So my short adventure drew to an end. On the way back I was keen to stop in at Clanwilliam for coffee and a snack but chose instead to gone on further to the Algeria road to have a dip in the Olifants river. The water was lovely and cool and I sat on a sand bank and painted this watercolour of bridge:
Olifants River Bridge
My thoughts were on home I have to say
I was keen to get the water right which I think I have improved on. The shapes in the river bank were MUCH more interesting than I have shown. This is a kind of cross composition. Definitely one for the studio.
And then it was on through the Swartland to home.
While I stayed with Basie and Annette we watched a discussion about poetry between Andre P Brink and Breyten Breytenbach, two giants of Afrikaans literature. Andre Brink spoke with such heart about his love for poetry. It was awe inspiring in a gentle ordinary kind of way. I had been looking at the mountains all the through the Olifants valley and stopping to take photos. And when I returned, on the road between Stellenbosch and Somerset West I was struck by the great beauty of our little corner of the Boland. Driving round the back of the Helderberg I marveled at the pretty peaks and valleys of our town’s little peak – The Helderberg.
And I thought of the words of TS Elliot from “Little Gidding” :
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
I am amazed by the mountains in this image. The blue/violet/grey color is so beautiful next to the clear blue sky.
The water in this image is spot on. I like the glass-like reflective quality you were able to achieve wet-in-wet. It’s almost like the hills are hugging the cross, Stephen, and I like that touch. The quote fits your story perfectly.