If you’re an Art lover holidaying in the Ballito area or even a day visitor during the holidays, the chances are that you would be interested in seeing what the area has to offer. Tucked away in the centre of the main street in Umhlali, you will find Leanna’s Gallery Café – an excellent spot to meet a friend for a cup of coffee or a light lunch, while enjoying the variety of artwork on display.
Leanna and her husband started a small gallery and framing business some years ago and this has now expanded into a café, framing shop and gallery. Chatting to Leanna about the gallery, she said that her motto had always been “something for everyone” and she is confident that the business will continue to live up to that goal. At the back of the gallery, you will find a section that is very well stocked with art materials. Although the chances are that you will find what you are looking for there, Leanna hastens to add that she is happy to order on the customer’s behalf, should you need something that is not in stock. The selection of canvases on offer made me feel instantly inspired to paint. Leanna keeps stock of the Australian Art Spectrum pastels as well as a wide variety of paints and brushes.
Apart from the paintings, plates and ceramics on display, Leanna stocks a large selection of framed mirrors. Verdi, Leanna’s husband, does the framing on the premises himself and as such is often happy to help out with an urgent framing need.
Leanna is looking forward to receiving some new stock early in the New Year, so it might be a good time to plan to meet a friend at the Gallery Café for a cup of coffee. For more on Art www.withartinmind.co.za
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Friday, February 2, 2007
"Catchphrases for Painting"
I was reading through Patricia Moran's "Painting the Beauty of Flowers with Oils" and I thought some of her "Catchphrases for Painting" were particularly interesting:
"It is not what you paint but how you paint it"
"Paint what you love and love what you paint"
"Maintain the initial impression"
"Relate every brushstroke to the whole painting"
"The spaces can be as interesting as the object"
"The shadow can explain the object"
"Cover the blank canvas as fast as you can"
Near enough is never good enough"
"Paint what you observe to be there, not what you know to be there"
"Keep it as soft as you can, as neutral as you can, for as long as you can"
"Big brush, big area, small brush, small area"
"Paint the hands while looking at the face"
A painting is only as good as its worst point"
"Don't count on happy accidents"
"Don't work on one spot too long"
"The signature is part of the painting"
If you received a book voucher for Christmas a book that is new to the shelves of Exclusive Books is: "Emma Pearse's Artist's Materials". This little book is brought out by Winsor and Newton and is a most comprehensive sourcebook of methods and media. I can recommend this as a good book for any artist to have on their shelves.
"It is not what you paint but how you paint it"
"Paint what you love and love what you paint"
"Maintain the initial impression"
"Relate every brushstroke to the whole painting"
"The spaces can be as interesting as the object"
"The shadow can explain the object"
"Cover the blank canvas as fast as you can"
Near enough is never good enough"
"Paint what you observe to be there, not what you know to be there"
"Keep it as soft as you can, as neutral as you can, for as long as you can"
"Big brush, big area, small brush, small area"
"Paint the hands while looking at the face"
A painting is only as good as its worst point"
"Don't count on happy accidents"
"Don't work on one spot too long"
"The signature is part of the painting"
If you received a book voucher for Christmas a book that is new to the shelves of Exclusive Books is: "Emma Pearse's Artist's Materials". This little book is brought out by Winsor and Newton and is a most comprehensive sourcebook of methods and media. I can recommend this as a good book for any artist to have on their shelves.
Commissions and History
Often artists find commissions to be limiting and somewhat restrictive, but I have found the contrary to be true in many instances. Admittedly there is always the chance that one might be required to paint something that does not translate into a satisfying painting, but sharing the experiences of others has lead me to paint a great variety of subject matter: boats and buildings; teddy bears, birds and horses; portraits, landscapes and seascapes. These commissions, while challenging me out of my comfort zones, have allowed me to be part of other people’s experiences and sharing their stories have all enriched me in some way.
Such was the commission by Sam and Louise Campbell in 2005, to paint a picture at “Willow Bank” the property on the north side of the Umhlanga Lagoon. When I received a call asking me to paint a property between Umhlanga and Umhloti, I was unprepared for what was to come. Having just painted a national monument, I was thinking architecture – and especially in this highly developed area.
After looking at photographs, I requested to visit the sight in person. Walking along the path with Sam and his family, I captured a glimpse of childhood memories, changing seasons, of the moods of the sea and coastal forest and stories of the early days told over generations. We felt that a view through the trees - the view from where the original homestead had once stood – best captured the sense of seclusion, unspoilt coastal forest and rich history of this amazing place so close to some of the greatest property development in the area.
A casual mention of the commission to a colleague at work led to an interesting development some months later. I received a very excited phone call one evening from a friend who shares a passion for books with her husband. Tony and Madeleine were looking through books when Tony discovered a book by Roy Campbell called “Light on a Dark Horse”, which had much to say on the early days in Durban. Madeleine quickly linked the descriptions in the book to the area I had described. Two chapters in the book refer specifically to the early days in the area. Roy Campbell writes: “One of the places I loved best as a child was the Umhlanga Lagoon …We had an old ramshackle cottage in the middle of the forest … At night it was lit by electric blue thunderflashes from the rolling breakers which shook the house and made the candles tremble with every crash … illuminating the twisted boughs of a giant milkwood tree which over – arched the house.” Fascinating stories continue of interesting characters, the haunt of a terrible old mamba, interesting visitors and boating on the lagoon.
As I pass the property on the north side of the Umhlanga Lagoon on my frequent trips to Durban, I am so much more aware of its natural beauty and rich history. It was a privilege as an artist to capture just a little of the story.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
“Memorabilia”- Aidon Westcott
Concluding my short series of articles on art on the fringe at this year’s Grahamstown Festival, Aidon Westcott’s mixed media work was refreshing, sincere and deeply rooted in the artist’s own experience.
Growing up in the East London area, Aidon is no stranger to the Nahoon Mouth and surrounding area and it is from this ongoing experience that he has developed both knowledge and love of the aquatic world.
His exhibition this year was called “Memorabilia” and took place at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. He uses a combination of found objects from yesteryear, which he sees as fragments of a former culture and combines them with photomontage, painting and sculpture.
Aidon sees the objects that he chooses as deeply rooted in human consciousness. For him, fish symbolise the identification of a person’s true “self”. “They are a metaphor for the aesthetic and spiritual significance hidden in nature and human beings.”
Aidon received a degree from the former East London Technical College. He specialized in painting, sculpture and ceramics. While at the college, he achieved a number of accolades: in 2001 he was awarded the best all round student, in 2002, the best ceramic student, in 2003, the best fourth year student. In 2004 he held his first solo exhibition called “Symbiosis” at the Grahamstown Festival. In 2005 he held a similar exhibition called “The Fish Chronicles”. His work can also be seen at the Morgan Bay art gallery in East London.
Certainly, this year’s exhibition, “Meborabilia” was both interesting and thought provoking. In the piece, “The Spirit of the Transkei Fishermen” the memorabilia salutes the people, fishing with hand and line and passing on their knowledge from one generation to the next. In “The Enthusiast”, the memorabilia creates an environment of sacred objects treasured by one who is passionate about a hobby and who allows time for reflection. “Genesis” celebrates the birth of life through the depiction of the six stages of life inside an egg. This is seen as a metaphor for spiritual growth and new beginnings.
Working in mixed media enables Aidon to showcase his considerable talent in both painting and sculpture – a thought-provoking exhibition by a very talented young artist.
Growing up in the East London area, Aidon is no stranger to the Nahoon Mouth and surrounding area and it is from this ongoing experience that he has developed both knowledge and love of the aquatic world.
His exhibition this year was called “Memorabilia” and took place at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. He uses a combination of found objects from yesteryear, which he sees as fragments of a former culture and combines them with photomontage, painting and sculpture.
Aidon sees the objects that he chooses as deeply rooted in human consciousness. For him, fish symbolise the identification of a person’s true “self”. “They are a metaphor for the aesthetic and spiritual significance hidden in nature and human beings.”
Aidon received a degree from the former East London Technical College. He specialized in painting, sculpture and ceramics. While at the college, he achieved a number of accolades: in 2001 he was awarded the best all round student, in 2002, the best ceramic student, in 2003, the best fourth year student. In 2004 he held his first solo exhibition called “Symbiosis” at the Grahamstown Festival. In 2005 he held a similar exhibition called “The Fish Chronicles”. His work can also be seen at the Morgan Bay art gallery in East London.
Certainly, this year’s exhibition, “Meborabilia” was both interesting and thought provoking. In the piece, “The Spirit of the Transkei Fishermen” the memorabilia salutes the people, fishing with hand and line and passing on their knowledge from one generation to the next. In “The Enthusiast”, the memorabilia creates an environment of sacred objects treasured by one who is passionate about a hobby and who allows time for reflection. “Genesis” celebrates the birth of life through the depiction of the six stages of life inside an egg. This is seen as a metaphor for spiritual growth and new beginnings.
Working in mixed media enables Aidon to showcase his considerable talent in both painting and sculpture – a thought-provoking exhibition by a very talented young artist.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Kim Berman at Bayside Gallery
When I received an invitation from Sue Greenberg to attend the opening of ”Collection 2006”, at Bayside Gallery at the Bat Centre, Durban my expectations were fairly vague. Knowing that prints by Kim Berman were to feature strongly in the collection did little to dispel my preconceived ideas. Kim Berman, however, takes print – making to a new level. As senior lecturer and head of printmaking at The University of Johannesburg and director of Art Print Studios, she is an obvious leader in her field.
Three series of prints were chosen for the exhibition: The first a series of lithographs on fire and smoke entitled: “Through the wire, Lowveld fire”, the second, the mine dump series, consisting of a combination of monoprint and etching and the third, “Red ribbons on a pond” a series exploring a new and previously unexplored element. I found myself fascinated by the technical effects created by the combinations of printing techniques. The series “Through the wire, Lowveld fire” seemed to me more reminiscent of pastel painting and not printing at all.
Chatting to Kim was equally fascinating: She explained how the elements of earth and fire had been used as metaphors for social issues in her work. She had first explored fire as a metaphor for cleansing and purging during the time of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Her minescapes in the mine dump series, represent the paradox of the land: wealth and poverty, despair and hope, past and present - they explore a search for hope and healing in destruction. In the third series, flame tree blossoms like red ribbons on a pond, symbolize the senseless death of people through Aids.
Kim received a degree in Fine Art from Wits University in 1981 and a Master of Fine Arts in the USA in 1989. She has been involved in a number of community projects, such as the founding of a community printmaking centre in Newtown in 1992, the Paper Prayers campaign and a natural poverty alleviation campaign called Phumani Paper.
Kim has lectured and exhibited in South Africa and internationally. She has held solo exhibitions in Johannesburg, Belgium and the USA and is currently registered at Wits University for a PHD on the role of the visual arts in social change in South Africa.
“Collection 2006”, which includes work by ceramicists such as Karen Kotze, Hennie Meyer, John Newdigate, Karen Sinovich, Clive Sithole and Martha Zettler as well as fabric work by Zimeleni and handcrafted jewellery by Durban designers will be at Bayside Gallery until mid-January and is well worth a visit.
Three series of prints were chosen for the exhibition: The first a series of lithographs on fire and smoke entitled: “Through the wire, Lowveld fire”, the second, the mine dump series, consisting of a combination of monoprint and etching and the third, “Red ribbons on a pond” a series exploring a new and previously unexplored element. I found myself fascinated by the technical effects created by the combinations of printing techniques. The series “Through the wire, Lowveld fire” seemed to me more reminiscent of pastel painting and not printing at all.
Chatting to Kim was equally fascinating: She explained how the elements of earth and fire had been used as metaphors for social issues in her work. She had first explored fire as a metaphor for cleansing and purging during the time of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Her minescapes in the mine dump series, represent the paradox of the land: wealth and poverty, despair and hope, past and present - they explore a search for hope and healing in destruction. In the third series, flame tree blossoms like red ribbons on a pond, symbolize the senseless death of people through Aids.
Kim received a degree in Fine Art from Wits University in 1981 and a Master of Fine Arts in the USA in 1989. She has been involved in a number of community projects, such as the founding of a community printmaking centre in Newtown in 1992, the Paper Prayers campaign and a natural poverty alleviation campaign called Phumani Paper.
Kim has lectured and exhibited in South Africa and internationally. She has held solo exhibitions in Johannesburg, Belgium and the USA and is currently registered at Wits University for a PHD on the role of the visual arts in social change in South Africa.
“Collection 2006”, which includes work by ceramicists such as Karen Kotze, Hennie Meyer, John Newdigate, Karen Sinovich, Clive Sithole and Martha Zettler as well as fabric work by Zimeleni and handcrafted jewellery by Durban designers will be at Bayside Gallery until mid-January and is well worth a visit.
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
“The Wiles Gallery”, Bathurst
I have long been an admirer of Lucy Wiles’s fresh watercolours of South Africa’s people, so you can well imagine my delight at discovering the Wiles Gallery at Bathurst on my recent visit to Grahamstown. Bathurst is a quaint little town just outside Grahamstown, where time has stood still and well known by students for the legendary “Pig and Whistle”, where many a Rhodes student has stopped off to quench his or her thirst.
The “Wiles Gallery” is a relatively new addition to the area, having been built only seven months ago. This was an obvious stop for me and I was not disappointed. Jane Wiles, owner of the gallery and daughter of Lucy Wiles was in the gallery herself as it was the week of the Festival. Jane is a highly recognized artist in her own right and the gallery boasts a number of her magnificent seascapes. Her interest lies in light, nature and water and so it is no surprise that Jane sees the sea as her “most nurturing subject”. Jane chatted warmly with us and spoke nostalgically of her time on the Kwazulu Natal coast. Based in Mtunzini for some years, she lectured in literature at the University of Zululand. Only when I arrived home did I remember having received an invitation to one of her exhibitions many years ago and made the connection.
Jane is the fourth generation of artists. Henry Wiles was one of the youngest gold medallists of the Royal Academy at the University of Cambridge. He was a sculptor who studied in Rome and Naples. His son, Walter was best known for his interpretations of the seashore, so it is no wonder that Jane shares a love of the sea and coastline. Walter’s son, Brian was determined to be a writer. He, too, became a renowned South African artist and married Lucy Mullins – now so well known to us as Lucy Wiles. Lucy studied under Nils Anderson. So with both parents being artists Jane’s decision to open a gallery and her desire to spend time painting, which she describes as “doing what she wants to do” is hardly surprising.
Her mother still lives in Knysna, but will be moving to Port Alfred shortly. In her eighties, she is still painting to supply the gallery and if her most recent flower painting is anything to go by, the standard of her work continues to amaze.
Certainly, my discovery of the “Wiles Gallery” at Bathurst was a memorable highlight of a week spent at the Grahamstown Festival.
The “Wiles Gallery” is a relatively new addition to the area, having been built only seven months ago. This was an obvious stop for me and I was not disappointed. Jane Wiles, owner of the gallery and daughter of Lucy Wiles was in the gallery herself as it was the week of the Festival. Jane is a highly recognized artist in her own right and the gallery boasts a number of her magnificent seascapes. Her interest lies in light, nature and water and so it is no surprise that Jane sees the sea as her “most nurturing subject”. Jane chatted warmly with us and spoke nostalgically of her time on the Kwazulu Natal coast. Based in Mtunzini for some years, she lectured in literature at the University of Zululand. Only when I arrived home did I remember having received an invitation to one of her exhibitions many years ago and made the connection.
Jane is the fourth generation of artists. Henry Wiles was one of the youngest gold medallists of the Royal Academy at the University of Cambridge. He was a sculptor who studied in Rome and Naples. His son, Walter was best known for his interpretations of the seashore, so it is no wonder that Jane shares a love of the sea and coastline. Walter’s son, Brian was determined to be a writer. He, too, became a renowned South African artist and married Lucy Mullins – now so well known to us as Lucy Wiles. Lucy studied under Nils Anderson. So with both parents being artists Jane’s decision to open a gallery and her desire to spend time painting, which she describes as “doing what she wants to do” is hardly surprising.
Her mother still lives in Knysna, but will be moving to Port Alfred shortly. In her eighties, she is still painting to supply the gallery and if her most recent flower painting is anything to go by, the standard of her work continues to amaze.
Certainly, my discovery of the “Wiles Gallery” at Bathurst was a memorable highlight of a week spent at the Grahamstown Festival.
Sculptor Maureen Quin
Maureen Quin is no stranger to the Grahamstown Arts Festival, having started exhibiting at Rennie Hall in the Albany Museum in 1992. What is, however, very refreshing about Maureen’s approach is the interactive nature of her Festival exhibitions. As she puts it: “I wanted to break away from the stereotype of exhibitions which are basically empty, silent and intimidating spaces for viewing art.” Her approach is to encourage interaction, communication and participation.
So it is that one enters Rennie Hall with a sense of anticipation. We found Maureen busy working on a portrait of a friend. She had taken numerous photographs of the model and these were displayed on a board in front of where she was working. She was deeply involved, building up the form with small pieces of clay. Viewing the original bronzes on display, however, made one instantly aware that what was happening was far more than just capturing the physical features of her model, for Maureen has a rare ability to capture the essence and spirit of her subject. Her bronzes have a presence that stays with you and leave an indelible impression on your mind.
Maureen was born and schooled in the Bloemfontein district. She studied sculpture in Durban and then went on to further her studies in London. She is a professional sculptor with numerous public and private commissions to her name and she has had more than 40 solo exhibitions and has participated in more than twenty group exhibitions. She is represented in most art collections in South Africa. She received the silver medal of the University of Pretoria for her outstanding contribution to art and the Premier’s award for promoting sculpture in the Eastern Province.
Maureen’s husband, Etienne, is obviously one of her greatest admirers and he was quick to engage in conversation and supply us with details of her working methods, past commissions and an extremely important project that she will be involved in the months ahead.
Maureen and Etienne live in Alexandria in the Eastern Cape and her sculptures are permanently on display to the public in the “Sculpture Garden” at her home. This would obviously be well worth a visit, but the exceptional quality of her work ensures that we will no doubt be hearing a great deal more about this extremely talented sculptor in the not too distant future.
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