Bare oaks, Newlands, late autumn 1968

Gregoire Boonzaier made this painting of bare oaks in Newlands with oil on canvas, imagining late autumn. I think about the artist outside in the cold air with his brush and easel, trying to capture the way the branches reach up into the sky. The paint is applied in visible strokes, thick in some places and thinner in others, building up the texture of the trees and the landscape. The branches, in shades of brown and gray, twist and turn, creating a sense of movement and depth. It's almost like they're dancing, trying to find the light. The green trunks stand bold against the muted colors of the background. Boonzaier must have noticed how the last leaves cling to the branches, little bursts of color against the gray sky. You can almost feel the chill in the air. These old trees must have seen a lot of seasons come and go. We are so lucky that Boonzaier took a moment to commemorate them with paint! Painters inspire each other, looking at the world and trying to capture some little bit of it for us.