Light is Sweet October covers some high watercolour activity, some merch and some great news.  As you may expect from a two-month edition, it is full.

The Exhibition in the White Wine Cellar is up and open. And it just looks wonderful. Each time I walk in and smell the wine maturing and see the work my heart just fills with joy. Such a great opportunity.

The Work looks so good lined up over the barrels.

The whole effect is so dramatic! I love seeing my work up like this.

During each day I stand here and work on a watercolour between visits to the cellar gallery. .

I like this version, particularly the mauve shadow of the dead tree. I can see a few touch-ups required. But pretty much this is done.

And here is the final watercolour I completed before framing and putting up my work.

The view of the manor house from over the wall. This watercolour captures the view of the manor house from the parking lot at the Deli. In Summer the view is framed with foliage and dappled shade. The wild dark shrubbery is led over the wall by the shadow of the trees.

Here are two more watercolours about rivers and rocks. The first is Puddle Rock and the second is the Touw River in Wilderness. There is a link to each blog posting below.

There are some rather different paintings in the collection

The 2025 Calendar is another collectors item and is are almost sold out. Drop me a note if would like to buy one for yourself. We are already into Secret Santa season.

“Light is Sweet” is the official newsletter for SJQ Watercolour. This is intended to show what I have produced in the “month” (sometimes life is full)

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I am talking with a possible partner to complete a watercolour collection for an organisation up the Garden Route. I don’t want to say too much as it is in early stage of discussion. Also, in 2024 I learnt that thing about when to count your chickens (when they are laying – maybe).

Here is my sketch from the beach at the point at Mossel Bay which is the entrance to the Garden Route, I painted this sitting in the rain. A wonderful experience.

Classes are on recess till next year. I have two classes set up for the year. I will continue my master class in my home studio. Also I will be running a curriculum class at Helderberg Fine Art Studios.

This is another project I am very keen to complete in 2025. Carolyn McGibbon and I have been planning a book all about Lourens River for a while and I am keen to work with her to bring it in. Why on earth did someone change the name of “Tweede Rivier” (Second River) to “Lourens River”. And what is going on in the river bed right now? This river brings such life to our towns in the basin. I am keen to do some more watercolours to support Carolyn’s writing.

Here is a watercolour from the Lourens River Collection I created in 2022.

Well that is it for the month and this strange year which promises to usher in more of the weird.

All the best for this season of blessing everyone.