INSIGHT
too much detail and my work looked
like it had a virulent spotted disease
with absolutely no focal point. I made
matters worse by painting a large oak
tree on one side; it was out of scale and
it looked incongruous. The painting was
a disaster. In disgust, I cut it up.
I once tried to fix and ‘freshen up’
a pastel painting. That was one of my
worst mistakes – I ruined the picture
beyond repair. My painting ability had
evolved since I first created the art work.
My rejuvenation attempt produced a
hideous mess. I have kept it to remind
me not to fiddle about on any work
which is finished and signed!
I have three of my own artworks in my
personal collection.
My paintings are displayed at four
galleries: Reflections of Montagu,
Swellendam Kunsgallery, Star Nation
Gallery and Sikelela Art Gallery. My
work can also be seen on five websites
including SouthAfricanArtists.com and
arcyart.com
Artists who I admire include Leonardo,
Monet and Turner; the Australian R.
Godfrey Rivers; Canada’s Wayne
Gaudon; and South Africa’s Gregoire
Boonzaaier, J.H. Pierneef, Tinus De
Jongh and Judith Mason.
I am eternally gratefully to Wayne
Gaudon. He has compelled me to
dispassionately examine my values – both
what I have done in the past, and what I
am capable of doing in the future.
Another important influence was
Noel Hodnett. When I was a young
undergraduate, he befriended me and
took me under his wing ... when he
realised that I felt totally overwhelmed
and terrified by the caustic tongue of
our Professor and Dean of the Arts
Department.
Since my childhood, I have developed
a habit of looking at everything and
learning from observation. For example,
clouds are not white tufts of cottonwool
floating around in a blue sky; they are
water and air sculptured by the wind,
with the sunlight shining above them
(even when you cannot see it). Clouds
are not white, they reflect the sun’s
golden light; underneath they are not
grey, but violet and blue. I still try to
learn from every available source –
from books, paintings, and other artists;