arty farty musings

Playing catch-up

2011-08-01T12:42:00.000+02:00

Hi, I feel like a stranger on my own blog! So much has happened since my last post, but unfortunately very little of it has involved active production of artworks.

One reason for this is that my momentum came to a grinding halt when my partner in the ConneXion 2 project (see earlier posts for details), for which I had been madly preparing for the past 18 months or so, suddenly reneged on the project, pulling out with no warning once all the paintings were done and the book almost ready to be published. This was a huge blow, and it took me a while to bounce back from it.

It happened on the eve of my visit to the kids and grandchildren in Turkey and Bulgaria, so i used that time to reassess my way forward. I have had growing problems with my knees, particularly the right one, and had been told after a second arthroscopy in January that it was no longer possible to avoid a full knee replacement. However, it was explained that it is a very big op with a long recovery time, and if I went ahead it would mean no overseas travel for several months. Because of the New York exhibition scheduled for ConneXion2 in October, and the trip to see the kids in April, the surgeon was not willing to do it this year.

I had been advised by a leading artist and good friend that most of the works were good enough to stand alone, without the poems, and for a short while considered continuing with the New York show anyway. But the knee became more and more of an issue, and so I decided to put NYC on the back burner for now, and book my surgery for June, once back from Bulgaria.

Prior to all this, I had done a small work specifically for the "Same Size, Same Price, No Signature exhibition at artEC Gallery in February.

sold 250x350 oil on canvas
Children of the shadows 5

A wonderful joyful photo, posted on facebook, of my oldest granddaughter running joyously down the hillside with her dog, just begged to be painted. I did 2 versions, one of which I have kept and one which was sent as a gift to the kids in Bulgaria.

it was an interesting exercise doing them simultaneoulsy and yet seeing the different atmosphere emerge in each, partly influenced by the different canvases I used.

I also signed up for a year long workshop with Greg Kerr, which consists of 4 x 4day modules spread out over the year, with homework in between. I'll do a post about that and show you some of the images produced so far soon.

In the gap between getting back and going for surgery, I managed 2 large paintings, unfortunately one was sold before I even had a chance to photograph it. This is the other, which has been on Exhibition at the newly refurbished Athenaeum in Port Elizabeth, in a wonderful exhibition of 200 leading Eastern Cape Artists, which coincides with the publication of a book called Art &Artists of the Eastern Cape.

Africa Weeps for her children 8 oil on canvas 1500x1000mm

Since the op I have been very limited and unable to handle studio time and big work, so have kept my hand in doing a couple of tiny canvases at the dining room table, and getting back to something I haven't done in ages, old buildings.

Good Shepherd Church, Grahamstown 200x200

street in Richmond Hill 200x200

Elaine Hopewell Gallery 200x200

do you value our lives? 250x300

I must admit, even in this "Take everything slowly" recuperation phase, I find uploading pics on blogger maddeningly slow! So there we have it for now. I am pretty up to speed with loading pix of my artwork on facebook, so if i tend to let this lapse because it takes so long to do a post, you can see them there.

continuing the new work

2010-09-26T22:31:00.000+02:00

Hi, here is the next batch of latest paintings, some based on Nox Mafu's poems for the ConneXion2, and some just from the heart.

In the Field: 600x800mm

In the field

Loving you, I am like a researcher

On the field:

The 1st Corinthians 13;

A popular measuring instrument,

But, not for my study,

Respondents coded:

# 1 and # 2,

That’s the extent of data,

With intricacies I have

To interpret and analyze

But, as I am progress with # 2,

I am familiar with # 1 through a pilot study

Now, with vivid memories I am intrigued

To embark on further studies with # 1;

# 2 somehow would be validated with a study with # 1

Just during the vacation from the current phase;

The interpretation and analysis of the entire study

Is personal.

The summary, findings and conclusions, is love;

I love both # 1 and # 2

The recommendations are; first: # 1

Should not know about the process;

Second, further studies can be conducted after the vacation.

Cry for Africa 1000x1500mm

Cry for Africa

Even the bites and gusts of wounds by mice- are nothing to the souls of Africans,

It may seem as harm, but nothing in what has happened,

For they charge with their chins some up-some down,

This has to do with being sons and daughters of the soil;

Whether the winds blow, hit heavily, instead of vanishing

The seeds spread all around and at a time – sprout,

Be it the damage, it barely shows as caused by those gusted bites,

As the seedlings grow the roots support them - be it the plants are afar from the soil, but holding on only with roots-the distance never exists, for Africa rules within in such a wondrous, precious and inevitable manner that is hard to disregard.

The magic she spreads all around unifying her offspring with pride, as they are all about

For, no parent wishes for such a thing to occur,

With yearnings of unification heard and may also seem disregarded by seeing the divide amongst and between, but consistently for unity,

While poverty enforces hypocrisy,

Death, strikes ceaselessly,

But, be it so- brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers,

All these are what Africa has had enough of,

The term unification is such as old as ever,

And yet continues to be howled,

For it is the core of it all,

You all know its weight,

But, needs are knotted unto loyalty to partition,

Be it so unification remains the thing,

We all know it is so, for out there you are never complete without who you are;

Unify don’t divide

Joy in nature 1000x800mm

Joy in nature

The skies are blue

The trees are green

The shades shine on

With the sun and joy

Avails for an opened

Soul to change, yet

Not static as it all

Comes and goes, like

Summer, fall

Spring, winter

The soul is blue-green

Static-vibrant

Shiny-cheery

With shades of blue

With shades of green

In the soul nothing, but

Joy

COUGH UP 500x400mm

COUGH UP

Cough it up;

See their sympathy,

Allow them to your back,

It is all fun;

It is all a joke,

Those who care not;

Won’t anticipate your back,

You hear them;

They laugh,

You see them:

They wiggle,

Those who pretend;

At you back,

They forget that

You can see behind through them,

You have ears for all said,

At your back.

Cough it up;

They are lonely;

Yearn for such kind of entertain,

Cough it up;

They know none,

Cough it up;

Refresh you,

You cough it up,

You cough it up.

Freedoms of the Democracy 900x1000mm

Freedoms of the Democracy

Upon the tallest steady trees

Thinly-thickly rooted they stand

The rays from the east to west

The blows of wildly-smoothly winds

The frosts from the northest north

All clear and admirably they stand

With protection of freedoms of the

Democracy as prescribed for others

As they stand low

Thinly-thickly rooted they stand

Upon the tallest trees the sunrise rises

And shines, the sunset sets and shines

Open the heart 900x900mm

Open the heart

To absorb the flows

Of breezy leaves and

Blue sky with peace-full

Clouds scattered-gathered

With tedious efforts for

One and all in one heart

Oozing blood that is shot

Through renewing branches

On the trunk situated deep

Down in rich - loamy – soil

Only a naked heart can

Absorb it all as it is in need

Line of Trees 300x600mm

Line of Trees

Of the same origin

Yet each unique

From same origin

And others, yet

Each stands up

By, and About

For it’s own and

Itself, yet each lines

The line of trees

Of the same origin

That has made all

Yet each be as is

Line of trees

Of the same origin

Lined up and as

Tall they stand as

Short they stand as

Thin they stand as

Thick they stand as

Line of trees.

Happy Feet 300x400mm

Happy Feet

Glowing with golden

Colours so admired by

All and illustriously so

Gliding on the golden

Glassy grounds, to golden

Keynotes

So harmoniously tuned in

Rhythmic mood that shoots

A vibrant popping happy feet

A poignant tapping happy feet

A sliding dancing happy feet, a

Thundilicious sound happy feet

Living a joyous laughter that’s

Filled with colours of life, a life

Happy feet

My feet, my life, a happy feet-life

That’s what I love living for, that’s

Happiness

Best Foot Forward 400x300mm

Best Foot Forward

Only the chosen one gets the limelight

That one creates for herself, with select

Jewels that enhance the appeal for select

Beholder in contemplation, for fulfillment

Of the desires, while bestowed enchanted

Perfumes thickly-wildly mesmerize, just the

Best foot forward!

Prickly subject 500x800mm

Prickly subject

Is what makes me

Prickly

And what make you

Prickly

As it makes us

Prickly

Be it love, be it peace

Be it joy, be it happiness,

Be it sharing, be it smile

Be it dance, be it unity,

Be it smile, be it it, or not

Is what makes me

Prickly

And what make you

Prickly

As it makes us

Prickly

Prickly subject, is,

Not as always has

Been whatever it was

That makes, breaks

Me, you, us, are a

Prickly subject

To the woods 1 and 2 600x300mm

To the woods
I find myself going to the woods

For the woods of fire against colds

For the woods of green for the soul

For the woods of yellow for

For the woods of sticky for mate

For the woods of shade from heat

Right in the middle of the woods

A path I endeavor on to the woods

While there for all, but known to me

As I alone find myself on it, in it, to

Which is just in of the other but, yet

Different from the other woods I leave

I find myself going for the woods right

In between the woods with colors of blue

Sent from above the woods to meet the

Dark colors of blue in me and lighter, light

From above the white colors of the clouds

Meet the darker colors as I go for the woods

The route lights, light with lighter colors of

Blue and light shades of white as I go on

I find myself filled with lighter shares of light

Protect your Pawns: 400x400

in this country, women and children are often just pawns in the power games played by men, but it is time our society realised that they are not just disposable assets.

Stand By Me 400x400mm

Making babies is easy, but too often, staying together and taking responsibility for the precious life that is made is quite another thing...

Here Comes that rainy day feeling again, 400x800mm

the blues descend on all of us at some stage, but if we can only see past them, there is some pink in the future!

How do you see our future? 900x900mm

This is a controversial painting about a painful subject, I will leave you to answer the question for yourself.

More New Work

2010-09-08T13:47:00.000+02:00

More poem/paintings, the poems are all by Nox Mafu and the paintings are my response to them.

Commonly Shared Madness 600x500mm

Commonly Shared Madness

My heart belongs to a lunatic

High in speed and continuous

Harmony-harmony-harmony

In soul, sight, head, body and

Happy-exciting-joyous vibes,

Pounding to burst it out of the

Woods lined thickly protecting

It from harsh colds, wildly winds

And scorching sun and lowness

From that all it stays pounding

In harmony, joyful and looking

Forward to all the many exciting

Things yet to come from linkage

With the rest who live for nothing

But harmony in linkage with others

As success comes from shared and

Commonly envisioned endeavours

Delusional Love 600x500mm

Delusional Love

Loving you even in your disappearance,

While desiring your reappearance, and I

Pain over your voiceless on things I desire

Your noodles as well as your silence on what

I find irrelevant and distractive of what we

Could have, hence we’ve got nothing of us.

Clearly as long as its’ about what I long for

In you, without what I long for in us, and

As long as its’ about what you long for in me

But not about what you long for in us, rather

What WE long for in us, there’s nothing at all,

No longing of the same as there’s no-love, no-us.

While its’ delusional love on one part its may be

One other thing, but love on the other side,

Hence delusional love on the latter part.

Oh Darling Happiness 750x600mm

Oh Darling Happiness

I’m filled with so much happiness,

I live-strive for more, happiness

It is, but sometimes distractions

Throw in extremes of what I often

Have in me, in pursuit for the worst

To fill me and snatch away that I love

Hence I live-strive for more happiness

Life is full of reasons for one to be happy

Only if one disregards all that’s making

One unhappy, which is also in plentitudes

And one can consume as much to end life

And the life of others as it’s contagious, but

Just as happiness, with my happiness many

Can be contaminated and a happy life-earth

Eventually all will be happier with shared

Happiness embedded deep inside if only one

Can keep on digging and letting it out there

And about for themselves and for others

Happiness will be what filled us so much

Us, in me 400x500mm

Us, in me

Just the thought of you fills the entire me,

The special glow that overflows soothes all in me;

Peace conquers the inner-entire me,

Soft light brightens in-out of me,

Harmonious sounds blocks away the noise,

Remarkable move slightly bring you to me,

Fabulously, we embrace;

Unique breed only shared by two,

So appealing, fulfilling-yearning;

Me, you alone

It is us that exist;

Right within me,

Wow the silver cord!

How I wish…

Who are you? 600x600mm

Who are you?

Greetings....

Ice face, all on it; iced,

Open freezer-door,

Utter ice cubes:

Who are you?

may i....

Who are you?

i would like to...

Who are you?

eh..eh eh eh

Ice-cold air;

difficulty to breathe,

eyes clouded,

face freezes

Open freezer door freezes 'all'

Too much 'Ice'

Who are you?

may i want to get in?

No, Not you!

Just Go, GO Away!

ehh...

You again!

Nothing for you in Here!

Look, look at all in Here!

See?

All above you,

Just kneel, beg and

'RECOGNIZE'!

If you don't,

you are not getting in,

There is no time,

Nor space,

Not even the eyes for you in Here!

Accept it, or leave it!

The Journey 1500x500mm

The journey

Looking forward to

Where?

Neither do I know,

Nor have I seen any one from,

But! Looking forward to,

Where?

To be there, there to see,

Anticipating and wanting to be there.

Looking forward to,

Where?

To leave, leaving behind

All that I know;

Looking forward to,

Where?

To be there; to leave,

Leaving behind all.

Bye-byes said now and then,

ears have had their share,

The bums have been positioned

And have had too much of

Thick plastic upholstered seats

The waiting-wanting has worn them,

Tossing them is useless,

What want is to go away,

I am looking forward to go,

Others, loitering as the hounds

Looking for a place to sleep,

as if, not looking forward to

Where?

Neither do I know

Nor do they know.

At last the drummmh,

Drummh, dru-drummhh,

Relieves panic, and

Gathers loiterers

I am looking forward to,

The place where I am to see,

If all I envisioned is there.

The Deep 1&2 800x400mm

the deep

Deep, deep, deep

Down, down, down

Deep-down, down and deep

Deep, deep, deep

Where none can see

But only one

None can feel

But only one

None can touch

But only one

Can the only one

Really see?

But only one

Can the only one

Really feel?

But only one

Can the only one

Really touch?

But only one

The deep, deep, deep

Down, down, down

Deep-down, down and deep

Deep, deep, deep

But only one

Must know and knows

The deep-down

But only one

Who knows only one

But only one

Has only one’s deep

Deep-down, down and deep The deep 1 400x800mm

Deep-down, an undersurface

But only one

Who knows only one

Undersurface-surface

But only one

Who knows only one

Acquires the deeper

Of the only one

About only one’s deep

But only one

Who knows only one

Page 1 of 2

page 2 of 2

The greater only one

Knows about oneself

Only one can know if

Only one needs to know

About the only one

The deep, deep, deep

Down, down, down

Deep-down, down and deep

Deep, deep, deep

Where no winds occur

To blow the deep’s

Deep, deep, down

Where all there seem

To be still and still

Down, deep down

Which all one has

Down deep down

There, but the one

And only one

Not all have found

But there, by the

One and only one

To be found down

There is in abundance.

I'm BACK!

2010-09-03T21:04:00.000+02:00

As you will have gathered from my last few posts, and my long absences between posts, I have been going through a hectic phase of biting off too much, and then trying to chew and swallow it. Luckily things are getting back to normal, and the art gallery is now ticking along happily with good staff to run it. As a result, I am back in the studio, and painting up a storm.

What makes it even better is that I am not just producing random works about anything that inspires me, but am working towards a very definite goal and an exciting project. I mentioned it briefly in my last post; my friend Nox Mafu, who is from PE but is living in New York while obtaining her PhD, is a wonderful poet, and we are working towards a collaborative exhibition, where I do a series of paintings to express the themes she covers in her poetry, and she writes poems on her reaction to some of my paintings. We will exhibit them as duo-works. We have had a wonderful time sparking ideas off each other. The project now has a name, "ConneXion2" and has grown from the original idea of a single exhibition, into an ongoing process in both the USA and South Africa, involving book publishing, teaching of children by giving workshops in low income areas, and exhibiting annually, alternating between US and SA. We have also been developing a website, so things are humming along nicely.

One of the reasons for my long silence is that I did not want to pre-empt the exhibition by posting the work beforehand. But I do not have a huge readership here, and the first exhibition will take place in New York, where it is unlikely many people will have seen the work here, so I decided I might as well post pix to show my friends what I have been up to, so I'll add a few at a time in the coming weeks.

Although both the poems and paintings are able to stand alone, I am publishing them both together because in a sense they gave birth to each other and because you might enjoy seeing how they relate to each other.

An X marks a Spot, 900x900mm

An X marks a Spot

An x, is an x

Not just an x

More than just an x

That we see,

It can mean anything!

When written as x;

It is two c's attached

On the backs, look at

The paces above and below

The attached part, that

May as well be occupying something,

It can mean anything!

x can represent any value;

When written as x;

Are two criss-crossed lines,

Four v's facing; South,

East, West and North,

A sign of incorrect,

It can mean anything!

To make a mark; x is used;

Vote, signature of illiterate,

And a difference occurs,

X is more than just an x

Can you really tell what it is?

We lose them, They Expand 1000x1000mm

We Lose Them, They expand

A girl next door, got pregnant,

She was older than me a few years;

The prospective father was an activist,

In one of radical political organizations,

Geared at eliminating the apartheid regime

During that time; he got killed;

Attending an underground meeting,

Just, after his infant was conceived.

What a loss, losing men fighting for our freedom

What a loss for her

What a loss for that unborn child,

What a loss for the family

What a loss for the nation,

It never occurred to me,

That the thought would be with me

This much even after 20 years,

I still remember

The cries, the grief,

That made the backbone erect,

The cloudy atmosphere,

Streets with blazing tires’ smoke,

Tear gas fiercely shot at us,

With reddened eyes my people

Charged with the spirit of no return,

I remember the pain my people felt,

A boy was born, named; Ayanda:

Meaning: “They are expanding”,

Be it the people die, they expand;

The soldiers are expanding.

I saw him growing up as I also grew,

It never occurred to me,

That the thought would be with me

This much even after 20 years,

I still remember

It still strongly touches my heart,

In high school, with my dearest friend,

We prepared to go for a protest,

The brigadier had to be overthrown

From oppressing the people,

The masses were mobilized;

Taxis, buses, most people with cars,

Trucks, vans had them open free of charge

For the masses to protest,

In the midst of it all; an announcement,

We heard, before we got at Bisho;

There has been a massacre,

The blood of innocent people,

Flowing in the streets, a greedy

The policemen like hunter men; butchered,

without remorse. As some pushed to move ahead,

I remained captivated by the sorrow around me,

In the midst of everything,

It was dispatched that, amongst,

Many of our friends,

Many of my people,

My best friend’s brother,

Had been killed,

What a loss, losing men fighting for our freedom

What a loss for her

What a loss for the family

What a loss for the nation,

What a loss to us

It never occurred to me,

That the thought would be with me

This much even after 20 years,

I still remember,

It still strongly touches my heart,

What a loss, to the nation

The Desperate Ones 1200x1000mm

The Desperate Ones

They come in

They come out

And we stay

They go in

They go out

And we stay

The desperate ones

Do whatever, damn

And we stay,

Them, chow whatever

Out there and here

And we stay

Them, chow however

Whenever, from whoever

And we stay,

Right here, whoever,

Whenever, whatever,

And we stay,

The desperate ones,

Pin up-down, search,

And we stay,

Zoom nearer-farther,

Whatever-however

And we stay,

Them, flip and flop

With cold touch

And we stay

The desperate ones

They live as

And we stay

We stay and we stay

We stay as

The desperate ones

Call Me a Snob, 1200x800mm

Call me a snob

For I was born in the south of the continent of our Motherland

As you were born in the United States of America by the parents

Given birth to by the sons and daughters of Motherland, for that

I call you a brother, I call you a sister; we are of the same origin

Yes of I strive to speak like you in your language for in this land

I need to be sounding like you for you to take me as you, yes of

Course; call me a snob for I buy the stuff you buy for your children

For my children, I also buy the name brand labels and send home

Yes of course call me a snob because I am becoming Americanized

I am becoming you; Is there shame in becoming the being you are-I am?

Yes of course.

How could I have disregarded the obviously sorely at home

of nobody wanting and becoming me? The worse is the divide;

You see no brother no sister in me but an alien that is mimicking you

You call me a snob for I’ve forsaken my peoples’ ways while living

In your land, suddenly I reckon that I am not welcomed in your land

Yes, you’re a foreigner not just to me but yourself for you see me not

In you but an alien wanting to be another alien in you, call me a snob.

One Woman’s Protest 900x900mm

One Woman’s Protest

I refuse to take it anymore

I will not take whatever

You tell me that I am

I will not dare listen

I move on with what is in me

You take it or leave it

You called and told me

That I am black woman

I took that as non-black I am

See I am brown and when I reckoned

That what this black you attach

To me pertains which has

Pained for the most part of my life

But I embraced, nursed and cherished

The pain of being a black woman

And I watched you living a better life of not

being a black person, I kneeled as required, and

as a black person under your supremacy,

I envied you given a status and priviledges, yes you

As a non-really-black person who marveled it all

And never wanted to be called a black person

This has been going on as much as you wish

Until you get to be where you want to be

Which is not - you – being – me, oh but you

In your own blackness that again and again

Puts me in otherness of who I have always been

But, now, right now, put me nowhere than I want

To be. I refuse to be given my whom I am

I just give you what you want to be, just be

For I am whom I am with what is in me

You take it or live it and that’s there to it!

I long for my land 1500x800

I long for my land

While the sun sets when afar from home,

With each boom of every hour I endure,

As several storms, winds, cold, heat of

Each of every second of a period, not to

mention the doom of the minutes surely

I am reminded of home and I am an alien.

A gaze on the changing sky, over the sea,

Hills and the mountains, around me, and

When the moon shows, I long for that

Woman with a baby on the back, tightly

Tied with a towel to her limbs to feel the

Heartbeat and remain connected to the baby

As is I am to come back home soon, yes

For when the sun sets, I seek for who I am

I seek for your comfort in the surrounding

Everywhere, in vain until I admit that, yes

I also have a home, but here I am an alien,

The nest 1 600x500mm

The nest 2 900x900mm

The nest

It may appear shaggily built,

but it is intact patterned

with disparate breeds of grass

and chips of woods.

The deeper gist is known by

the inhabitants within, but for

The one who has it built

There is a reason.

I wonder about such skill,

The power and love that have driven

To provide such a compound,

To protect us and others that might visit.

As she provides, some seem to snatch,

Such voracious chicks that instead of

Receiving, but gracelessly demand from

The hen of her maggots as a result of her

Toil and strength, the nest, it may appear

To be light; it is made up of complexity;

Which is love and it is indefinitely strong

To lift the load beyond the thunderous wind

blow, even if the nest falls, it remains intact

Without being smashed by the grounds.

Even idiotic utterance and actions, from

Juvenile boys and huntsman of the birds,

Unconsciously confirm such wondrous art,

Begotten from the receiver,

She who reckoned

From within;

The need and therefore,

Fulfills it, with the nest.

Conflict Resolution 1100x900mm

Conflict Resolution

You are you,

I am I,

You are yours,

I am mine!

But; there is One,

Whom you belong to;

And also the One

Whom I belong to!

But you; not to me,

And me; not to you!

Just a wish….

When the buzzing occurs,

Urging reasoning to reign

Within, I reckon that, truly

I am I and you are you, as

I am mine, you are yours,

While either belong to the One,

For we are distinctive; with each

Tic, tic we agree-disagree and

Sometimes drift like the nations

Spread through out the universe.

Then, accept that as is

For we are unique beings,

The privilege is that;

Treat you, as you're yours,

While

I, treat me, as if I'm mine!

For even the One and only One;

That each belongs to; treats us

In a manner that each deserves.

If a fight erupts, we need

To reckon and cease fighting for

What is not ours, moreover,

Figure out if whatever is yours,

Is worth fighting for, if it belongs to

Somebody else.

the seasons in life

2010-04-19T11:13:00.000+02:00

I have mentioned before that I am a cyclical painter. I cannot go to the studio for hours every day, day in and day out, and paint. Mostly, it is part of who I am. I have always worked this way, in huge bursts of productive energy followed by rest periods where I recover and build up momentum for the next creative burst.

But some of it is also due to circumstances, like the need to also be a useful member of my family, and society, and to market the art by networking. Usually this all dovetails well, and the flow of creativity continues. However there are times when one of my activities outside the studio starts becoming too demanding, and it prevents the next creative burst, until i am in an internal state of war, dying to get to the canvasses, but held back by other commitments.

I am stuck in one such war zone at the moment. On one side, I have a wonderfully exciting project beckoning.... my friend Nox Mafu, who is from PE but is living in New York while obtaining her PhD, is a wonderful poet, and we are planning a collaborative exhibition in New York, where I do a series of paintings to express the themes she covers in her poetry, and the works will be exhibited together. I can't wait to get stuck into it, but, to do it justice, I will need to be completely focussed and dedicated to the task, to let the works evolve as they go along. I want to build up a big body of work so we can handpick the ones that resonate most with both of us and form a symphony with the poetry.

On the other side, I am currently the Chairperson of our local Community Art Centre, run by a committee of volunteers, and am throwing my usual passion into transforming it from what was, essentially, a stagnant relic of the colonial era, domain of hobby painters and not taken seriously by professional artists. Along came yours truly, full of Quixotic zeal to turn it around. Make it relevant to all artists of all races, help those in the poorer areas to exhibit, source funding, get mentors among experienced artists.... draw the top artists back by raising standards... yadda yadda yadda, you get the idea. It has been a roller coaster ride of note, alternating between hair pulling frustration, and jump-up-and-down-with-delight moments of really making a difference in the lives of artists who are so talented, but whose circumstances hold them back.

One really exciting connection made during this process is John Lombardo, a New Yorker who has a heart to help deprived children living in the Townships, and street children in Central, through teaching them art. I'm sure I'll be writing more later, but he is on his way back to New York for a month or so, and will be holding an art auction there to raise funds to keep the initiative going. here is a link to the ArtWorks for Youth website and one to the Facebook AUCTION event page

So it is not just a time-sucking pointless exercise, it is hugely worthwhile, and that makes it hard to just drop the ball and retreat to my studio.

However there is light at the end of the tunnel.... we have grown to the point where we can now afford to employ the level of person who will carry the admin load, and free the committee of volunteers up to get back to our own lives, and just do the visionary steering, while the staff attends to the actual driving.

So watch this space, who knows, before long there might be fresh new work flowing from the studio... I can't wait!

All I have produced since the 4 Women exhibition in November are 2 paintings specifically painted for an open exhibition called "Book Titles", which asked artists to produce a work with the same title as a book that has had an impact on them.

The Face of the Earth

800x600mm

Based on a book I have had since I was a kid (so yes, it is an OOOOLD book) by G Drury, and it is a reference book about one of my passions in life, physical geography. Since my earliest years I have been fascinated by the forces that shape our earth, in fact, by the age of 8 I already had a great collection of rocks and minerals. I love the fact that the forces of nature follow such specific physical laws, yet can produce events of such mind-boggling power that the results are random and chaotic.... the running turps that can be controlled to a point but in the end produces its own results seemed appropriate to express this.

Thunderhead

800x600mm

An early passion for horses and horseriding was ignited when an aunt in England paid for my sister and I to take riding lessons at a very early age (I think she was only 4 at the time, and I was 6). As a result any book on the subject became a favourite, and on top of my list was the Flicka Trilogy by Mary O'Hara. Based in Wyoming, My Friend Flicka, Green Grass of Wyoming and Thunderhead were read and re-read throughout my childhood. Somehow the vivid descriptive writing amalgamated some scenes into a picture in my mind, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to try and capture the atmosphere of that imagery that has rattled around inside me since then, resulting in this composite where Thunderhead, a magnificent young white stallion runs off into the Rocky mountains, is in a snowstorm, and sees at a distance the herd presided over by his sire, a mean and powerful old stallion known as the Albino.

4 Women Exhibition

2009-11-09T07:39:00.000+02:00

I am currently exhibiting with 3 friends at the EPSAC Gallery in Port Elizabeth, until 13th November. I did not post any new work for the last few months because I didn't want it to be old news by the time the exhibition opened.

First some general shots of the gallery:

These two still life paintings are the very different response of me and my friend Esme to the same subject.

Esme Goosen and I set up a still life, and spent some time in the gallery during the first week, doing a painting each, which will be on silent auction. The winning bid will be revealed on the last day of the exhibition, and the proceeds will be donated to the Community Art Centre.

This is Esme's still life, 600x800mm

... and this is mine 600x500mm

here we are concentrating on our work!

Now for the individual paintings....

still life with lilies 800x900

still ... life is the blues

800x1000mm

From the Africa weeps for her Children Series:

Despite challenging circumstances and bleak prospects for the future, many of Africa’s most impoverished children carry themselves with dignity as they try and find a way through this confusing, and often hostile world. These paintings address the fact that there are so many who seem rudderless, either because they are aids orphans, (in Zimbabwe there are entire “Lord of the Flies” style villages with no adults left alive!) or have absent parents who are struggling to make a living while the kids are left to fend for themselves and establish their own set of values. They raise the important question “who will help to guide this lost generation?”

Adrift 600x600

the lost generation 8 130x180

the lost generation 7 130x180

the lost generation 5 130x180mm

the lost generation 6 130x180mm

at the precipice 300x300mm

what does it all mean? 750x950mm

My Future 900x800mm

The Raindance Series:

It often touches me when I see kids, living in some of the most desperate situations of poverty, war and social meltdown, yet they still have a carefree joyfulness about the way they play. One of the sayings I live by is:

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

In their case, the storm may never pass, and yet they make the best of it… many of us in much better situations could learn from these kids!

Raindance 800x600mm

Raindance 2 1100x900mm

The writing around the edge reads "In some lives the storm may never end, and the only way to survive is by dancing in the rain"

come join the dance 700x200mm

come join the dance 2 300x250mm

raindance 4 250x300mm

raindance 3 300x250mm

come join the dance 3 250x300

Contemplation:

I guess as a reaction to a hectic lifestyle, I am often drawn to images of people relaxing, taking time to just sit and think and enjoy the moment…

contemplation 4 600x400mm

contemplation 5 600x500mm

The Salute to Single Mothers Series:

In this series I put the spotlight on the courage of the huge number of single women who take on the demanding task of earning a living, and at the same time guiding their children through the increasing uncertainty of life. This is a difficult task, even for those in 1st world countries where life is reasonably stable. But to me in Africa, where war, famine, displacement and the need to leave families in remote areas in order to seek work in the big cities are such common conditions, these single mothers are even more amazing. I have enormous respect for these women, who hold their families together against all the odds.

lead me through 2 130x180mm

torn 400x300mm

Lead us through 2 130x180mm

missing you 400x300mm

decisions of motherhood 600x500mm

lead us through 400x500mm

lead me through 400x500mm

decisions of motherhood 2 600x500mm

....and then just for fun...

miss cat on the mat 400x800mm

New works on exhibition in Cape Town.

2009-11-07T23:17:00.000+02:00

The VEO Gallery in Capetown is currently holding an exhibition called HOPE IN MOTION: EVERYDAY HEROES. “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”

(Christopher Reeve: “Superman” – disabled in a riding accident)

I was delighted to have 10 works accepted for this exhibition.

From the “Salute to single mothers” series:

In this series I have tried to put the spotlight on the courage of the huge number of single women who take on the demanding task of earning a living, and at the same time guiding their children through the increasing uncertainty of life. This is a difficult task, even for those in 1^st world countries where life is reasonably stable. But to me in Africa, where war, famine, displacement and the need to leave families in remote areas in order to seek work in the big cities are such common conditions, these single mothers are even more amazing. I have hopefully managed to express the courage of these women, who hold their families together against the odds. torn

400x300mm

missing you

400x300mm

lead us to safety

250x350mm

Lead me to safety

250x300mm

From the AFRICA WEEPS FOR HER CHILDREN SERIES:

In the Africa Weeps series I look at some of the little waifs around me, whose parents are dying of aids, or who have no hope of finding jobs, and they break my heart as I wonder what the future holds for them. Can we make enough of a difference in this country that we can turn things around for these kids? The series has grown to examine issues relating to the plight of women and children in so many parts of Africa, the so called "lost generation", the spectre of joblessness, and the big divide between 1st world/3rd world, rich/poor in the continent. A recurring theme is the plight of refugees, and those whose next meal depends on someone dropping it out of the sky. The new works are a further exploration of the "Africa Weeping" idea, using running paint to depict the meltdown that is taking place in so many societies and economies on the continent. Many of the children are depicted as faceless, because to the rest of the world they are often seen as faceless hungry masses rather than unique individuals. I also hoped to show the spirit of the children, who, despite facing the bleakest of futures, manage to still be children, and despite the terrible conditions so many live under, they have a dignity and cheerfulness that is a real lesson to many in wealthy societies who seem to do nothing but be dissatisfied with their lot in life. To me these kids are everyday heroes.

children of the shadows 7

300x300mm

children of the shadows 6
300x300mm

children of the shadows 5

250x350mm

who will guide us?

400x400mm

who will guide us? 2

400x400mm

africa's children need shelter 3

250x300mm

the many faces of Basil.

2009-10-13T15:06:00.000+02:00

This portrait reminds me of some of the fascinating books and movies dealing with multiple personality that I have seen over the years! A flick of colour here, a highlight or shadow there, and he undergoes a complete character change....

(To see the background, see the post before last....)

It still looks more like a long lost relative than Basil himself, but as a general painting of a guy relaxing it seems to work!

Meanwhile, whilst having all these facelifts on canvas, the real Basil is having a fab holiday in Thailand... hope you are enjoying it!

Musical Trees

2009-09-05T10:13:00.000+02:00

800x600 mm mixed media

SOLD

A commision for a health spa, a bit of fun that helps guests to relax and enjoy the environment without laying heavy angst filled social messages on them! I sometimes like the opportunity to break away from the emotional input required when doing paintings such as the Africa Weeps series, and just celebrate beauty for its own sake.

In the same vein, I was asked to paint a very typical port Elizabeth scene, to be presented as a farewell gift to the CEO of a large company, who was going to live in America, and would like happy memories of PE. The client opted for a view of the Shark Rock Pier with the harbour behind it. I did 2, neither of which are the typical "tourist brochure" pics with bright blue skies and sea. One was on a misty moody day, and the other at sunset.

Stroll to the Pier

800x400mm
SOLD

Sunset Stroll to the Pier
800 x 400 mm

On art and friends............

2009-08-23T11:34:00.000+02:00

It seems obvious that art culture varies considerably from place to place, just as art itself does. In many cities, it is the norm for artists to gather, debate, paint together, toss around ideas and generally take part in a wonderful "creative soup mix", out of which each is enriched and empowered to find their own unique expression. One just has to think of the camaraderie and fierce debates etc that took place between the impressionists, out of which was birthed a pivotal new direction in 20th Century art.

Many artists from overseas have commented on the lack of this in Port Elizabeth. In fact I have heard of leading artists who had intended to settle here, and left for that very reason. Obviously there are small pockets of exceptions, but as a general rule we seem to be a pretty individualistic and self contained bunch!

In time to come, I hope to turn that around by providing the venue and opportunities at our local community gallery for artists to hang out, work, explore etc together. Obviously it is going to be up to the individual artists to decide whether they want to change their lone-ranger approaches and get into the habit of meeting and interacting in this way.

However, I saw just how well it works at first hand this week, when my friend Esme Goosen, an artist whose work I admire enormously, invited me to paint with her in her studio, as she saw I was struggling to make time with all my other commitments, endless phone calls etc. and was battling to get motivated to paint. (thanks Esme, I owe you one!!)

photo by Basil Brady.

I am eternally grateful, it has been a great experience, and not just one sided. We had another friend, Debbie, joining in on some of the sessions, she has never painted before. It was not about formal lessons, just friends doing their thing at their own level, chatting about all sorts of stuff, swapping opinions and advice, bringing a fresh perspective to each other's work, and just the inspiration provided by being in a creatively charged environment.

photo by Basil Brady

No starving ascetics suffering for their art here, the process was accompanied by copious quantities of coffee, carrot cake and other delightful goodies, with the odd salad roll thrown in to create the illusion that we were taking things a bit seriously!

On Friday, Esme invited our friend Basil Brady along to model for us. Again, getting a sitter would probably be harder to arrange on an individual basis, but where a group of artists shares a model's time, it makes it more practical. In this case, Basil is a friend and art lover, who generously agreed to sit, and we had a delightful day tossing ideas and opinions around, while feverishly trying to capture his likeness, (or, in my case, not, more about that just now!)

I thought it might interest you to get a behind the scenes glimpse at the process of life painting from a model, and how differently it can be approached by different artists. Some of these photos are mine, and some were taken by Basil, who, apart from being a seasoned art connoisseur, also happens to be an accomplished photographer.

While all skills can be learned to some degree, and can definitely be honed by practice and good teaching, I really believe that certain people are 'naturals'. Capturing a likeness is a case in point, and Esme is a natural. In fact I was fascinated watching her paint my portrait some time ago, because at times throughout the process, the likeness comes and goes. (Often a subtle flick of the brush or shift in colour or tone is all that is needed to lose or recapture it.) She would call me back to sit, and I would see what had been done in my absence. Her visual memory is so good that often, the likeness captured during work done in my absence was stronger than when she had me in front of her!

here is a side by side view of Basil and her first portrait of the day...

I am one of the more pedestrian types who needs a visual reference to work from, and even then, I struggle to capture a good likeness. I will always keep challenging myself to work on this, but at the same time, I think one needs to make peace with one's limitations... rather than trying to produce a series of poor portraits that look nothing like the subject, I now make a conscious effort to think of each painting as a piece that is anonymous, but expresses a more universal mood or atmosphere.

As you can see, the head and hands are WAY too big, but the picture is taking on a sort of moodiness that will later result in another piece in a series I am busy with called "pensive people." However, i was getting frustrated with this one, and eventually the paint gets to the point where further work will get muddier and muddier, so after another coffee break, I started on number two....

and Basil sat with the other one for a quick photo, so I could have a comparative reference to continue working on it at home.

By the end of the day, Esme was well on her way with a wonderful and sensitive profile view...

photo by Basil Brady

And I had made some progress on a head and shoulders.

Since I got home, I have worked on it further to add more character. It is still not "Basil" but as an anonymous painting, it seems to have a contented expression and some visual interest.
(the one on the left was taken at the end of the day by Basil at Esme's studio, while I took the one on the right at home with different light, so they are not really as different as this... the truth is somewhere in the middle!)

This one needs a lot more work, as you can see all I have done for now is block out the extra large head and hands, from there, once the paint is dry, I will decide where to go with it... watch this space!

2 new works and the annual

2009-08-11T19:41:00.000+02:00

I love a rainy day

1200x1000mm

One man's wealth ...3

900x800mm

another in the Africa weeps for her children series

Both of these were accepted on the adjudicated EPSAC 90th Annual Exhibition.

There was a time......

2009-06-01T08:12:00.000+02:00

.............When I would upload several picures each month. Now i look appalled and see that i last added anything in March. Today is the first of June and i have only 6 new paintings to add. This will change... but not just yet!

I allowed myself to get all wrapped up in various quixotic causes, such as our general election, our neighbourhood crime watch, and our local community art gallery. Slowly I am extricating myself from some, wrapping up others, and setting boundaries for those that remain!

In the midst of this, my dad died last month, and we are off to Turkey and Bulgaria in the middle of this month. So the hiatus will continue for another 6 weeks or so, but i hope to return brimming with inspiration and energy, please be patient!

The new batch all has one thing in common... a pre-occupation with the need to help guide the next generation of children as they navigate through life, a life that seems to become increasingly uncertain for many in Africa.

Its a big world to navigate through

800 x 1000 mm

oil on canvas

Navigating through lifes maze

1000 x 1000 mm

acrylic/mixed media on canvas

the lost generation 1

250x250mm

acrylic/mixed media on canvas

the lost generation 2
250x250mm
acrylic/mixed media on canvas

the lost generation 3

250x250mm
acrylic/mixed media on canvas

the lost generation 4

250x250mm
acrylic/mixed media on canvas

Marching along

2009-03-15T20:23:00.006+02:00

March already??? I swear, we are going to blink and it will be next Christmas!

As far as community involvement goes, with the Crime Forum, Community Art gallery and COPE (the new political party making waves and offering hope in South Africa) I seem to have bitten off rather more than I am able to chew or swallow recently, but I have managed to slink off into the studio every now and then, usually at very anti-social hours, and these are the latest results.

Where have all the icebergs gone?
1200x1000mm

A quiet protest about allowing global warming to continue unchecked. As always the poppies signify lives lost, in this case not in man at war with man, but rather man at war with his environment.

to the woods

600x900mm

A friend once pointed out how many of my landscapes contain roads leading off into the distance, and as i look back, he is quite right, it must be a subconscious expression of the growing need i am feeling to travel! Much as i adore my part of the world, and enjoy travelling vicariously on the internet, I am longing to hit the road and soak up some places that are less familiar... Capetown next week, after that ??????????

Simonstown

900x800

Iam kicking myself that I didn't take a decent pic of this when it was finished. In this form, it wasn't working for me, so I pallette knifed over the background buildings, and made it more abstract. l lightened the sea in the foreground, and added a yacht in the closest bay.

I smile whenever I see this view of Simonstown, with its Naval Base from the mountain behind it, on the road that leads across to Scarborough and Cape Point. In the repressive Apartheid years, there was a stern sign at this lookout point, warning that it was a military installation below, and photography was prohibited. Naturally this brought out the rebel in me, and i photographed the sign, the fact that the harbour was in the background was pure coincidence... or that's how I planned to explain it if any officious person challenged me!

Africa's Children, the lost generation 2

400x400mm

Africa's Children, the lost generation 3
400x400mm

The Africa's children series just keeps going, I just can't seem to get it out of my system! I look at some of the little waifs around me, whose parents are dying of aids, or have no hope of finding jobs, and they break my heart as I wonder what the future holds for them. Can we make enough of a difference in this country that we can turn things around for these kids? I hope the election next month will put an end to the government corruption which is robbing these kids of their future.... which is why I am currently throwing my energy into COPE.

facing my future

600x900

Adrift 600x600mm

the comments above apply here too.

The food aid arrives 6 and 7

400x400mm

Despite the fact that these kids face the uncertainty of having to wait till their next meal drops out of the sky, they exude the joyful playfulness of children all over the world.

Farewell Homeland 2

1200x1000mm

A Sudanese mother and her children look back on the remains of the only home they have ever known, before fleeing to who knows what future. Every now and then I do a painting that really talks to me in a special way. This is one of them. I hope it doesn't sell too soon, I want to live with it for a while!

People of the shadows

600x600

As many countries continue to be in meltdown, their citizens are forced to flee through the shadows to escape. The refugees of Africa continually amaze me with their resilliant spirits against all the odds. I know it is fashionable to mock people like Bob Geldorf and Bono who are trying to make a difference, but I salute them! They could so easily be squandering their wealth and fame on self indulgence, as the majority of high profile people seem to do, but instead they are willing to care and do something about the plight of these people.

Conflict is so pointless.....

2009-02-24T14:25:00.005+02:00

More in the series examining the effects of conflict and war..... It is a juggling act to produce paintings that have something to say about difficult and painful social issues, but are still atractive enough to live with! Whilst really in your face, angst filled art is powerful and good, it is sometimes so disturbing that most people would not want to live with it, and this makes it inaccessable, thus diluting the effect. I choose to dilute the impact of the picture itself, make the art more accessible, and thus make it more likely to find its way into a home and continue to send its message. Time will tell if this is a wise choice, but it is a conscious one that seems to be working for me now.

Afghanistan Weeps

1000 x 1000 mm

oil/mixed media on canvas

I chose Ultramarine speckled with metallic colours to represent lapis lazuli, the rare semi precious mineral synonymous with Afghanistan. The flowers are a version of the poppy, which I often use to represent the fallen in war. The desert landscape weeps for the women and children of that repressive country.... what does the future hold for them?

Can we meet somewhere in the middle?

1200 x 1000 mm

Mixed media on canvas

Another one, partner to the one in the previous post, about healing divisions... and a need to look for common ground in order to seek a resolution to conflict......

Every story has 2 sides

2009-02-11T20:21:00.003+02:00

Every story has 2 sides

1100 x 900 mm

I tend to enjoy working in series, and often have several different threads running simultaneously. Thus, if you go into my studio at any time, it is quite possible to see 5 or 6 works in various stages of completion, and so different you wonder if the studio is inhabited by a group of artists! Large colourful abstracts vie for space with small city-scapes and historic buildings, landscapes are peacful and serene, or populated with desperate people, trees spring up all over the place and every now and then a quirky one appears that has no category at all, like the pink pig I did recently, called "did you say Bacon?"

One series I am very into now is the one that started out as "Africa weeps for her children." It has grown to examine issues relating to the plight of women and children in so many parts of africa, the so called "lost generation", the spectre of joblessness, and the big divide between 1st world/3rd worldrich/poor in the continent. A recurring theme is the plight of refugees, and those whose next meal depends on someone dropping it out of the sky.

Running parallel with this, and about to overlap, (ideas are running in my mind) is the anti war theme. It all started a couple of years back when I did a black and white painting, with one red poppy, called "lest we forget." It evolved with variations of the theme, until a series with block patterns emerged, symbolising both chess (a war game) and the checkered flag, symbolising winner takes all. Obviously the poppies were a reminder of the cost in human life.

The latest variant to emerge from this is a softer one, perhaps not so much war per se, but any conflict or dispute, and it reminds us that there is never only one side to any story, it may look cut and dried as the parties square off across a boundary, but there is seldom one side that is all totally good, and the other all totally bad.

3 new works

2009-02-03T18:04:00.005+02:00

I started the year with a commissioned painting... which is good and bad. The good is obviously having a definite sale to start the year with. The negative is that, until that was complete, it kind of blocked any other work. I was feeling inspired to do more of my series examining the plight of many women and children in Africa, and the great 1st world/3rd world divide, but had to first stay in "historic building" mode for a while.

corner Buckingham and Way 900x600

Anyway the building is now signed, sealed delivered, and I am free to run along the Africa path again for a while. Two have emerged so far.........

Window of Opportunity... OK I studied, now what?

1200x1000mm

I saw this young man at a huge political rally I went to. One of the big themes of the day was job creation, honest and transparent leadership, jobs going to those who are qualified rather that cronies of other leaders etc. And my heart went out to him, because there are SOOO many youngsters who have studied hard, often under really trying conditions, and achieved results, but now they sit in desperation looking for jobs. And the sad reality is, with unemployment soaring, the chances are, it is not going to happen. What does he do? How does he live? How does he even BEGIN to plan a future?

Emerging from the shadows

900x600mm

A more hopeful painting, the rainbow nation emerges from the shadows, there is a way to go, but the spirit of the country is changing, we are proud, more and more united, and the future looks bright.

New Year, new work, new possibilities

2009-01-22T02:48:00.000+02:00

This year is beginning on an exciting note for me. A very prestigious gallery in Plettenberg Bay has agreed to be my agent. The response to the work has been very positive, and there is now the possibility of a solo or joint exhibition there in a few months time, and better still, perhaps being part of a group to exhibit in America too. Nothing cast in concrete yet, but just the possibility is exciting. Here are some of the works I did at the end of last year, which are now in Plett.

Flattening the forests 2

900x900 mm

mixed media on canvas

Flattening the forests
900x900 mm
mixed media on canvas

These two started out as protest paintings depicting the treasure of the trees on the one hand, and the money to be made from flattening them on the other. But My husband pointed out that they look much too cheerful to be protest art, and look like a celebration of trees instead!

In war, only the arms dealers win 2

1000x1000 mm

mixed media on canvas

A return to another favourite theme!

Africa's children: living in the shadows

600x800 mm

mixed media on canvas

Africa's children: living in the shadows
600x800 mm
mixed media on canvas

The ladder of success: where do they begin?

800x900 mm

mixed media on canvas

Final exhibition for this year:

2008-12-03T18:41:00.004+02:00

You might remember that in June I was privileged to take part in an exhibition at a beautiful private home. Well to my delight, the owner enjoyed it all so much that she has arranged another, which opens on Friday. I will be exhibiting with a group of artists whose work I really admire, so it will be wonderful to be part of it. As a result, I have been hard at work preparing some new works for it. I was so pressed for time that I posted some of them on the previous post, without elaborating, and here are some more. I delivered them this morning, and now it is up to Hannalize to work her magic.... she has an uncanny skill for hanging the right picture in the right place, and grouping works that really make music together!

For those of you who are in Port Elizabeth this weekend, it would be wonderful to see you there, so here's an invitation....

Art Exhibition

5-6 December 2008
09h00-17h00

15 Providence Place
Old Seaview Road
Enquiries: Hannalize
0823736510

Tea Garden

SUE HOPPE Ÿ DUNCAN STEWART Ÿ DAVID MOSS ŸBEV BRETTENNY

YVETTE MEY ŸKAREN MARAIS ŸELSABE RETIEF Ÿ ALIDA STEWART

TESS LOVEMORE ŸHANNALIZE SCHULTZ Ÿ SONIA STRUMPFER

looking down parliament street

750x950

the harbour from fort frederick
750x950

donkin terrace
1800x500

new pics

2008-12-02T21:32:00.004+02:00

to the woods 1 and 2

300x600

Castles in Spain 1 and 2

600x600

maitlands river sunset

700x500

looking down Edward Street

400x800

Africas children need sheltering

400x800

now its trees AND african children!

2008-10-05T16:29:00.006+02:00

I suppose it is a natural progression, the trees and the lost generation of African Children seem to now find themselves together on the same canvasses! I am also loving the combination of printing, painting and drawing, with some collage thrown in for good measure. My studio looks like a tip because I have been on such a roll with these!

tree 4
acrylic on canvas
250x300mm

trees too
acrylic and leather on canvas
500x400mm

The tree on the right and the leaves on the printed tree are leather.

Africa's Children, the Lost Generation
mixed media on canvas
400x500

Africa's Children, the forgotten ones
Mixed media on canvas
600x500mm

Children of Africa.
mixed media on canvas
600x500mm

three trees
mixed media on canvas
1200x1000
SOLD

more of Africa's children

2008-09-28T14:20:00.003+02:00

SOLD

Africa weeps for her children 7

600x900mm

SOLD

One man's wealth is another mans...?

600x900mm

Still strolling around the woods!

2008-09-23T08:17:00.005+02:00

I seem to be stuck on trees at the moment, they often crop up in my work because for me, trees are such a special part of life. They speak of fresh air, flowers, peace, permanence. They are these large living beings who do no harm, but bring goodness and life to the planet, home for birds, shelter for anyone who cares to rest in their shade. Even when they are cut down, they carry on giving, in the form of fuel for fires, building materials, compost etc.

red purple tree

300x250 framed

spring

250x300mm

turquoise trees 1 and 2

250x300mm

forest reds and browns 1 and 2

500x600

forest blues and greens

500x600

brown/green tree 1 and 2

250x300mm

green and brown tree 200x250, framed

And still on a nature theme, I must have spring fever at the moment, because these floral jugs also appeared!

A Pair of Jugs

300x300mm

to the woods.....

2008-09-08T18:28:00.010+02:00

I have a friend, Esme Goosen, who is a wonderful artist, and also very generous with her time and ideas. She recently introduced me to the joys of acrylics. (I'll tell you more about that when she has sent me a photo of one of her paintings, there's a story behind it!)

Up until now I have been having a passionate affair with oils, and what I love about them is the slow drying time, which allows for lots of blending and manipulation of the paint as the paintings evolve. But I am finding that acrylics have joys of their own, and this new direction coincides with a growing desire to do some printing. I did some lino cuts of trees, and printed them with acrylic onto canvas. It was a natural progression from some of the directions I have been going in with the other work, running paint, metal foils etc. Then the games began, blending colours and playing with adding transparent layers of washes over each other.

Here are the results:

a pair of trees

2 x 150x150mm

treeptych

3x 150x200mm

timberrrr!

900x800mm

seasons

450x350mm framed

treasure tree 1 and 2

2 x 600x900mm

fiesta tree 1 and 2

2 x 125x175mm

SOLD

happy tree 1 and 2

2 x 300x300mm framed

seasons 1, 2 3 and 4

4 x 100x150mm framed

I guess you could say this goes from the sublime to the ridiculous....

2008-08-20T17:41:00.004+02:00

........but I will never be an artist who can settle on one groove and stick in it.... so amongst all the angst about what the future holds for the children of Africa, there is still time for quirky playful moments!
So 2 new offerings,

Africa weeps for her children 5

400x300mm

SOLD

did you say bacon?

300x300mm

OK, at last, here's the new batch.

2008-07-27T11:17:00.008+02:00

My solo exhibition at the new Blou Vrou (Blue Lady) Gallery opened on Friday night. The opening was fun, thanks to all those who came along. The show runs till 8th August, and is a mixture of new works, with selected older works that show the progression of how ideas and styles evolve into new ones.

The new works are a further exploration of the "Africa Weeping" idea, using running paint to depict the meltdown that is taking place in so many societies and economies on the continent. Within that framework, I have explored differences between rich and poor, and also hopefully managed to express the courage of the women, who hold their families together against the odds. I also hoped to show the spirit of the children, who, despite facing the bleakest of futures, manage to still be children, and make their own toys, or just have fun. Despite the terrible conditions so many live under, they have a dignity and cheerfulness that is a real lesson to many in wealthy societies who seem to do nothing but be dissatisfied with their lot in life.

Many of the children are depicted as faceless, in similar white garb, because to the rest of the world they are often seen as faceless hungry masses rather than unique individuals. The scenery, clothing, cattle and features of the people are typical of Northern Africa, as I have been using photgraphs taken by my kids, working amongst the displaced people in Sudan, as inspiration. But I have deliberately kept them non specific, as many of the problems there are common to most of the continent.

Sometimes I have detailed a face, and tried to show the strength and dignity behind the pain.

One man's wealth is another man's.....

900x900mm

SOLD

Vortex, 400x400mm
Using the rich warm colours of Africa to again express turmoil and meltdown, this is pure abstract.

1st world 3rd world, bridging the divide.

900x900mm

Africa weeps for her children 2

700x950mm

SOLD

Africa weeps for her children 2
700x950mm

SOLD

Africa weeps for her children 4

600x900mm

SOLD

Does anyone care?

400x400mm

The next two are dealing with special South African issues:

Heritage under threat

600x500mm

SOLD

This painting was inspired by a comment we had on our Port Elizabeth Daily Photo blog, on the post called Red Location. ( it highlights the destruction of the historic cottages there, Visit Facebook to join the group "Save the historical Red Location Cottages" at http://vupload.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26684527714 )

The Red Location is one of the blots on Port Elizabeth, a black township, established by the British Colonial Government in 1903, and made worse under apartheid. It is a place of abject poverty, most of the residents living in shacks made of waste material, plastic, old corrogated iron and weathered timber, on the edge of a windswept wetland overlooking the sea. It was the place where the anti-apartheid movement in the Eastern Cape flourished and many amazing stories of underground meetings and couragious resistence are told. The multi-award winning Red Location Museum has been established there, to celebrate the courage of the resistance leaders, and bring much needed tourist money to help upgrade the living standards of those who live there. If the history of red location interests you, Max and I did some posts about it when we visited last year, and also went into the origins, when we discussed Richmond Hill on the PEDP blog. Anyway, sadly the original shacks, which are national monuments and need to be preserved as a reminder of what this nation has been through and that we must never allow such things to happen again, are being stolen bit by bit, and sold to scrap dealers, and outrage over this prompted the painting. The gold stripes represent the stitches that we need in order to repair the torn fabric of our society. The words read "The time is running out. It is urgent that we unite and work together to mend the rips in the fabric of our society. Our freedom was won at a high cost – and we have the opportunity to rebuild and restore – but there are too many who vandalise, steal and destroy. We need to end the negative actions and save our heritage to remind us of our past- then build the future hand in hand.”

Happy Birthday Madiba

1000x800mm

SOLD

This one is special to me because it is a tribute to my hero (and I am not a person who easily puts anyone on a pedestal, I firmly believe in treating all people with the same respect and dignity, be thry royalty or a humble street sweeper.) But my respect for Nelson Mandela is enormous. Last week, on the 18th July he celebrated his 90th Birthday, and I did this painting on that day to celebrate the occasion. The quotation from Madiba reads: "For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."

SOLD

And finally here is one that was done on site at the Algoa Bay yacht club when I went there with some friends to paint en plein air the week before last. (We also went last week, that painting is still in the pipeline.)

Admin and all that

2008-07-12T21:27:00.004+02:00

I think when I decided to become a full time artist towards the beginning of last year, I had some sort of idealistic image of wafting into the studio (or, in those days, the corner of the study!) and producing masterpiece after masterpiece, without interruption.

The reality is pretty far from that, and I am very grateful for the business background I acquired during the previous 16 years of running my own interior and furniture design company.

Art needs to sell, and in the beginning, until one is able to reach the level where it is in such demand that it is sold before it is painted, (and if even Van Gogh never got to that point in his lifetime, there is no guarantee that it will ever happen! ) it takes a lot of effort. But the aspect that has surprised me is the degree of organisation that is required.

There are several galleries which organise open exhibitions on a regular basis, often with themes which are announced in advance, so that pictures can be prepared specifically for them. But one has to build relationships with the gallery owners, and keep in touch with them, in order to keep up with what is happening when and where.

Some offer solo exhibitions as well, which requires the preparation of a large body of new work, often in a limited time frame. There are a lot of logistics to consider, sometimes the galleries help with them, but often it is left to the artist to handle invitations (design, printing and posting, which means building up a mailing list of interested people) hanging the pictures (having arranged framing if necessary), catering, press releases etc.

Talking to the press at the opening of a recent exhibition

There is the internet, often these are international sales, and all the work sold in this way has to be carefully packaged, quotes need to be obtained for various modes of shipping, and foreign payment facilities need to be sorted out. There are commissions received via various sources. And I have found it necessary to create a catalogue of all my work on my computer, with photographs saved in 3 different sizes (high res, medium for my blog and tiny for e-mails and the SouthAfricanArtists.com website.)

And then there is the issue of pricing. Do I value my work too highly, or do I undervalue it compared to what clients perceive its worth to be? And as I get better known, do I get stuck in a rut of familiar prices, or do I keep escalating them, and by how much? How do I cope with the fact that different galleries require different commissions and hanging fees, and if I sell in foreign currency with different exchange rates, how do I deal with that?

With regard to this side of the art world, I am lucky to be married to an Excel boffin, who has set up a wonderful database for me. All I do is decide how much I want for a painting, and punch in the commission structure of the particular gallery or website that is selling it. Then it calculates the selling price for me, and converts it into US$, Euros and pounds. The main thing, when painting frantically and meeting tight deadlines is remembering to photograph and catalogue all works before dispatching them.

For me, my lack of any sense of time is the biggest handicap. When I am on a creative roll, I lose all track of the time, and often have the flimsiest idea of the date! But delivery dates and collection dates come and go relentlessly, and need to be kept track of. This gets complicated when there is work in several galleries simultaneously.

Creating art is a right brain activity, while the admin and organisation is a left brain function. I have found it necessary to develop the ability to switch between the two on a regular basis, but for me it works better if I dedicate a block of time to creating, and then a block to admin. I do not paint as well if I am interrupted by the real world frequently while trying to remain in my creative "zone".

empty easel and blank canvas, a sure sign that at the time these were taken, I was involved in running around sorting out admin, between creative bursts!

Sadly, not all galleries are as efficient as they should be, and I have also found that I need to keep tabs on who has what, and if it has been sold, did they remember to pay me for it. Because I am a fairly prolific painter, I have a big portfolio to keep track of, and in the beginning I found out the hard way that no-one is going to do it but me!

So the next time you see an artist and think dreamily that it must be wonderful living on cloud nine all the time, think again! Cloud nine often drops one back to earth with a bump. Still, I have not regretted the decision for a moment, and feel really blessed and privileged to be able to follow my heart like this.

Now, where did I put my camera?

plein air and other work.

2008-06-11T21:30:00.004+02:00

On our Port Elizabeth Daily Photo blog, I recently did a post about the group of artists I have joined, tho go out on Thursday mornings to paint en plein air. I am delighted to have found them, because I have tried it on my own, and did not feel at all safe. Crime in this country is at such a level that you really do take a chance sitting out in the open on your own. But I am fully aware that depending too much on photos for reference is not ideal. Everyone is so free with their knowledge, so it was great, and I know I am going to learn a huge amount from this generous bunch of talented people.

Here Evie sits at her easel while Bev starts to clear up. And this is the view, although the cows moved around maddeningly fast, so i had to rely on photos to add them in later!

The result of the first outing.... lots to learn but it was great fun!

Title: Dawson's Farm

Size: 400 x 300mm

Title: Treeline

Size 150x150mm

I also did a little canvas of a group of trees. I am not altogether happy with the colour of the sky, i think i will lighten it, but as a quick oil sketch, it was great fun.

And finally, this is a commissioned work of the delightful home where I was invited to take part in a recent exhibition.

Title: Hannalise's Haven

Size 600x300mm

2 more in Africa series

2008-06-06T12:15:00.002+02:00

SOLD

Title: The Food Drop has arrived 1 and 2

Size 400 x 400

These two were on the Unsigned, same size, same price exhibition at Cuyler Street Gallery, but I did not get a chance to photograph them before they went there. Luckily they had still not been collected by the buyer when I was there today, so I was able to get a record of them before they disappear!

feast or famine

2008-06-03T18:47:00.009+02:00

Having had a nice rest after the last painting frenzy, I am fired up and on the go again.... so there are quite a few new paintings rolling off the easels in the new studio. It is a pleasure to work out there, the lighting and ambience are just right, and i have really enjoyed "nesting" in there, writing odd notes on the walls, splashing paint around and generally getting comfortable with it.

Although I know I have not finished with the Africa Series, and have many more ideas to explore, I had to change gears for two exhibitions that had set themes. Firstly there was one at a private home, and I was asked to do some of my historic buildings for that. It was in a recently built stunning house that really lends itself to being used as a gallery. The house is a modern farmhouse, built in contemporary African style. It has earthy textures and colours, but wonderful open uncluttered spaces, high ceilings, extra tall doors, and great lighting. The owner invited 5 painters and a ceramicist to exhibit, and I was delighted to be one of them, as I love the work of the others, and our work goes so well together. In addition, she has taken a musician under her wing, because he does not have enough money to continue his studies at University, but is really talented. So on Friday and Saturday evenings, she combined the art exhibition with a music recital, as a benefit concert for this young man. We had dinner by candlelight, next to a blazing log fire, and listened to him performing Classical Guitar works, with some of his fellow students. It was a magical evening. Sales were good, and I felt really privileged to be part of this stylish event!

Here are some of the new works I did for that exhibition:

Title: Provincial Fisheries, Walmer

Size: 400 x 300 mm

This is a historic landmark in PE, where you can get lovely fresh fish. It is for sale, and I really hope some developer is not going to trash this lovely old part of our heritage!

SOLD

Title: Looking across the bay from Richmond Hill

Size 2000 x 500mm

One of the things I adore about living in the old historic Richmond Hill area is the panoramic views across the bay, usually with interesting little cottages in the foreground.

Title: 78 St Phillips St

Size 400 x 400 mm

SOLD

I have painted this house before but it is one of my favourites so I did a bigger version of it.

SOLD

Title: Cora Terrace 2

Size: 400 x 400 mm

Another one that I decided to do again on a larger canvas. (The curls at the bottom are from the holder at the exhibition)

Title: Rainy Day in Central

Size: 800 x 900 mm

SOLD

Looking down Lawrence Street in Central, across Russell Road towards Richmond Hill, I was attracted by the reflections on the rainwashed streets.

SOLD

Title: Looking across Russell Road

Size 700x950 mm

Another view from Central towards Richmond Hill, looking across the Russell road graveyard to the Dutch Reformed Church in Edward Street.

Then on Friday, an exhibition entitled "Beacons" opens at the Khune Boekkooi Gallery. It is a nice topic and I have had fun interpreting it in different ways. Some of the Africa series are for this one, (beacon of hope) and a couple of churches (beacon of light!) as well as the more obvious lighthouses, I have a thing for them anyway so I enjoyed doing a few of my favourite one at Seal Point and some straight from the recesses of my strange mind!

SOLD

Title: Seal Point Lighthouse

Size 300 x 600 mm

Title: Seal Point Sunrise

Size 300 x 400 mm

Sometimes at Cape St Francis, when there is a very high tide accompanied by strong winds, the waves go much higher up the beach than usual. When this happens, they leave lagoons on the beach, and if the wind has dropped the following morning, these become amazing mirror like surfaces which reflect the dunes and the sunrise colours in the sky. I have seen this a few times over the years and it never fails to captivate me with the wonderful atmosphere it creates.

Title: Seal Point Sunrise 2

Size 400 x 300 mm

SOLD

Title: Seal Point Sunrise 3

Size 150 x 200 mm

I started these two paintings while sitting on the beach at Cape St Francis one morning in March, at sunrise. I completed them yesterday.

Title: Beware of the rocks

Size 200mm x 700 mm

Pure fun and fantasy

Title: When you go down, I'll still be here

Size 700 x 950 mm

SOLD

more fun and fantasy! A painting like this, which evolves from no pre-conceived idea is the perfect example of the words written by Sandy Carlson, that are on my side bar....

"Colors that bleed don't, actually,

But might if they were living things.

Rather, they go outside the lines

On purpose or by accident

Creating an effect you may not have hoped for

When you placed them there

Or when you showed up to watch:

Sharp clarity, a gentle blurring, a mess?

It is what it is.

Colors bleed."

More in the Africa series

2008-05-18T15:18:00.006+02:00

Title: Africa weeps for her children

Size: 400 x 400 mm

SOLD

Title: Beacon of Hope: Food aid arrives

Size: 1500 x 1000 mm

SOLD

Title: Here comes the food drop

Size: 400 x 400 mm

I guess with kids in Sudan right now, recently under attack, and my sister in Zimbabwe, on the knife edge of botched elections and a mad dictator exacting revenge from anyone who might have voted for the opposition, it is only natural to be a bit pre-occupied about what is happening in Africa.

It is such a place of contradictions, and I love it deeply, with its wonderful vibrancy and warmth, and its stunning richness of scenery, cultures, wildlife etc. But it would be naive to see it totally through rose coloured spectacles and fail to acknowledge the deep problems in the continent............ (mmmmmm, just realised that must make our state president, Thabo "there is no crisis in Zimbabwe" Mbeki VERY naive!!)

This concern seems to be expressing itself on canvas, and I have been doing a series lately, expressing something of the hopelessness of so many in Africa, particularly the women and children, and refugees, and those who depend on outsiders to drop food for their survival.

filling in the gaps

2008-03-08T07:03:00.011+02:00

The new exhibition is up and getting good reviews, so I now have a little breathing space to upload all the paintings that have been done recently but not posted yet. One drawback of painting fast and furiously is that the admin involved in naming, pricing, keeping track of sales and which webpage they are posted to is quite daunting at times. So I have spent the last 2 days trying to sort out my database and South African Artists webpage.

The first batch is from the current exhibition..............

Title: Farewell Homeland, Where now?

Size: 600x900 mm

SOLD

This is based on photos taken by a family member while working with refugees in Sudan. The effects of the endless war-mongering seem to leave the women and children particularly vulnerable. One wonders what the future could possibly hold for these kids.

Title: Fleeing Dafur
Size: 900x600 mm

SOLD

Same comments as above.

Title: Pete's Country Path
Size: 400x400 mm

This is based on a photo I saw on a blog, and fell in love with. It was taken by Pete Parrott. He is a very talented photographer who roams around the area of Hyde, UK, taking marvelous photos and sharing them on his blog. He kindly gave permission for me to use one as inspiration for this painting.

................and the next batch is from last month's Historic Port Elizabeth Exhibition.

with frame

Title: Ivy Terrace
Size: 350x450 mm (plus frame)

This is a quaint and attractive block of flats built on a plot in historic Central with a very acute angle between two roads.

SOLD

Title: 24-26 Callington Street

Size: 300x300mm

Cute old semi detached houses on the steep street.

with frame

Title: 16 Raleigh Street after restoration
Size: 350x450 (plus frame)

This house has recently been beautifully renovated and turned into a wonderful bakery and coffee shop. They bake bread using organic stone ground flours, and people come from all over town to buy it, and sit on the patio sipping their great coffee! We are lucky that they are just a couple of blocks from us!

with frame

SOLD
Title: Castle Hill
Size: 500x250 mm (excluding frame)

This is one of the oldest streets in PE, and has a lovely variety of interesting buildings, and a view over the harbour.

SOLD

Title: NG Church from Russell Rd Cemetary
Size: 250x500 excluding frame

Sorry about the terrible photo, somehow this one slipped through the cracks, and I only snapped it once it was hanging in the gallery. It sold at the exhibition, so I won't get a chance to get a better one.

Title: 11 Raleigh Street

Size 150x150mm

SOLD

another of the popular little 6 inch square paintings of cute houses.

Title: Central from across Russell Road

Size: 800x400 mm

SOLD

I just love the streetscapes in this area, the variety of rooftops, spires, etc make for interesting groupings.

That's it for now, soon I'll post some older pictures which were done before I started this blog.

it's all go go go .........

2008-02-23T09:41:00.008+02:00

I must admit that, when it comes to time management, I am not a disciplined artist. I tend to work in feverish bursts, when I just pour out ideas and energy onto the canvas. These bursts are followed by periods of distraction and procrastination, where it seems as if I just can't motivate myself to pick up a brush.

However, over the years, I have recognised that this is just the pattern of my energy, and not something to fret over or try to change. If I try and plug away a bit every day, I dilute the creativity, and it becomes lacklustre. And luckily there is usually a balance, the creative bursts do not last so long that I burn out, and the recovery periods do not last so long that productivity is compromised! And I am apparently working busily sub-consciously during the recovery phases, because with no apparent thought I launch into the next creative phase, and all the new ideas are ready and neatly lined up waiting for expression.

The other day, Imperfect Nerd commented:
Paint, dear one, paint! I know what distractions are like, because I write and have just begun a new tale, "Michelle in Hell". So far the hellish part is trying to stay at it!....

For me distractions are very welcome during a recovery phase, but where I find it hellish is when they happen in the middle of a creative outburst.... I literally chafe to get to work, and find any interruptions incredibly frustrating.

At the moment I am having a wonderful time exploring mixed media, and the painting is on a roll, but I also have builders crawling all over the place, creating the usual revolting mess, choas and endless interruptions and demands for this or that. I have mixed feelings about all this.

Usually I would be having a bit of a humour failure over being pulled out of my "zone" every few minutes, but the end result of this project is making it easier to bear. Because they are building an extension to a tiny storeroom we have in our back courtyard, and creating a wonderful light airy studio for me, YAY yippee yay!!

So, soon I will be out there, splashing the walls and floor with gay abandon, and no longer cluttering up (and splashing paint on) every surface in our little cottage! I will have to repaint the study and lounge/dining room, which have borne the brunt of the work over the last few years, and remove the study carpet, which has gone from cream to multicoloured speckles and blobs in one corner. But it is going to be amazing being able to sit at the dining room table for a meal without getting blue or red blobs on one's clothes, and ingesting the food through a haze of turpentine fumes.

Anyway, to the results of the latest energy burst........... as well as a few I did recently for but did not get a chance to post.
Starting with the new ones, I am exploring mixed media, using sculptors wax and silver leaf on canvas with oils, I adore the transparency and layering that can be achieved.

landscape 6 900x900mm

in the lake 1100x900mm

SOLD

seascape 8 700x900mm

seascape 4 900x900mm

SOLD

whale tale 900x800mm

landscape 7 and 8 600x500mm

SOLD

heather blushed hills 900x1100mm

Seascape 5 and 6, 500x500mm

SOLD

Seascape 7 400x400mm

These are two which I forgot to photograph before sending them off for an exhibition.

Contemplation 2 Martie's Garden

The others of the Historic PE ones will be posted after I have had a chance to go to the gallery and confirm which have sold.

In full swing....

2008-02-17T17:41:00.006+02:00

Well the exhibition is up and running, and the opening was wonderful. The press commented the next day that they have never seen the gallery so crammed at an opening. Huge thanks are due to Grizel Hart of the museum at 7 Castle Hill, who did a wonderful job of publicising and catering. The speech by Bryan Wintermeyer of the Heritage foundation was great too, reminding those in attendance of how vital it is to preserve our heritage areas, not just because of sentiment, but because it is these areas which give character to to what would, without them, be just another ugly industrial city, and are therefore vital for tourism. Ironically, later in the evening, who should pitch up but Irish Slumlord Ken Denton! He has bought up 70% of the buildings in Central, and let them go to ruin, renting them out mostly to Nigerian pimps and drug dealers, and hugely contributing to the degradation and escalating crime in the area. With him was his very pregnant "fiance", cousin of Nelson Mandela's ex wife Winnie. (This despite the fact that his wife, to whom he is still married, is living back in Dublin, unaware of what has been going on, until informed recently by our local press.) I was tempted to ask him to leave, but did not want to ruin the evening with a confrontation.

The following day I popped in to see Tossie, from the other gallery I told you about, only to discover that the exhibition she offered me is starting on the 4th March, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
Anyway it has been a good motivator, and I have been painting like a madwoman! Will have lots of new work to show you soon.... (but not much time for posting or visiting!)

Forthcoming Exhibition

2008-02-08T06:16:00.000+02:00

My group exhibition looms just around the corner.... still frantically trying to complete a few more paintings, and get them dry enough to frame! Will post some of the new ones when I come up for air again.

Between us, we have about 90 pictures, but Bob the photographer also has boxes of old prints that he is going to lay out on tables to sell. I have already got dibbs on some of then, they are fascinating. Pictures of trams going up narrow streets which are now 6 lane main roads, some very interesting harbour and aerial shots etc. All 3 of us are passionate about our historic areas, and it shows in our work.

My daughter K has been doing a lot of research into the area, and is going to write notes on as many of the buildings featured in pictures as possible, so that whoever buys one not only gets a painting, but a sense of the history of the place as well.

In the meantime, here is your personal invitation to the opening!

Anyone in PE who sees this and is interested is very welcome to attend. The exhibition runs from 12th to 23rd February.

More Historic PE

2008-01-26T09:56:00.005+02:00

Another batch being prepared for the coming exhibition... only 1 big one...

SOLD

Title : aftermath of the 1902 gale

Size 1100 x 900 mm

This is another of the large storm paintings, taken from a vintage black and white photo.

......and the rest are very tiny canvasses this time, unusual for me but i am enjoying them.

SOLD

Title: 78 St Patricks Rd

Size: 150 x 150 mm

Title: 40 St Patricks Rd
Size: 150 x 150 mm

SOLD

Title: 44 Sherlock Street

Size: 150 x 150 mm

The next 3 depict the historic museum at 7 Castle Hill, which is the oldest residence in PE still in working order. It was built in the mid 1820s and is furnished with fascinating items from that period, including a wonderful dolls house. In the courtyard, the old water pump and built in sandstone benches are still there.

Title: 7 Castle Hill

Size 150 x 150mm

SOLD

Title: 7 Castle Hill, courtyard
Size 150 x 200mm

SOLD

Title: 7 Castle Hill, water pump
Size 150 x 200mm

Port at night

2008-01-17T03:14:00.001+02:00

Title: Port at Night

Size: 300x300mm

SOLD

The other night, I woke up at about 2 am, and was sitting on the balcony enjoying the view of lights reflecting on the water at Port St Francis. So I grabbed a canvas and decided to capture the peaceful scene.

More Historic PE

2008-01-11T00:03:00.002+02:00

Title: Looking across Russell Road

Size: 800x400mm

SOLD

This is a view of the skyline looking at Richmond Hill from the opposite cliff in Central. I love the simplicity of design of these early settler buildings.

SOLD

Title: Aftermath of the Great Gale in 1902

Size: 900x 800mm

This was a fairly ambitious one, because it was done from a vintage b&w photograph. I wanted to bring in colour, so that it was not just a straight reproduction of the photo, but kept it muted to retain the atmosphere created by the foul weather and stricken ships. I emphasised the little lighthouse on the hill near the middle, because of the irony that, when nature really decides to lash out, none of our puny safety measures can help, and we are reminded that, though we behave as if we are Lords of the Planet, we need to be brought down to size every now and then, like the little spectators gazing in awe at the results of the storm.

new year, new work

2008-01-03T07:43:00.004+02:00

I have 2 Exhibitions coming up early this year.

The first is Historic Port Elizabeth from 12th to 27th February at the EPSAC Gallery. I will be exhibiting with Vilia Offerman, who is sought after for her great watercolours, and well known local photographer Bob Binell, who has a fantastic collection of vintage photos of early PE.

The next is in mid March, at the Cuyler Street Gallery, which I am delighted to get into, as the owner, Tossie Theron is a respected authority on Eastern Cape art, and a great promoter of local artists.

Here is a preview of a selection of new work that is being done for those exhibitions.

Title: Crossroads

Size: 600x500mm

SOLD

I love this little church which we see from our dining room window, the proportions are wonderful, as are the two different stone crosses on the gables. Over the years I have photographed it in a wide variety of light conditions.

Title: Contemplation 2

Size: 500x600mm

The meditative mood of this appealed to me.... gazing over the valley, is the grass greener over there?

Title: Crossroads St Stephens and Mackay Streets.
Size: 600x300mm

The streetscapes of the historic areas of PE are often charming, offering a blend of old houses and new lamp posts, and often the bay forms the backdrop.

Title: Crossroads Mackay and Cross Streets.

Size: 600x300mm

Another Richmond Hill streetscape with panoramic view of the bay.

SOLD

Title: Looking down St Stevens Street

Size: 300x400mm

SOLD

Title: Looking down Parliament Street

Size: 400x300mm

SOLD

Corner Store, Irvine and Raleigh Street.

Title: Looking over Russell Road

Size: 400x500

SOLD

Sunrise through the trees in the old Graveyard

Pre-Restoration, Vovo Telo

600x900mm

SOLD

Title: St Stevens, winter

Size: 250x250mm

SOLD

Title: Invitation to Rest

Size: 450 x 1200mm

There is something about park benches and shady trees that really seems to draw me, I guess at a stressful time, it is the allure of the unattainable...

The forest beckons...

2007-10-30T11:39:00.001+02:00

SOLD

Title: The Forest Beckons

Size: 150x200mm

Relaxing after breakfast at a chalet in the Knysna forest, I just had to try and capture the feeling of being drawn into the forest to explore.... sadly there wasn't time, but I'll be back!

Duncan Village 2

2007-10-25T11:39:00.001+02:00

Title: Duncan Village 2

Size: 900x700mm

Another view of the Duncan Village informal settlement in East London. Although life is hard and conditions are far from acceptable, there remains a vibrancy and sense of community that speaks volumes about the resiliance of the human spirit.

one I forgot to post!

2007-10-20T07:27:00.001+02:00

Oops, here is one that slipped through the cracks! I was looking for it so I could give the link to someone who has a great swan photo on his blog, (in fact lots of brilliant photos, check out Dick's blog...) and realised I had forgotten to post it. So here is swansong, a combination of swans I photographed in Bloemfontein a few years ago, and the predominantly black and white abstracts that make statements... this one alludes to global warming, and the "swansong" of the planet.

SOLD

Title: Swansong

Size: 900x600mm

Can't see the wood for the trees?, and sunset at sea

2007-10-19T04:22:00.001+02:00

SOLD

Title: Can't see the wood for the trees?

Size: 1200 x 1000 mm

A large happy looking abstract. I have a "thing" for rainbow colours and trees, this is a marriage of the two!

SOLD
Title: Sunset at sea
Size: 500 x 400 mm

This is an older painting that was tucked away somewhere at an out of town gallery, I just retrieved it last week.

waxing lyrical

2007-10-09T10:28:00.003+02:00

I have been experimenting with wax on my canvasses, to add texture to the paintings... I just love the subtle effects that can be achieved when paint is applied and then rubbed off again, as the wax only retains some of the pigment. The 3 paintings in the previous post had some wax on them, and these three do too. After some experimentation, I have settled on a wax called microcrystalline, used by scuptors. It is very flexible, much more so than paraffin wax, and handles well when carved. Great fun!

Title : Red and Blue 2

Size : 1500x1000 mm

sold...commission

This was commissioned for a beach house in Port Alfred. I stained some wax red and dripped it over the grassy areas for extra texture.

SOLD

Title: the circle of life
Size: 1000x1000mm

There is subtle writing on this one, running around the spiral. It reads "it takes time and careful listening to unravel the meaning of life.... but most of us are on a hamster wheel whizzing around and times rushes by too fast... so we forget to look around and listen out for clues." The fact that the writing is not obvious or easy to read mirrors the message that we need to work at finding meaning in life.

here are a few details showing the textures created by the wax.

Title: lest we forget #3
Size: 1000x1000mm
SOLD

Yet another in the series dealing with the meaninglessness of war, and how pointless all the deaths really are.

I have included a few details below to show some of the textures, and the interplay of silver leaf, paint and wax to create subtle textures.

spring offerings................

2007-09-21T01:55:00.003+02:00

With the welcome arrival of our latest grandchild, the painting has been a bit slower than usual, but here are the latest ones.....
another pair in the anti war poppy series...

SOLD

Title: Lest we Forget 2a

size: 300x1000mm

SOLD
Title: Lest we Forget 2b
size: 300x1000mm

Title: wise men came from the east
size: 1200x1000mm

and another one

2007-08-22T01:19:00.001+02:00

SOLD

Title: Eclectic Skyline
Size: 400 x 800 mm

Port Elizabeth is such an interesting town, I bet there are not too many places where you could take a narrow sliver of the skyline and find in it a church, a mosque, newspaper printing works, flats, houses, a lighthouse and a pyramid!

latest batch

2007-08-20T09:19:00.003+02:00

Title: Social Meltdown

Size: 900 x 600 mm

A protest against what is happening in South Africa, where the rights of the criminals are more important to our legal system than those of honest citizens. While we hide behind bars for safety, they roam free, and 23000 kids were raped last year.

SOLD

Title: Hanging Out
Size: 600 x 900 mm

Cormorants drying their wings, on poles at a jetty in Knysna.

Title: Cafe Rouge
Size: 450 x 350 mm

SOLD

the next 3 are more in the series on old historic buildings in Richmond Hill, Port Elizabeth.

SOLD

Title: Old Firestation, Albany Road
Size: 600 x 300 mm

SOLD

Title: St Stephens Terrace
Size: 600 x 300 mm

weird batch

2007-07-20T00:49:00.002+02:00

This lot really doesn't look like the same person did them, I must check and see what my other personalities have been up to.....(kidding!)

SOLD

Title: Spanish Nights

Size: 600 x 900 mm

I must thank Ian and Cursty for this, they were in Spain recently, wandering through the wonderful narrow alleyways as the sun went down. I was attracted to this as a subject because I love trying to portray the play between cool natural light and warm artificial light.

SOLD

Title: Dawn across Richmond Park.
Size: 300 x 250 mm

The light was great the other day, so I rushed out (yes, I'm afraid the poor neighbours were subjected to the tatty dressing gown again...) and sketched it with pen and watercolour wash to capture the rapidly changing conditions, then I applied a bit of artistic licence and darkened it and emphasised the artificial light when I did the painting.

Title: Bobcat
Size: 750 x 450
SOLD

Yes, I know this is freaky and scary, but it is about a freaky and scary subject, the Hitler-like moustache on the fat cat might give you a clue.... and it is a protest about a subject I rage inwardly about, feeling impotent in the face of so much international apathy. If Zimbabwe was rich in oil I bet things would be very different! In the meantime old Bob gets financially fatter and fatter at the expense of his desperate suffering people.

in war-only the arms dealers win

2007-07-07T11:15:00.001+02:00

SOLD

Title: In war - only the arms dealers win

Size mm: 1100x900

This is another in my ongoing series of predominanly black and white paintings which carry a message about the futility of war. As usual, the poppy speaks of the wasted lives, this one has gold and silver to suggest the vested interests that many big businesses (and Governments!) have in making sure that wars keep happening.

some new work

2007-07-06T04:06:00.001+02:00

SOLD

Title : Dafur Desolation

Size, mm: 400x800
Price Excluding Postage US$: 240

A subject close to my heart. What hope do these kids have if we who are so comfortable don't intervene in some way?

Title : Across the Park
Size, mm: 150x150
Price Excluding Postage US$: 60

SOLD

I was on the patio the other day, and the quality of light across the park was just lovely, sort of hazy but picking up highlights on the city buildings we glimpse at the base of the hill. I was about to grab my sketchbook, then I thought I might as well sketch it with oils straight onto a canvas.

Title : Dollery Street 2
Size, mm: 250x250
Price Excluding Postage US$: 100

SOLD

Another view of the little cottage I restored last year, built of stone in about 1882. We have just sold it, I am sad to see it go, painting it has helped!

another mixed bunch

2007-06-17T07:40:00.002+02:00

Title: The Lonely Tree 2

Size: 800x450mm

SOLD

Based on the Wilfred Gibson poem of the same name....

"Though I love the forests deep and wide, the lonely tree on the bare hillside, the brave wind bitten lonely tree, is rooted in the heart of me."

SOLD

Title: Richmond Hill Street
Size: 850x650mm

Title: In war no-one wins

Size: 1200x900mm

SOLD

This is a theme I have been exploring for a while, basically on the surface they are black and white abstracts, with red poppies. But if one cares to look deeper, there is a statement there about good versus evil and the chaos and futility of war, leading to such pointless loss of lives, symbolised by the poppies used to commemorate Flanders.

Title: In war no-one wins 2

Size: 600x500mm

SOLD

Title: Sailing triptych

Size: 450x1200mm x3

Although in a similar vein to the war series, there are no deeper meanings here, just the fun of disappearing into the wild blue yonder!

on a roll.....

2007-06-15T03:14:00.002+02:00

SOLD

Title: Campbell Street at sunrise
Size:300x300mm

SOLD

Title: Old Grocer
Size: 250x250

Title: Lansdowne Street
Size: 155x155mm
SOLD

Title: Corner Store
Size: 250x250mm
SOLD

Title: Dollery Street
Size: 300x400mm
SOLD

I just love painting the old buildings around where we live.