etching above is the final one we printed in a burnt sienna ink. The first three etchings we printed in black. The one below is the first print which always is a test run because the ink has to react with the plate and to cut a long story short, the first is always not very good at all. Most times, one will have to go back to the drawing board to etch some more detail. I had to do this. I kept the first print anyway, and thought I would add some more detail to it with some ink. This is the one in black below.

Monday came, and I was still feeling inspired. I thought, "Even though it's cold, and I don't feel like painting much, I can still be productive!" I found this image of fishermen in Sierra Leone and decided to sketch it.

To view more artwork please visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Wash Day

Wash Day

1400mm x 600mm x 50mm (Acrylic on canvas)
Click on image for larger version

Who would've thought that wash day could be so fun? The sun is out and it's time to play. The clothes and blankets hold new adventures waiting to be discovered by the imagination. Let it run, let it play, let it seek and let it find a whole new world. Ahhh, the simplicity of life when you are a child. There is no need for the latest technology or gadgets to be entertained.