Caffe latte
Passing time, I was sitting at our local shopping centre, paging through my sketchbook and making notes when, blat! I knocked over my full mug of steaming latte – all over my table, and cascading onto the floor.
I am ashamed to admit that my major concern was the safety of my sketchbook, which I yanked away and hung over the back of a chair. That much done, I realised that I was completely helpless. The little paper serviette I got with my coffee instantly turned into a small brown piece of sog. I sat there, trying to maintain at least more of a scrap of dignity than my serviette while two waiters made their way to me in slow motion and set about repairing the damage. As fate has it, two of the neighboring tables were occupied by friends of mine. Sonja, I am glad to say, looked concerned, but Ron, at the other table was just wetting himself .
It did not help matters that once the damage was contained, the waiter placed a mean looking yellow sign next to me, with bold letters proclaiming, "WET FLOOR."
"You are creating quite a scene," Ron snorted while his wife gave him the evil eye.
"Yes," I said, "An bloody international incident... Wee-bo; wee-bo..!" I looked over my shoulder to see if any swat teams and paramedics were coming.
Leaving, I said to Ron, "I think I'll come back here... This place rocks!"
On the bright side, I did manage to jot down a nice thought before spilling the latte, my writing now, of course, stained with coffee:
"If you can translate the scene before you into an arrangement of light and dark, the result is a picture which is pure abstraction, at the same time as being pure realism.
The balance depends on your deployment of colour."
Make a latte at home
A man's method. (By the way, don't ask for a latte in Italy. They will bring you a glass of milk.)
Heat up a saucepan of milk until it is good and warm, even hot, but not boiling.
Whisk it well. A simple battery driven whisk is wonderful for this, but really all you want lots of little bubbles.
Pour the hot milk into a glass mug (it just looks so beautiful) to about two-thirds full.
Prepare a small quantity of your favourite coffee, very very strong, and pour it onto the hot milk. It should stay on top, and spoon some of your foamy milk on top of all this, then sprinkle cinnamon over it.
I like my latte sweet... Next time I shall try adding sugar at the beginning.
Dolce far niente
A great part of the artists work is being quiet. Stop looking and see, stop listening and hear, stop wanting and have.
Classes and workshops
Landscape sessions
On Thursday, 6 Feb, and Thursday, 14th Feb, we shall meet at Noordhoek Common, at 09h30, rain or shine.
The next 3 Thursdays will be at the Girl Guides Hall in Simon's Town, building a studio picture from our sketches and studies.
I am planning a portrait workshop for the July school holidays in Simon's Town, and our next overseas trip will be in 2009, around May.
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a neverending work in progress.
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