Sunday 12 February 2012

Warmth from South Africa on a snowy day

Cathy Gatland - trees she regularly passes

This lovely study of warm sunlight with its contrasting deep shadow arrived from South Africa, bringing some lush sunshine into my day. :>)

And more sunshine on the reverse with delicately observed fallen blossoms and pretty stamps of wildlife.


There's a lovely, unfussy use of watercolour to catch the growth, the flowers and the light with the drama of contrasts handled beautifully.

And such  lovely neat calligraphy - unlike my illegible scrawl!

The splash of warmth was extra welcome as our garden is currently under a few inches of snow.  The house tiger is on the bedroom windowsill watching, fascinated.

My last cards go off on Monday - so sad that it's all coming to an end.  The time has simply flown by.   I now have a collection of delicious cards from all over the globe :>)

9 comments:

Making A Mark said...

We've had a lot of trees haven't we - so interesting to see what everybody else's trees look like

Cathy - I love the way you;ve varied the greens in this one. What is it they say "all greens go with every other green"!

Charlene Brown said...

This lovely warm (but not too warm) card, combined with memories of my one visit to South Africa (in early January, of all times) leads me to suspect that the temperature in Johannesburg is always just right! (Although we were told we had been very lucky it wasn't horribly hot.) Beautifully painted contrasts, Cathy!

Alison Staite said...

This is cracking. All those shapes and textures and as Charlene said beautifully painted contrasts. Super!

Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen said...

Beautiful Cathy, I love those pods hanging from your tree...carob tree?
I revel in your warm colors!
Ronelle

Bridget Hunter said...

Its true - its been like a tree tour around the world. A lovely design and colour palette.

Cathy Gatland said...

Thank you everybody for your remarks. Charlene, it can be horribly hot and awfully cold, but mostly the weather is one of Joburg's best features.
Ronelle, I was going to say No it's a honey-locust, but I've just discovered browsing in a book shop, that a carob tree IS a locust tree, and you can cook with those beans!

Pat said...

This beautilful summer park setting is just what I needed. Beautiful
Always so informative to be involved with all of you. What would you cook when you use these pods?

Desiree's Designs said...

Beautifully done, love all you different greens,

Robyn Sinclair said...

Such a skilful study of that honey-locust tree. As always Cathy's watercolours have that wonderful use of bold values that gives her work such life.