Oil on board 80x102cm. Showcased at Affordable Art Fair 2023.
Traditionally, a busy harbour is a centerpiece of many artworks. Pip captured an entirely different harbour scene: boats and ships docked along the shoreline of Victoria and Albert Harbour in Cape Town. The dawn called sailors and passengers home with the hint of the sun’s dimmed lights and the first light on the dock. This is where Pip took me to when I examined the painting.
It is filled with detailed content. The artist depicts the landscape with layers. A few boats and a cruiser parked at the pier of some low- density settlements. In front of them was the body of water reflecting shades of the ships and the houses. There was a mountain looming in the background behind the clouds. It is observable that some subjects are closer in sight, which is indicated by the clarity of the vision.
Pip is versatile with his use of brushes. The brushwork varies to present different objects. The sea near the pier is shallower, with fewer waves and turbulence. To achieve that, he applied thin and horizontal brushstrokes to create a calm harbour. It lays a foundation for building up the reflection of objects on the shore.
Clouds were drawn using brushstrokes in various directions and thickness levels. This shows the irregularity of their shapes and their distance in sight.
Most of the brushworks is thin and smooth, representing the surfaces of the boats and the buildings. Often, thicker brushes appear on these objects’ edges and rough surfaces. Interestingly, small brushes were spotted across the shore to put lights on the settlements. They are brighter than the lights emitted by the sun.
The colors in the artwork are light and harmonious in tone. To create a mellow evening, Pip mostly used a soft color palette.
Pink colors were applied to the houses.
Pastel yellow and orange lined the clouds. Light blue and purple formed the outer part of the sea. An exception is the inner bay, which is blurred by the shadows of the buildings on the shore. Even the mountains in the background are overlaid by clouds and weak sunlight.
The painting is descriptive and soft. Pip depicted what the harbour looks like at dawn. The sun was half set, so there was some glow on the bay, but it was not shining. There is no clear sign of people, which gives a quiet ambiance to it. However, some lights have started to show on the dock, which signals the nightfall. Perhaps people were preparing dinner? Things were becoming bustling and lively. This aroused the curiosity of the audience.
The impressionist artwork has given us a glimpse of Victoria and Albert Harbour. It presents a picturesque view of the tranquil and serene bay. The diverse brushwork and the soft color scheme help to create that imagery.
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