Lake Onslow fishing hut progress

February 09, 2025

Spot the difference! In each of these photos you can see the Lake Onlsow painting taking shape. Notice how each stand of tussock is made up of many multi-coloured layers? I try to get the tussock strands to entwine naturally, it makes for slow work but the final effect is worth it. This is the second painting from my Lake Onslow study, from a chance moment when a not so magical evening became just that for a few moments as the sun departed.
Arriving late in the afternoon, after many endless km's of meandering gravel road and being stuck behind a large flock of sheep, I was greeted by Lake Onslow a man-made lake 700m above sea level near Roxburgh, Central Otago.
To my dismay the village of fisherman huts were overhung by grey cloud and looked rather lifeless. However it was a completely still evening, the silence only disrupted by distant hungry cows mooing, and as I explored the huts I came across a trout fisherman making dinner. We had a chat while night fell, he then went off fishing and I continued to explore. Just as the last rays of sun were leaving, the grey clouds moved around and lifted, the light streamed in bathing the little village in warm evening light...

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