"Bucket full of Coloured Roses"

150 x 200mm Oil on Board
"Bucket full of Coloured Roses"

I want to rush out six or so of these to give out as Christmas pressies. What do you think?
Bob

"Buffalo"

1150 x200mm
Oil on Board
"Buffalo"

I can think of a hundred smart names for this painting, but I'll leave it to you.
Bob

"Basic Instinct II"

150 x 200mm
Oil on Board
"Basic Instinct II"

"Basic Instinct"

150 x 200mm OIl on Board
"Basic Instinct"

An afternoon spent on the back of a speeding Landrover dragging a dead rat on a string eventually resulted in an acceptable image of this cheetah, running head on with all of its feet in the air. The sun was setting very quickly as the saturated colours reflect.

Bob

"Hibiscus 2'

150 x 200mm
Oil on Board
"Hibiscus 2"

"Hibiscus"

150 x 200 mm
Oil on Board
"Hibiscus"

To-day I declare flower day. For all the females that view my site, please take one of the hibiscus flowers and place it in your hair behind your ear. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are. The flower will not detract from your beauty, but it will enhance it. It will make your smile brighter, your embraces warmer and your scones tastier. Have a beautiful day ladies.

You guys, just pretend that there is a beautiful girl in a grass skirt walking along a sun drenched beach with a flower in her hair and her arms wide open. She’s telling you that breakfast is ready at the St. Geran Hotel.

Bob

"Speed 1"

150 x 200 mm Oil on Board
“Speed 1″ - Running Cheetah.

I have tried to capture the speed and the excitement of this Cheetah giving chase to a small bok. The background and foreground , in my opinion, are irrelivant and would detract from the theme of speed.

Many purists will hate this rendition. I like it. Am I right or wrong? It really would be interesting to hear.

Thanks
Bob

"Cheetah"

150 x 200mm
Oil on Board
"Cheetah"

I used a pallet knife to paint the background. I thought that by so doing ones eyes would remain principally on the subject. I don’t think that it detract too much from the Cheetah.

What do you think?

Bob

"Self Portrait"

150 x 200
Oil on Board
"Self Portrait"

Every Artist at some time or other attempts to paint a self portrait. I was just about to cut my ear off, but thought that it would take too much Rose Madder paint and I'm running a bit low. So I decided against it.
I thought I would try to make myself look as ugly as possible. I actually look like Brad Pitt, but quite honestly I find the fan mail irritating, let alone all the groupies hanging around outside my house. So here goes, take it or leave it.
Bob

'Manfred'

150 x 200mm
Oil on Board
'Manfred'


Sixty one and a pain in the proverbial, but he's my pal and I like him.

"My Father"

150 x 200mm
Oil on Board
"My Father"

Ninety one and still going strong.

"Untitled Red Abstract"

150 x 200mm
Oil on Board
"Red Abstract"

I Realy like the harmony of these colours. Red usually evokes a feeling of warning, panic, etc, but not here for me.
I kind of see a beautiful girl in a silk dress made from a material with this design.
What do you see?
Bob

"Mother"

200 x 200mm
Oil on Board
"Mother"

This is my likeness of my Mother aged 86, from a photo taken last week.

She’s a funny old biddy. She has religiously phoned me once a week from the UK, and just lately now that the phone calls are much cheaper, once or twice a day, to see if my wife is giving me enough to eat. Don’t get me wrong, Lyn, my wife is the one who inherits everything, as she is ma’s favourite daughter. She forgets now. She’ll tell me something two or three times in the same conversation. She always kept herself young, by mixing with young people. She used to golf alot and always liked a good laugh.

I hate to see her looking so old. I hate to see me looking so old.

Young people out there….grab every single second of to-day and wring life out of it. You’ll never see to-day again. Also be careful what comes out of your mouth. Most things do indeed come to pass.

You can’t go far wrong by saying “I love you”, now and again.

Bob

"Field of Poppies"

"Field of Poppies"
200 x200 mm
oil on board

You know I paint because I’m incapable of doing anything else since I was handed an incurable lung desease. But besides really enjoying the discovery of art and all of its facets, I have found that it has taken me on another parrallel discovery.

I joined a forum in America http://www.wetcanvas.com/ . I made many friends and discovered many new ways of approaching art. I started off by painting subjects that I could see. Animals, portraits, etc etc I still enjoy painting these subjects from time to time. But the best, the real challenge, is to paint what you can see in your mind and not with your eyes.

Try and envisage an abstract painting and put it onto canvass. It’s not easy. You may think it’s just slapping paint on canvass. Well I guess it can be sometimes, but I haven’t found it that way yet. I have found it more of a challenge of discovery than painting a merekat.

“Field of Poppies” - No I don’t think I’ve lost it yet, Maybe I have, who knows?

Anyway, the important point being, I think that you should try all things within reason (ie Say No to Drugs), and discover places, things and maybe most important, YOURSELF and how far you can push your mind. Try it, you’ll be suprised!

You may end up pushing your mind out in business and making a real success of your life.

Bob

"White Rhino and Calf"

150 x 200mm Oil on Board
"White Rhino and Calf"

You know I have spent many years painting white rhinos. The animal has very bad eyesite, allowing one to get up realy close with a bucket of white wash and some coloured paints. The rest is history. Whilst they are sleeping is probably the safest, but one tends to get a bit blaze during the process.
I have no photgraphic eveidence. If anyone comes across one of my painted protegees, please take a picture for me and post it on your blog.
Remember, the Rhino is a very dangerous animal. Do not try this at your local zoo or after you've had a few to drink. The consequences could be dire.
Bob

"Colour my Life"

1) "Smell Me"
2) "Pick Me"









3) "Paint Me"

All 150 x 200 mm Oil on Board

Do yourself a favour to-day. Be extra nice to someone that you don’t even know. They may think you’ve completely lost the plot, but both you and I know that you are actually getting nearer to the treasure. May long life, health, happiness and prosperity be yours forever.

Bob

"Gnood Gnus"

150 x 200 mm
Oil on Board
“Gnood Gnus”

I tried to give the impression of dust, noise, excitement and a sense of on the way home at last. It is the annual crossing of the River Mara by hundreds of thousands of Wildebeest. These are the lucky ones that crossed the river without drowning or getting caught by crocodiles.

Did I get there or did I fail miserably?

"Lesser Gods"

150 X 200
Oil on Board
"Lesser Gods"


This painting is the result of depression. A state of mind I try never to sink into. However due to circumstances and the difficulty to breathe and a mild infection due to my low immunity to attacks from outside my body; I thought "What's the use, I'd be better off dead"
Thanks to my wife who took me to the pulminologist, I came home feeling much better and painted this small painting as a gift to humanity.
It has colour and animals, and leads me away from the rigid self imposed style I am used to. It's difficult for me to go the whole hog yet. I think I'll just stick around with this idea for a while.
Cheers
Bob

"In the Padock"

150 x 200 mm
Oil on Board
“In the Padock”

Away from SA and wild animals for a while. Just longing for those mild summer days in good old blighty. Which brings me to the issue of Chinese crap goods that are taking over the world.

Have you bought anything made in China recently. My wife bought an alarm crock. Of course the instluctions were written in pidgeon Chinglish. I think that the last instruction should be ..Take hammer in left hand and crock in right hand. Bling left hand down on crock and thlow away. China will eventually have all the money in the world. Don’t spend money on Plingle of Scotland. It’s a falacy. There are no Chenese running around the Glens of Scotland, they are all running around Shanghai.

Anyway, thank goodness that they don’t go big on oil paints and brushes. Thay would have no problem breeding a million sable minks to slaughter for brushes. And then all the hairs would fall out.

Bob

"Chui"

150 x 200
Oil on Board
"Chui"

Ever since I had chicken pox, I hate spots. I ended up with a whole lot of extra ones after I finished this painting.
When I was a kid in England, you'd see the occassional lady walking arround with a leopard skin coat. They always looked very sexy. Although I must admit when I saw them I didn't know what sexy meant.
Most African farmers would still like the trade in Leopard skins to continue. I lived in Nairobi for a time, and always remember the people who lived outside of the town complaining that a leopard had just killed the prize dog. You didn't leave your dog outside if you wanted to see it in the morning.
They're still beautiful animals. Deadly silent night time killers.
The "Pink" variety on the other hand make very good comedic actors.
Kiswahili name - Chui.
I know it's a poor attempt, so it would be interesting to tell me how I could improve it.
Thanks Bob

"Flash Dance"

150 x 200 mm
Oil on Board
"Flash Dance"

This amazingly sleek, surgical killer catches about one in five of its prey. Mostly small rodents and animals.

In Swahili they call the animal “Duma”. We Swahili speekers, (I can order a cup of coffee and count from one to ten), know most of the animals’ names.

Anyone know what the Zulu equivalent is? One should imagine that in Xhosa the name would probably be much the same as its English equivalent. ie Cheetah

Anyway, enough of this banter, back to work.

"Dance Classique"

150 x 200 mm
Oil on Board
"Dance Classique"

The painting is heading towards where I should like to be. Loose, etherial and deffinitely not a photo/painting rendition.
Why, because I like it that way. Also, I don't think I have the talent or time to be perfect. No ways I'm going to spend 200hrs on a painting. I guess that's why I'll never earn 10000 dollars for my work. Swings and roundabouts. What you put in you generally get out.
Anyway, am I getting slightly better, or am I generally losing the plot.


C & C welcome.
(all CONTRBUTIONS -10c's dimes,nickels and small CHANGE )
Bob

"Summer Borders"

This is my very first Abstract painting. It took exactly 20 minutes and has no underlying meaning or induendos what so ever. My brain at the moment is an empty canvas.
Please tell me how I can take step 2 to better and brighter abstract art.
I love colour, life, laughter, wine, my wife, my dog, and being able to walk to the end of the garden. (I'm hooked up to oxygen 24/7).
Harsh criticism will be acceptable, gentle criticism will be embraced.
I do not like the word "Nice." I find it offence.
So, have your way with me, I'm an abstract Virgin.
(Think I'll call myself Mad-Ona).

150 x 200 mm
Oil on Board
"Summer Borders"

"Sid the Rocker"

150 x 200 mm
Oil on Board
“Sid the Rocker”

My wife and I were invited away for the weekend to our friends timeshare. Sid spent most of the time that he wasn’t braaiing practising his chords. He decided about two years ago that because he didn’t have the time to learn the guitar when he was a teenager, he’d learn it now at the age of sixty something. All power to him. I started painting about six months ago.

I wonder how long it takes to be a brain surgeon, not long if the specialists in this country are anything to go by. Maybe I can take a six month mail order course from the University of Havana.

I think I’ll stick to painting, and eagerly await Sid’s first album.

Cheers
Bob

"Hippo Opera"

200 x200 mm
Oil on Board
"Hippo 1"


Alt title,
"Horatio Hippotameus, being unused to this end of the river stepped on a rough stone."

"The Hippo had been given one last chance to reach the high note on 'Idols'."

"Mum, Where's me dinner?"

Although great looking animals, it is not true that Hippos make good family pets. The expense of keeping them far outways the cost of relining the pool to allow for a constant flow of weed and detriment from up stream of your home.
Their sleeping habits are far from normally acceptable standards. Prior to sleep they go from room to room stamping on open fires to ensure that they are completely doused.
Prefering to cuddle to the friends, they do however provide desperately needed warmth during the cold winter season. Hippos should be toweled off prior to allowing them to get onto the bed.
Domestic hippos should be ado[pted from the youngest possible age.
The auther prefers sugar hippos to sugar mice. They tend to last longer, especially the pink parts.
Cheers folks.

"The Widebeest Fight Back"

150 x 200
Oil on Board
"Mara Crossing II"

Well they're not really fighting back, but you wouldn't have looked at it unless I changed the title, would you?

A/t Titles:
"Walter Wildebeest takes his family to the beach".

"Last one in's a Gnu!"

"The Wildebeest family decided to fight back and stomp all over the crocodiles".

Light wasn't so good to photograph in, the sun's setting here when you lot in the Southern States are eating your crunches for breakfast. Hope that the Huricane doesn't catch any of you all.

As for my European compatriots; time for a sundowner.
Adios, adeu, tot siens, sayenora, buenos notchas, gutten nacht, god dag
and may the sleep fairy bring you all pleasant dreams!
Cheers
Bob

"Across the Mara"

150 x 200 Oil on Board “Across the Mara”

For those who don’t know or can’t afford “Getaway” magazine, the Mara river runs through the migration route of the Wildebeest / Zebra on their trips to and from grazing.

They are forced to cross the river which just happens to be full of, no, not overflowing effluent, spilled aircraft fuel or household rubbish, but those magnificent natural pool cleaners; crocodiles. It is a natural lottery, run much better than South Africas National lottery, in that it works with deadly efficiency.

I wouldn’t like to have to make the crossing if I was a zebra. Come to that, I don;t think that I would like to make the crossing if I wasn’t a Zebra. Still it’s one of those things that will continue to happen every year. From what I understand, they will shortly have to put up grandstands to allow the hundreds of annual visitors to be able to see better.

Maybe they should make the visitors cross with the animals. Could make for some good photo opportunities.

Cheers

Bob

"Wildebeest"

400x600 Oil on Board
"Wildebeest"

I finished this painting to-day of some wildebeest in the late afternoon sun. You know when you look into the sun and everything looks the same colour, well that was where I was trying to go.

Guess what:I failed. Maybe not. I don't know. I still like the picture. I just wish that I was more skilled. I wanted to put another five or six animals in the background. Either I didn't have the patience or the skill or I'm a rotten artist. I don't know, but I kind of like it anyway. So there.

The white is the flash from my camera.

A peom for Mon amie Canadiane,

The water hole is not far from here. This is more like the Kalahari. You can see the sand dunes in the background. It gets quite hot. Theres a village down the road a mile or so (300 ks) called Hot as Hell You'll find it on the map close to the Botswana border.

“Old Tree at the Water Hole”

I’m sitting here on this old tree,
The sun is sinking in the west.
Doves come in to wet their wings,
In the water hole down below.

Zebras squeeling , wildebeest fight,
Black Backed Jackal look left and right.
Dust reflects the golden rays,
The last rays of the day.

I’m sitting here on this old tree,
The sun is almost down.
Amimals bending at their knees
Quenching a long days thirst.

Lion are coming over dune,
Hyenas running, they’ll drink soon,
Crocs are looking with dead eyes
Their feast will come when something dies.

I’m sitting here on this old tree
The sun has disappeared.
They all see things that makes them run,
The powerful rule the night.

Sounds and smells keep them alive and safe to see the sun
To them it’s life or death, to us it’s just good fun.
The smell of blood, the taste of dust, of hair, of bone, of bile,
It’s more than that. To sit down here ,to sit down here and smile.

Cheers
Bob

"Death in the Afternoon"

150 x 200
Oil on Board
"Death in the Afternoon"





What do you think?
I find that I am becoming more and more of an illustrator and less and less an artist.
You know what I mean, unless there's a highlight in the eye, unless the proportion is technically correct etc etc.
I spent a total of ten minutes painting , in thick lush paint, thick strokes and lots of colour, painting the kill of a beast by a lion.
I wanted to express the pace, the power, the horror.
Did I suceed, or did I fail missabrably?
Should I look a little bit further under the bed, or just pull the covers down?
What do you say?
Should wildlife art be purely illustrative or should it also contain an element of artists licence?
Your Call.

"Prince Charming"

150 x 200
Oil On Board
"Prince Charming"














Heir apparent to all things African.
The rich grazing plains, the dry deserts, the forests and the swamps.



I have this little Lion,
a very likely Lad.
His features are so grand,
He looks just like his Dad.

He's such a playful soul,
He's sitting on my knees.
I hope that when he goes away,
He leaves with all his fleas.


Have a good one.
Bob

"Her Imperial Highness"

150 x 200
Oil on Board
"Her Imperial Highness"

Finished at last, but unfortunately the colours have somehow not transfered properly.
I have named her HIH because that's how I see this mother. She is not Queen, however most animals are affraid of her, because one bite will crack a leg and spell death to any adversary.
She works hard providing for her family, yet is derided as being a dirty and second rate animal whose sexual life is devient. All false.
Her latin name is Crocuta Crocuta. Related more to the Suricate (Meerkat) than to our dogs.

My pet Hyenas name is Crunch,
He has such funny taste.
He eats just anything for lunch,
He says he don't like waste.

I've seen him eat a crockodile,
an Elephant and a cow.
For lunch I've seen him walk a mile,
Here comes an arab dhow.

I wished he wouldn't eat so much,
Be choosey with his diet.
Every time I tell him such,
He tells me to keep quiet.

Bob
Have a good one!

"Walk On By"

150x200
Oil On Board
"Walk On By"

A toasted Warthog Sandwich
with some Achar on the side.
My Elephants in a Parking Place
and they tell me he's too wide.

"Stripes and Ticks"

150x200

Oil on Board

"Zebra Dust Bath"

You guessed it. The stripey, horsey things are dusting themselves to get rid of ticks and bad odours.It's sunset and everyone except the killers are preparing to settle down. The "Psst" of an opening beer can, the "plop" of a bottle of smooth red wine. The smell of "Boerewors dripping fat on the fire. A fillet stake doused in garlic ,origanum and olive oil awaiting it's fate. A Woodland Kingfisher pipes its last call for the night. The Hardidah Ibis fly over screaming like prehistoric Teradachtlyes, coming home to roost.The last "he ha sweeil" of the Zebra the "mew ba gtrh" of the Wildebees.Bats flying around hunting giant sized moths. The "sis si s iiiss" of the insects, a firefly drifts past. In the distance a lion "urrrh, urrrh, urrrrh", tells everyone where he can be found if they're interested. A Leopard slips by, no one will know.

Whilst going out shopping with Zebra,

Steer clear of things black and of white,

There's rumour in town,

of a Hippo who's gown,

came off at a ball late last night.

The dress, although most becoming,

was striped, and a half size too big.

The music was loud

and it whipped up the crowd

Leaving Hippo with leaf of a Fig.

Any dress that was worn by a Hippo,

Although striped and a little too large,

Has a tendency to slip down

If bought as a gown

and shaped like a river boat barge.

Have a good one

Bob

Warthog Poetry

I posted a painting of a Warthog on a Wet Canvas Forum yesterday and Patrick Hedges came back with a Warthog Peom which promted this reply from me.

How many Warthogs have you seen to-day?
A dozen or more is usually the way.

On knees, snout down, their tails in the air,
If your’e lucky, and quiet, you may see a pair.

Of one thing I’m certain you won’t see much of,
Is warthogs in water with all their clothes off.

I’ve seen many animals, prancing around,
but seldom a warthog with feet not on ground.

Awarthog is happiest when covered in mud,
Much happier than any cow chewing her cud.

A beauty a warthog indeed maybe not,
but I’m not a kettle and you’re not a pot.

(A kettle calling the pot black for all those that can’t figure out what I mean)

Warthog

150x200
Oil On Board
"Warthog"

"Oink,oink,oink...snuffle, snuffle.....oink,oink.......squeal.........run,run,run......oink,oink,oink." It's all been said before.

"Suricate"

150x200
Oil on Board
"Suricate"

I love these little guys. They always look so busy and intelligent.
However they must be pretty stupid.
When the Eco-Tourists are around you'd think that they would make themselves scarce.
You see lots of them on their backs squashed flat with Desert Dueller tracks all over them.
Life is full of fun!

Bruise Cruise

150x200
Oil on Board
"Bruise Cruise"
I love these guys. I think that I'm half way to being where I want to be with this painting.

Zebras Fighting

600x400
Oil on Board
"Zebras Fighting"
These guys bite and kick and generally fight like women.

Now that te tour de France has finished maybe I'll be able to paint a bit more.

150x200
Oil on Board
"Girl with a green top"
She looks so cool, don't you just want to eat her?

"The Hole"

150x200
Oil on Board
"The Hole"
The problem is where on earth does one start to dig?

Kids running

"Kids on The Run"
150x200
Oil on Board
Energetic, noisy, full of fun. Don't you like pictures of children playing? I do.

"The Thinker"

150x200
Oil on Board
"The Thinker"

Man Reading Paper

150x200
Oil on Board
"Man reading Paper"
Hopefully I can create a whole new series based on this idea.

This is the Fantasy "Mugabe Falls" and many of us around the world would like to see him not get up again.
150x200
Oil on Board

"Natures Valley"
600x400
Oil on board.
The weather here is freezing and I new that if I went back to Natures Valley I would be much warmer and happier. It's hell trying to get all of the subjects to stay still at the same time, especially the meercats and the ants.

Wednesday June 20th 2007

150x200
Oil on Board
"Hot Stuff at Cheltenham"

150x200
Oil on Board
"Portrait of Lyn"

150x200
Oil on Board
"Namib Mysteries 3"

150x200
Oil on Board
"Namib Mysteries 2"