Tracy Algar

News

Thoughts on plein air painting in the Karoo, and news from my studio. 

To read about my painting process, please read my Artist Statement, or visit my Painting Classes website for process blog articles, online painting courses and free artist resources.

Chasing the Light: My Karoo Adventure Begins

Chasing the Light: My Karoo Adventure Begins

For years, the Karoo lived in my imagination, sparked by Eve Palmer’s “The Plains of Camdeboo.” That book painted a vivid picture of wide open spaces and a quiet, powerful strength that made me long to visit.That pull became a reality last year when my partner…

Painting classes in Graaff-Reinet

Painting classes in Graaff-Reinet

Learn landscape painting in the beautiful Karoo. I offer private oil painting lessons for individuals or groups in Adendorp and Graaff-Reinet. What I teach:Traditional representational landscape and still life oil painting.What you’ll learn in my lessons:The…

Painting Notes Online Classes

Painting Notes Online Classes

Free online oil painting classesI have launched a series of oil painting classes online where you can learn the basics of traditional representational landscape painting, with a contemporary twist.Find out more here.

Leeb Street, Adendorp

Leeb Street, Adendorp

I was really itching to start painting when I started this one. It a very hot day during our second week in Adendorp. There were cicadas in the trees, Tom & Fred (the pets) were lounging in the shade. I put on a big sun hat and headed off left out of the gate. A…

Greetings from Graaff Reinet!

Greetings from Graaff Reinet!

Hello there from a sunny and warm Graaff Reinet. It couldn’t be more different here today than the day we packed up and the morning we left from Stanford.We packed a 4-metre long trailer with pretty much everything we own while it hailed and rained on the Sunday. The…

Simplify The Landscape

Simplify The Landscape

Thursday 18th & Friday 19th April 2024Fork & Farm, Stanford Two-day plein air landscape painting workshop.For this workshop, we will be focusing on taking the complexity of the landscape and simplifying it into basic shapes. Discover and develop practical…

Lands Cape

Lands Cape

Friday 28th July 3 – 6 pm
Saturday 29th July 10 am – 1 pm

Inspiration & Plein Air Painting

Inspiration & Plein Air Painting

How I find inspiration, and on working en plein air.I live in a BIG dramatic landscape that includes the Kleinrivier (Little River), Kleinriviersberg (Little River Mountain) and Akkedisberg (Lizard Mountain), abundant Fynbos flora, the leafy historic village of…

2023: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route

2023: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route

One of my artist bucket list items is being ticked off this year. I’ve been invited to exhibit with Jan and Sue Vingerhoets at their farm gallery at the Baardskeerdersbos Art Route on the 15th and 16th April 2023. For more information, visit the…

Across the River

Across the River

The full process from pencil sketch to oil original painting in the studio.

Painting Sessions @ Egret and the Owl Book Café

Painting Sessions @ Egret and the Owl Book Café

I’m pleased to announce that a series of six painting sessions will be starting next week Monday. The sessions will cover the painting fundamentals of value, colour and composition, and will include painting exercises in a sketchbook (or work on loose sheets if…

Wandelpad #2

Wandelpad #2

© Tracy Algar, Wandelpad 2. Oil on canvas, 30 x 20 cm.Wandelpad #2 is a plein air painting that I painted on the Stanford Wandelpad in spring last year I’d been anticipating this painting outing for a while. I’d scouted the location, checked the weather…

Wandelpad #1

Wandelpad #1

At the time I started painting this little Stanford landscape, I was walking this path daily. It’s a few month’s later as I post this here, and my Wandelpad walks have slacked off a bit. The past few months have been a time of tumultuous change, something…