Habib says to master any form of art one has to practice painting still life. I Must say I am beginning to agree with him. Last week was a disaster, and I think possibly because I am still learning, but also I didn't like what I had to paint. This week has been great. I loved painting my wooden spoons in Ma's old white jug...and the checked jharan. .Today at class we decided on an arrangement of fruit, which proved a challenge, but I loved it.
I find I look forward to my afternoons now, not to sleep, but to paint!!!!

Lagos

The view of Lagos from David's terrace. I seem to have messed up the sea a bit, and will probably paint this again...but its a wonderful reminder. It was hot...not humid, but pleasantly hot and impossible to pint from the terrace, so did the drawing and then have painted the rest from a photograph that I took.

the colours of Portugal

The colours of Portugal. A pot of geraniums in front of the wonderful green door in the varandah. A typical cobbled street with sheer white houses and so many plants!

The olive tree in Lagos

What an amazing holiday in Portugal! Ever since I have started painting I seem to be consciously aware of colours around me, tones and shades and have this constant urge to capture as much as I can....I guess all aspiring artists feel the same. What struck me was that the colours of the country are so different to ours in India...the sea is an amazing blue, the trees with shades of greens and browns which needed me to mix different colours than I would do at home to get those tones. During our drive from Lisbon to Lagos in the Algarve we drove through Alenteju. The countryside was dry and dotted with cork and olive trees. I was facinated that in the hot sun the tops of the olive tree leaves shine almost silver!
I managed to do a little painting while at David's place. The atmosphere was great for that, and I was inspired by all the colours and the general feeling of well being that I seem to feel throughout. This is a 400 year old olive tree in his garden. I did 2 versions of it...Naeeda liked the first so has taken it!