Early morning hair washing caught at V&A Waterfront...

They say a picture paints a thousand words... and they also say that the only thing better than word of mouth when it comes to marketing one's creations is for someone to experience it for themselves. As a Brit now living in Mossel Bay, it was one of my oils of London's old style Route Master bus that got his attention. But it was a painting of Cape Town's most iconic and impressive view which he most desired, and commissioned!

A view of Table Mountain from the Waterfront was requested, and so a photo shoot was required. While I mostly paint plein air (outside, in the elements, and with the natural light), there are some occasions where I will first take a photo and work from that! But I will always ensure that it is my own photo, my own artistic viewpoint and angle!

On a chilly June winter's morning, we headed off on a 'business trip' to the V&A Waterfront, arriving at 7am to capture the morning light! Not only did we capture the first light of the day, but I also managed to snap this shot of a local resident using a tap to wash his hair!

Using the structure of the photo I built layers of oils over the following weeks, allowing our beloved mountain to take shape and be born as it is today!

I also ad lib'ed with some more exotic sea to add a sweeping effect to draw you into the painting... and of course the ultimate approval has to come from the client, so in his marvellous Mancunian accent he delighted at how he was over the moon! He had it framed himself and said how happy he was to have collected the final framed mountain in the Mother City on his birthday!