ORANGES AND ROSES

Oil on Canvas ~ SOLD

Oranges and Roses is a painting I so enjoyed doing as it is really is a reflection of my personality. I love the warm light on the oranges, captured on a special Californian winter's day!

DUMINY GIRLS

Camps Bay Beach in Cape Town, South Africa, must be one of the most beautiful places to be at sunset, and this is when I captured my dear friend, Ingrid Duminy's daughters and niece. The painting now hangs in their beautiful Bishopscourt home. Love the painting, love the girls and especially love their mom!

A PENNY FOR HER THOUGHTS

Oil on Canvas ~ SOLD

My dearest South African friend, Penny Haig, bought this painting from me before I moved to the USA. It is a snapshot depiction of my kids at play on Campsbay Beach. I am not sure who I miss most, my friend or my kids at this age!!!

The painting has rich impasto brush strokes, emphasizing the transition between the warm and cool colours, which in turn, creates a lively, sunny rendition of a very special moment of kids on the beach.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did painting it!

o x o

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER OF MY PAINTING GIVE AWAY!!!

Christine Williams with the winning painting!

Congratulations to the lucky winner, Christine Williams. She entered my Give Away and really expressed her love for my work in such a special way that I felt she deserved to win it. I wish I could have given away more paintings, as there were so many wonderful comments on my work. Next time!

Lots of love,

MORNING ROOIBOS TEA

Oil on Canvas                        Morning Rooibos Tea                                36x40

This is a self portrait, depicting me enjoying my beloved Rooibos tea, soaking in the last few rays of summer sun. Most of my painting ideas I pen down in the leather bound book in the foreground while contemplating my next dish, sewing project or piece of furniture to be rescued from obscurity. 

o x o 

PLACE NAME canvas & easels

Thanksgiving place name

So, how cute is this??? These are the most versatile and not to mention darling little paintings! I paint anything that might match your decor, crockery or season.

Love these miniature topiaries, go with A N Y T H I N G! 

And just for fun, I make these very cute, very eco, both great centre piece and conversation piece!

This little chalkboard comes with a quaint ribbon to add extra flair to your special table. All of these can be bought from my shop. 

Until next week,

Much love,

x x x

c e c i l i a

PAINTING COLIJN

This is a very special painting I did for a very special family! My dear friend, Lynn Colijn, asked  me to do a painting for her, similar to Nederburg Pinotage. And seeing that it was a commission I thought it would be quite lovely to add a few objects that are precious to them as a family. 

The sugar jar from Holland and the little figurines fondly known as 'Martin and Lynn' represent a rich family heritage. The jug on the left I added as it hails from the VOC era, whom great grand dad Colijn worked for. The teacup on the left belonged to Lynn's grandmother, and the bottle of wine was had at their daughter Paige's 21st!

The most precious touch of all is the very subtle cross in the foreground, hanging from the silver bowl. This piece is very special to my family as it once belonged to their son Ross, but was given as a gift to Thomas, my son.

I so enjoyed doing this commission, and should you like to have your special object d'art captured on canvas, I would be very happy to do so.

Fondly,

xxx

c e c i l i a

FIVE MINUTES' PEACE

Oil on Canvas                                    Five Minutes' Peace                                 Cecilia Rosslee                   

A self portrait in my lazy, warm sunny sitting room in South Africa! I did this painting just before we moved to the States and sometimes, just for a few minutes, I miss the peace I felt at that very moment. Everything about the painting speak of relaxation and total peace...even though only for a few minutes. I love the brown, especially now that we are entering the winter season here in America, where one is daily reminded of harvest time at the sight of beautiful pumpkin displays all over the show!

GARDEN SCENTS

Oil on Canvas                                                             Garden Scents ~ SOLD                                                          Cecilia Rosslee

This is a lovely, vibrant colour study of a still life I set up in the garden. The focus is mainly on the movement of shadows and petals which makes for a lively rendition of a classic floral scene.

CHINESE BLOSSOMS

Cecilia Rosslee                                                              Chinese Blossoms                                                               Oil on Canvas

CHINESE BLOSSOMS depicts a selection of fresh oranges, wine and objects placed in the late afternoon sun. It has been featured in Carmel Magazine and sold to clients in LA.

PINOTAGE

PINOTAGE - oil on board

This was the first in a series of Nederburg Pinotage my brother sent me from South Africa, via a visit from my mother! 

THREE LITTLE FLOWER STUDIES

Add caption

Oil on Canvas ~ ALL SOLD

These are 3 little flower studies I did to play around with the different temperatures of cold shadows, warm shadows, cold highlights and warm highlights....etc

Burlap Setting

Oil on Canvas ~ SOLD

There is something calming about a simple setting and even better on lovely French burlap. Homely and warm, memories of the south of France! 

A close up of the above painting, just to show how none of brush strokes seem to make sense from close up, yet it all works together from a distance!

LUCA

This is a painting of my precious daughter, Luca, whom I am very proud of! She has a special light that shines on and from within her, as everything she touches turns into gold! Well done with your acceptance to Stanford Luca!!

POLSKA VASES

What could be more inviting than a table laid with fruit and flowers in the afternoon sun? Captured this scene in the garden. Love the dappled light here and there.

Delft in Provence

Oil on Canvas ~ SOLD

Love delft, always sets a few lemons or any other yellow fruit off so beautifully....

JUST GINNS COFFEE SHOP, Sandton, South Africa

Three of my paintings hanging in the most quaint coffee shop ever. I am so blessed that such a beautiful restaurant would want my art work to adorn it's walls! In the heart of Sandton, an upscale area of Johannesburg, South Africa, is this brand new coffee shop, only a stone's throw from where I was born! 

SETTING SAIL

This is another painting of Isabella and her mom, Eileen at Campsbay Beach, Cape Town. I love the tender moment captured between mom and daughter.

IN THOUGHT

Oil on Canvas ~ SOLD

Here then is the third, though not final, in the series of Sita on the Red Chaise!

RED CHAISE

This is a second painting in a series of Sita on the red chaise, I love the classic composition and colours.

THREE TOPIARIES

This is a highly decorative piece where one topiary is simply not enough! Needless to say I am crazy about topiaries and cannot live without them. I am always in the market for a topiary! I have in various shapes, sizes and locations both fake and real.

CHERRIES IN AFTERNOON SUN oil on canvas

Oil on Canvas ~ SOLD

I love the warmth of the late afternoon sun on this still life. Also, love to capture a few of my favourite things, displayed on my French dining table. It is cherry season (did I mention a few of my favourite things….) here in California, best time of the year!

NEDERBURG pinotage

My mother came to visit me a year ago and brought with her a bottle of Nederburg Pinotage, a red wine grape that is a South African signature variety. And the only way I know to really celebrate anything good, well…is to paint it! Thanks to my brother Frans, for sending it to me,  hope the painting reflects the wine as good as it tastes!

ISABELLA'S FIRST SWIM

A tender moment of my niece, Isabella's, first swim in the Atlantic. Not that her mom ever let her little toes actually touch the water! I love capturing the intensity of late afternoon sunlight against the backdrop of the cool blue ocean. As I am from a very large family, I never run out of models and am so greatful to Eileen for sharing this special moment with me.

FIGURE PAINTING OF SITA

This is one of my latest figure studies. My work reflects the people and places that surround me and here I have captured my daughter Sita, in our living room.

LYONSHEAD

So this is the second painting for the LA client. I like the French yellow planter in the centre which is bold yet set off nicely against the backdrop of masses of roses! It depicts the alley on the side of Lyonshead Gallery in Carmel Valley, California.

French style painting

Welcome to my brand new blog! I am an artist living in beautiful Carmel, California and would like to share my art, especially my French inspired paintings with the world. This painting is for a client in LA who has bought previous work from me and needs something for her dining room. It also has to go with what she has bought. I am making two more for her to choose from and shall post it as soon as it is done….