Bon Voyage by Constance Widen
Constance Widen

Bon Voyage by

I painted this representation of Arniston in the South Western Cape of South Africa after escaping to the sea when it was an unbearably hot day in the Breede River Valley with the temperature reaching 44 degrees Celsius. The beach was crowded with people that day, with one couple trying to shade themselves under a striped umbrella and the sea was that phenomenal green that is always found there. I decided that instead of sweltering people, I would far rather paint an abandoned umbrella and a sunhat and allow the viewers to create their own story about it.
Arniston can be found a few kilometres from Cape Agulhas which is the southern most tip of the African continent.

I used 1000mm x 700mm Canson pastel paper and Faber Castell pastels.

131 Views on 19/03/2011

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About Constance Widen

I paint because I cannot do otherwise. I paint because if I don’t I become unhappy and sad. Most of all, I paint best the things that filled and fill me with joy and excitement, like the ocean and waves which I no longer can see nor hear now. During the long winter months I paint butterflies, they are symbols of what it felt like to fly away to freedom. And all the while, I continue trying to achieve what Matisse wrote, “I continue painting until the hand sings” .

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Tags

beach, ocean, umbrella, sea, sunhat, green water, south africa, arniston, heat, south western cape

Comments

  • maggie326
    maggie326over 1 year ago

    Gorgeous painting …

  • Thank you for your lovely comment Maggie!

    – Constance Widen

  • Patty Boyte
    Patty Boyteover 1 year ago


    What beautiful work!
    02/08/2011

  • Thank you so much for your wonderful comment and awesome feature Patty!

    – Constance Widen

  • Bradley Nichol
    Bradley Nicholover 1 year ago

  • Bradley this is a fantastic feature, thank you very much for the honour!

    – Constance Widen

  • Tammera
    Tammeraover 1 year ago

    SPECTACULAR!!…
    CONGRATS ON YOUR RECENT AND WELL DESERVED FEATURE….:)

  • That’s a stunning comment Tammera, thank you :-)

    – Constance Widen

  • RC deWinter
    RC deWinterover 1 year ago

    Beautifully done as always…your love of the sea shines through!
    XOXOXO

  • I think once the ocean gets into your blood we can never exorcise it Gina! Please remind me to tell you a little more about this painting which has only come out of the folder now, 6 years later :-) oxoxox

    – Constance Widen

  • tori yule
    tori yuleover 1 year ago

    Beautiful work!!

  • Tori thank you! oxox

    – Constance Widen

  • Charmiene Maxwell-batten
    Charmiene Maxw...over 1 year ago

    lovely picture!

  • Thank you for your lovely comment Charmiene!

    – Constance Widen

  • Ginger Lovellette
    Ginger Lovelletteover 1 year ago

    Stupendous! This is really great! xxxx

  • :-) I’m so glad you like it Ginger, thank you very much for your great comment! oxox

    – Constance Widen

  • dedmanshootn
    dedmanshootnover 1 year ago

    puts me right there to escape and enjoy

  • Thank you for that great comment, it served its purpose then :-)

    – Constance Widen

  • polly470
    polly470over 1 year ago

    Pretty perfect image…love everything about it!!
    P
    xx

  • What a lovely thing to say Polly, thank you very much :-)

    – Constance Widen