ALBERTA SNOW

Posted on September 15, 2014 by splashingpaint

Right now in Canada trees should be turning brilliant colors, temperatures should be starting to fall and preparations for winter should be just around the corner. We arrived in brilliant sunshine, enjoyed that for a couple of days then woke up to a huge dump of out of season September snow. Overnight temperatures dropped to minus 10 degrees, roads were closed, power supplies were interrupted and tree limbs littered the streets – inconvenient for the local residents but an amazing site for us.

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Twisted foothills of the Rocky Mountains

Elbow River

These guys are the double decker bus version of a domestic cow

Wyeth like.

Warm fire on a cold night at Lyla and John’s

Small lake in the mountains above Banff

Mountain Goats learning to eat rocks

Driving through the snow covered prairies north of Calgary was a fantastic sight – soft, bleak and grey.

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Canadian optimism – Solar powered stop sign

Badlands

Winter wood

Kila

CARNARVON GORGE / BLACKALL

Posted on August 7, 2014 by splashingpaint

A workshop in Blackall provided a great excuse to head off a couple of weeks early and spend some time in the Carnarvon Gorge / Salvator Rosa area of central Queensland before settling in for the workshop.

Carnarvon Gorge is a spectacular collection of sheer sandstone cliffs, narrow side gorges and pockets of rainforest.

Light spills briefly into one of the damp, narrow side gorges.

Palms and ferns grow in the protected pockets of the main gorge.

Strangler figs engulf anything in their path.

The surrounding country side is in the grip of drought, but permanent springs keep the creeks and waterholes in the gorge full of water.

Strange textured fungus.

After a few days exploring Carnarvon Gorge we looped around to the North and came back into the western end of the Carnarvon Ranges at Salvator Rosa. The access roads quickly become impassable as soon as rain falls. With no prediction of rain we were confused heading into this looming black sky. It turned out to be a mixture of suspended dust and smoke from nearby fires. It made for an amazing orange light as the sun set.

Exploring some of the tracks around Salvator Rosa was hard peddling in the sand and bulldust, but a lot of fun.

The fine bulldust mixed with coarse sand make this kangaroo’s footprint so detailed you can even see the texture of the pads on his foot.

We left Salvator Rosa and headed via Tambo to Blackall where we stayed in the Living Arts Centre for the workshop.

The Living Arts Centre was formerly a hostel for school students from the outlying stations. Students now attend boarding schools in the city, so the premises has been converted to accommodation and studios.

The studios are spacious and filled with light. Our painting was punctuated by excursions to numerous places of interest around Blackall. We visited “Alice Downs” where Jacky Howe broke the record for blade shearing – 321 sheep in 7 hours and 20 minutes back in 1892. The record still stands today. We enjoyed great meals supplied by the “Marmaladies” from Blackall and also dined at a number of restaurants around the town, including a memorable feast, slow cooked in a wood stove at the wool scour.

Another local hero was Roy Dunne, who jumped his goat, Nugget, over a 3’6″ bar in 1905 – another world record feat.

Mustering cattle for the Thursday cattle sale in Blackall.

Long neglected fuel pump.

Stu Benson first drove cattle at the age of 12 and has been a proud Blackall resident all his life. His stories of the town and knowledge of the area are captivating.

Hypnotic local goats.

Blackall wool scour – amazing steam driven chaos brought back to life.
Many thanks to Sally Campbell and her enthusiastic helpers for a fantastic workshop in Blackall.

ANNECY, FRANCE

Posted on June 17, 2014 by splashingpaint

With a couple days up our sleeves before the French Painting Workshop started, we had time to get our bearings and explore the lake and old town of Annecy. The town is just over the Swiss border and sits on a a series of canals that run out of a beautiful, spring fed lake. The town and lake are surrounded by the spectacular French Alps, so that postcard feeling of alpine bliss is everywhere.

Two small Painting Inspectors watch with a critical eye.

There is very little the French wont eat. We enjoyed snails, frogs legs and a selection of various internal organs transformed into mouth watering delicacies in this little restaurant.

Annecy hosted the International Animation Festival while we were there.

This giant inflatable screen and elaborate sound system provided a lake side outdoor venue for the festival.

Red chairs in the rain.

Lecturers from the Annecy Conservatorium pose for us as we paint the ancient entry door.

We had rain on the first day of the workshop then, fortunately, fine weather for the remainder

Annecy public gallery in the old castle.(Noreen dancing sideways)

Wild wooden horses

Border confusion.

Produce Markets keep the town busy three days a week.

Fromage

Tiger riding bike

Straw to line the nest.

This dog carries brandy to lost soles in the alps

Day one, painting in the rain

CORDOBA & GRANADA

Posted on November 27, 2013 by splashingpaint

Oops, Sorry, late post – forgot to hit the publish button

Heading south, the Spanish countryside becomes more densely packed with olive trees and much of the architecture has a strong islamic influence.

In Cordoba, horses are taught to dance…

…or transport visitors around the town

The Mezquita and the Cathedral of Cordoba is an amazing structure. After being blown away by the scale and beauty of the Mosque, you discover a huge Christian Cathedral right in the middle

The decoration is mesmerising. The more you study it the more intricate it becomes.

Cordoba Cathedral

More Photos from Granada and the Alhambra.

TOLEDO

Posted on October 10, 2013 by splashingpaint

From Barcelona to Toledo on a train traveling at 300kph makes taking photographs difficult. The countryside is sparse and dry, dotted with olive groves and small dwellings. To travel slowly through this region of Spain would be fantastic.

The old town of Toledo is perched on a hill surrounded, almost entirely, by a river and protected by high stone walls

Bus loads of visitors invade the town during the day. Once the sun goes down visitors are replaced by locals heading off to bars and restaurants.

We were lucky enough to catch a concert in the square outside the cathedral. 9:30 the square was empty – by 10pm you couldn’t move. The music was great and the acoustics, created by the perimeter of complex facades, amazing.

The old town starts to stir around 6am with people heading off to work.

By 7am the sun rises and beams straight through the main arch into town.

These guys, in the Jewish area of the old town, spend their day tap, tap, tapping with tiny little hammers to make intricate gold jewellery.

BARCELONA

Posted on October 5, 2013 by splashingpaint

Everything is extreme in Barcelona – the food, the fashion, the bars, the music and the architecture.

Antoni Gaudi’s amazing buildings dot the city and have become some of the city’s major tourist attractions.

Sagrada Familia – still under construction after 120 years.

Barcelona balconies – making a medieval facade look like a Gaudi facade.

Some of the architecture prior to Gaudi was pretty wild and elaborate too.

9:30 at night and the city starts to come alive – bars and restaurants start to fill around 10 or 11 and crowds are heading home as the sun comes up.

Nail Polish pink Vesper.

Man with dog and sidecar.

The Barcelona Maritime Museum had an exhibition of giant puppets used for festival performances in the city. It’s a weird feeling standing next to these huge papier mâché figures, twice the height of an average human.

Sailing into Barcelona Harbour.

Tiring work selling candles.

Ham in Spain is an art form. Jamón de bellota, made from acorn-fed black-footed Spanish pigs fetches up around 200 Euro/kg for the best quality. The markets in Barcelona have hams ranging from thirty Euro/kg upwards and the vendors are happy to coax you into purchasing by slicing off tasty samples.

Barcelona’s Maritime museum is housed in beautiful old ship building warehouses near the waterfront.

This is a replica of the Royal Galley which was built in Barcelona in 1568 and was the dominant warship in the Mediterranean up until the 17th Century. The ship was 60 meters long and powered by 59 oarsmen.

Inside the galley is not near as impressive as outside.

Subtle Spanish sneakers.

Barcelona Beach architecture.

TUSCANY, CINQUE TERRE, CHIANTI

Posted on September 17, 2013 by splashingpaint

A few days in a villa outside San Gimignano exploring the countryside and villages is a great prelude to a painting workshop.

Amanda and Gordon, our tour guides for the workshop, chauffeured us through the vineyards and olive groves of Tuscany, exploring the countryside to discover the best painting destinations, vineyards and restaurants.