Powerful Steam Train whistling by a curious onlooker

The grand age of steam has long passed us by. All that remains of the steam train era are mainly those engines and train sets maintained and run by private individuals and companies who have a real passion for steam. They have the skills and financial resources to restore, renovate, and maintain these huge, smoking monsters.

On the other hand, here in South Africa, it may be a plan to re-introduce steam engines in view of our constant power outages caused by poor maintenance, cable theft, and load-shedding.
Just Imagine, we could get Eskom to send their alleged wet coal to Transnet!

I read somewhere that if you want to be a great artist, you need to be constantly drawing, even when you’re not painting. I’m sure that is true, as drawing is reasonably fast, easy to amend and cheap. As the South African Golfer, Gary Player, used to say, “The more I practice the luckier I get.” So it is with art.

Drawing for its own sake hones your skills, so that when you come to painting, you’re likely to have a better foundation and less mistakes in your creations.

“Steam Train” will be one of many such creations in my studio during 2020. It is an A4 sized pencil drawing on 160 gsm paper.

Buy Steam Train

I have recently completed a small oil painting – 1937 Chevrolet Coupe.

Buy 1937 Chev Coupe

Some time ago I completed and sold Old Blue, which is a scene with two old tractors outside the world famous Sandstone Estates Steam Heritage Farm outside Ficksburg, in the Eastern Free State. It is a full working commercial farm with a wonderful working museum of steam driven equipment, old cars, farming equipment, planes and more. It’s a lovely place to include in a holiday or long weekend.

Also on my easel, or more accurately, waiting it’s turn to be back on my easel, is Jessica. She is a restored steam locomotive owned and operated by the Ceres Rail Company in the Western Cape.

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