An Artist’s Journey

“I am part of all that I have met”,

ULYSSES – Alfred, Lord Tennyson

At what point and time do you call yourself an artist? I struggle to answer that question…

 I like to skip going to the doctor’s offices and self medicate, it doesn’t make me a doctor. When can I say I am an artist. The last 5 years I haven’t been able to truly call myself an artist. Yet, in the last four weeks I have never felt more scared, confused, alive, excited about art than ever before.

I am listening to new music,  I am reading an interesting book on the journey of colour. I have seen movies that makes me feel things. I am excited to paint. Look forward to studio time. Have spent most of the weekend panting. I am constantly looking at art, lots of art. I have never felt more like an artist now, than ever before.

How did this change happen?

For 5 years I have been painting pretty pictures. Painting without any concept in mind. However I have always felt that my work lacks something, I can paint proteas, but is that all? And what do I want to do? Being an artist became a job instead of a love and a passion. A job not always approached with much excitement. How exciting can it be to do the same thing over and over. I had a slow start this year. I could not keep repeating the same art year after year, and not develop further.

Art is very personal, and walking through galleries one can see that in the different work of the artists. But if its personal, why does my art feel so superficial. How can I break out of a habit of doing what is safe.

In February Ruth Walter, an artist from Clarens came through to give a workshop. I had my images ready and was excited to start. Excited ? About art? That was something new for me. During this time I realized that my art needs to change. I need to rethink the path I want to take. I need to create time to experiment. I need to do more drawings. I need to stop working like a robot.

I sat down and started to plan my work, I decided to focus on Femininity. Me as a woman. My feelings. Conflicting emotions that I don’t always know how to deal with.  There will be more portraits, focusing on strength and appearance. The image we want the world to see. Confident and in charge.

My figures will show who we really are, when we are alone and there is no one to impress. I will also look at combining the figures with indigenous South African flora. Proteas and aloes will show how we can overcome and can survive. Strong regardless of our circumstances.

Smaller A5 paintings will be weekly colour studies. They will all relate to how we interact with the world around us. Everyday objects.

I don’t disregard any of my previous art, they are still part of me, who I am, and how I grew as an artist. I will still accept commissions of proteas. However with proteas trending, I don’t want to part of a saturated protea market. I will still continue with my scatters and wooden blocks. But my subject matter in my paintings will be changing.

Expect new exciting work! Different from what I have ever done.  Thank you for following me on this exciting journey I am on.

 All I can say is, I am part of all I have met, and all I am yet to meet..