Where have I gone? What's been going on?

 Covid 19 has thrown a spanner into the works.

If you wish to keep up with what I've been doing please see my Facebook posts

https://www.facebook.com/gerhard.ritter.94

There you'll find my somewhat regular postings of my work.  

I just don't seem to find enough time to routinely maintain my blog.

But here are some of my recent watercolour paintings.

                                    

2019 - a year of promise

Falling in love again..... with watercolour that is.
All you need is a good subject and minimal supplies and some time.
This is what can happen when the stars align... so to speak.
Same subject, three views, three substrates.
All done today, all about A4 in size.
1. watercolour on Arches 300 rough
2. watercolour on medium 300 unknown paper
3. watercolour and charcoal on primed canvas sheet

South Australian Watercolour Society starts again this Saturday.
See SAWS.org.au for details. All welcome.

a short update

A few more watercolours from the sketch book and small scrap pieces of Arches 300lb rough.
BTW the South Australian Watercolour Society has a workshop tomorrow conducted by Haley O'Shea (past President). Check it out on fb ...https://www.facebook.com/SAWSInc?fref=ts 
Everyone is welcome.

Murray Steamer - watercolour on old Arches 300 rough approx 30cm x 28cm

Three letter word for "Domestic companion?" - watercolour in sketch book - approx 15cm x 15cm
(Just working on an idea for a larger piece)

Full head of steam - watercolour on Arches 300 rough
approx 24cm x 19cm

Temptation

I can resist anything except temptation... 
that's when it comes to sweets or watercolour materials.
so I've been testing some different paper with a new brush.
I won't go into details but the brush is better than the paper - and so it should be at the price.
The course at Pepper St starts in a fortnight and I can still accept some more participants.

 Hands - study in charcoal and watercolour 

cheap paper A4

Study in charcoal and watercolour - cheap paper A2

Duck - watercolour trial 1/8th sheet (paper new to me)

The BIG EVENT 19th May 2018

The BIG EVENT this Saturday 19th May won't be in London....
It will be right here in Adelaide when the Four Amigos, Mike Barr, Alan Ramachandran, Bill Truslove and I will be performing something never before attempted without a safety net.
At the Campbelltown Rotary Art Show from 12.30pm on we will be painting simultaneously, in our chosen medium, from the same mystery reference subject. Each work will be the same size and all four works will be offered for sale matted and backed ready for framing. The sale price is $200 each and, sorry, we can only accept cash.
We will all be equipped with microphones and will take questions as we go. This novel, not to be missed event is always popular.

Oil Sketch 20cm x 25cm on canvas on board

Tonal watercolour sketch - 20cm x 25cm on unknown paper

Big Red - watercolour on 200gsm sketch book paper - 15cm x 15cm

 "Nation Building - before O H & S" Watercolour on Arches 300 rough - 56cm 76cm

Recent Successes

Silvio Apponyi
My New Facebook Cover Photo - the Port Community Art Centre's last Members' exhibition was "Big is better". My painting of Silvio is among the biggest I've completed - 1600mm x 1200mm or there abouts - oil on canvas. It received top honours from the judge and also attracted the most People's choice votes. I'm honoured. 

BTW at yesterday's opening of the current exhibition at the PCAC my watercolour "Nation Building - before O H & S" 

(image coming soon) received the top prize and my terra cotta sculpture "The Laugh" was awarded a special prize.

Back in the swing....

This morning (Fri 23rd Feb) I'm sitting in at the Port Adelaide Community Art Centre from 11 am and doing my watercolour thing. You're most welcome to come along, entry is free and the exhibition "Synthesis" will amaze you. Its work by PCAC members and well worth a visit. Also this weekend the Tea Tree Gully Lions Club exhibition starts at the Tea Tree Gully Library and once again there are many wonderful works on display. This is one of the few competitions that shows hand built ceramics and I have one of my pieces on display as well as an oil portrait and a full sheet watercolour portrait.
To get you in the mood here is a selection from this week's small watercolours - as usual all under A4 size - some on white, one on brown and some from my sketch book. Please enjoy.

Watercolours .... nothing else is quite as versatile and exciting....

Here is a small sample of my recent works. 

On Thursday morning a fellow artist presented me with a feather so... well you can see the result. ( In retrospect I guess I should have painted a bird with it.) All these works are less than A4 in size, some in my sketch book, some on the backs of failed pieces and some on brown packing paper.
My Burnside class still has a few vacancies, but you'll need to hurry. The beginners/introduction workshop at Adelaide Art Society is almost booked out and the two day workshop for the Northern York Peninsula Art Group is filling rapidly.                Busy, busy, busy and loving it.

All watercolours and all approximately A4 size. 

D'YAWANNAJOINME....

D'YAWANNAJOINME....

These are a sample of the type of watercolour work we do at my classes and workshops. Drawn from previous years they are indicative of my work and my subject choices.

Join me in my Tuesday morning classes at Pepper St from 20 March to 17 April.

More classes and workshops details on the right.

Belated thanks to ANEAS ....

I've started my series of US watercolour animals on brown paper. 

Today's contributions are a bison (buffalo), bald eagle, coyote and a bobcat. All, as usual, about 20cm x 25cm. 

 The other two watercolours are of British comedian Richard Ayoade aka Gadget Man, and Richard Schiff, American actor currently on our tv screens in "The Good Doctor". Also on 10" x 8" brown paper

The pastel is entitled "Emperor" and is my one and only attempt at pastel painting - and what do you know - it won a prize at the current ANEAS exhibition. I'm chuffed

Kapunda here I come...

After almost a week spent in the inspirational company and under the expert tutelage of master watercolourist Paul Jackson its back to my mini easel for me.

While I am looking forward to conducting a Watercolour Portrait Workshop this Saturday at Kapunda my fellow SAWS members will be busy at Athelstone with the first of the Christmas Card Workshops for this year. Everyone is welcome to attend and create their own heirloom Christmas Card. ( See theSAWS website for details)
and.... here is a Galah and a Young Chimp both painted this morning at ANEAS - Arts North Elizabeth Art Society.

and nice to report that my Union Soldier from a previous post on Facebook is on its way to a new home in Texas.

All these paintings are watercolours on brown paper approx A4 size.