Land & Seascape Painter · St. Francis Bay

Painting the
raw energy
of the coast.

Oils, acrylics & charcoal — works inspired by the ocean, mountains and the ever-changing light of the South African coast.

Oil Acrylic Charcoal Plein Air
Scroll · Recent Work
Oil on canvasPlein air studiesSt. Francis BayCharcoal worksWaves & mountainsOriginal paintings Oil on canvasPlein air studiesSt. Francis BayCharcoal worksWaves & mountainsOriginal paintings
§ 01 / Recent Work

A collection
of late.

Latest paintings inspired by the ocean, landscapes and ever-changing light — alongside a 2025 charcoal portrait series and a three-storey aquarium mural. Two collections: pick your way in.

§ 02 / Why Artwork?

From pixels
to pigment.

A painter's note — on falling for oil paint after years behind a screen, the mediums that hold the work, and why the coast keeps showing up on the canvas.

I first started painting with acrylics, making simple landscapes and seascapes after a few small online courses. My background is in web design — which slowly evolved into full-scale programming and building online systems.

While I've always had a strong eye for design and worked across most digital tools, I eventually decided to try painting. I absolutely fell in love with the process. It is a much-needed creative break from staring at code all day.

What I use

My primary medium is oil on canvas and panels. With a deep love for surfing and the ocean, I'm naturally drawn to painting waves — capturing their movement and energy. I also paint mountains and the unique landscapes I find on travels across the country.

Darryn painting plein air
"Painting on the rocks at St. Francis — letting the weather have the last word." — Plein air, 2024
01 / Medium
Oil

Primary medium. Slow, layered work on canvas and panel — built up to capture water, atmosphere and the texture of light.

02 / Medium
Acrylic

Where the journey began. Quicker studies and exploratory pieces — useful for working through ideas before committing in oil.

03 / Medium
Charcoal

Tonal, monochrome studies. Stripped back to value and gesture — most often used for figures, marine life and boats.

§ 03 / Inspiration

Painting
on location.

Living in St. Francis Bay, I spend a lot of time plein air painting — embracing the ever-changing light, weather and natural beauty of the area.

I keep my plein air work loose and expressive, enjoying the spontaneity of painting on location. The wind, the light and the moving water all become part of the brief.

"Plein air keeps the work honest. You can only paint what's actually there — and what's there is always changing."
Plein air at the coast St. Francis · Wave Study
Plein air rocks Rocky Point · On the easel
§ 04 / Get in touch

Commissions,
prints & conversations.

For original work, commissions, prints or studio visits — drop me a line. Most enquiries get a reply within a day or two.