International Art Exhibition November 2010

Well done all our local artists who participated in the greatly successful Theatre/Symphony of Dreams Exhibition held in the Van Riebeeck Hall, Nelspruit. A dream came true: no less than 100 works exhibited, 30 entries were international and fifteen works were sold. Congratulations to each and every participant: the exhibition was an all round success!
Of the 41 participants, no less than seven were international artists from as far as Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ruanda and Botswana.
Locally 34 artists participated of which sixteen exhibited for the first time under the LAA flag. As the committee we are really encouraged by you, our members’, wonderful response! You make us proud and enthusiastic to serve you as best we can.
Star of the show was Mind Shana from Zimbabwe with his acrylic paintings on canvas, who sold the majority of the works. He began his art career by exhibiting with Black Like Us at Manor Gallery, the home of the WSSA. Mind has a wonderfully easy style depicting rural scenes and buyers from as far as Germany acquired of his work.
Other interesting works included entries by Nali Gama, a female artist born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Wendy Borello from Botswana, a very accomplished international artist and Jibril Lijoum from Cameroon whose work expresses his interest in his culture and traditions.
A large painting of fishermen at work painted by Chenjerai Kadzinga from Mozambique, was also sold. Chenjerai is well known for his fishing net scenes.
Pieter van Heerden van die Kunsvereniging Pretoria, het nie alleen as kurator opgetree nie, maar ‘n sleutelbydrae gelewer deur ‘n borgskap vir die uitstalling van SANAVA te bekom. Pieter was van meet af betrokke met die stigting van ons Kunsvereniging en is altyd bereid om ons by te staan. Van ons kant af: Baie dankie Pieter! Jy is ons “Ouboet” in die groter Kunsfamilie!
Daarby bedank ons Anton Loubser van SANAVA wat die borgskap goedgekeur het. Anton was ook by die stigtingsvergadering en die daaropvolgende uitstalling wat by die Burgersentrum gehou is in Maart 2009.
We wish you, our members, a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year! May we all take hands and create our best work ever in 2011! And may CREATIVITY win the day!!!
LAA Committee

I read this article by John Smith...what are your thoughts?
DO WE RESPECT OUR SOUTH AFRICAN ARTISTS?
By John Smith
Perhaps this is peculiar to baby boomers and those that came before, but I have always had this great respect for skilled artists, and that includes my peers, but am I alone in this now, because there no longer appears to be much respect for people who excel in the things that really matter like maths and science and the arts

Sadly now many great and skilled artists fall mainly into the poorly rewarded category, whereas the equivalents of the visual furniture or décor artists are handsomely rewarded by society. One needs to stop here and think about this – why is it so?
Has our society become shallow and myopic? I think in the main it has. ...http://sasartists.blogspot.com/p/interesting-articles.html


I think the root of the problem possibly lies in the fact that artists, especially visual artists, have little respect for themselves, and if this is the case then one can hardly expect anyone else to have respect for them. It seems the public have scant regard for artists in general now.

news

NEWSLETTER!! February/March 2010 (No.3)

Editorial

An overture is supposed to contain a preview of the opera: bits of this tune or that aria so that one’s appetite is whetted. Well I can tell you we have quite a show lined up for you. There are exciting things coming up this year: a number of workshops, competitions and art classes. But, by far the most exciting has got to be the very possibility of our own ART GALLERY !!

Art is a very personal thing, whether as an artist or as a viewer. Art is subjective , that’s why it is so difficult to be completely fair when awarding points in an art competition. But in the end, we like what we like. If it grows on us so much the better. Sometimes our likes change and “maturity” plays a role , however we all love to view/experience art so much better if there is an ART GALLERY nearby where we can browse and exhibit and meet other artists: where we can simply ART!

The WILD FIG GALLERY could, hopefully, be a reality and we may soon have our own center of focus with the right colour combination, composition, transparency, integration and harmony. Somewhere to hold workshops, exhibitions, meetings and simply getting together with other art lovers. On the other hand, we are also inquiring the use of the art gallery at Casterbridge. Maybe a better option, with more feet in and out. In an established center, with shopping attractions all around. At the end of the day, I guess, it will be which is the most financially attractive site. But, all of this does not come without commitment not only the committee but also each and every member, so we invite you to all become involved !WEBSITE : http://www.lowveldart.co.za/

Technology demands that we keep up to date: so, we now have our own website, thanks to the hard work of Odette Espach. She has spent many, many hours putting this together. This will enable anyone anywhere to view our art and then to buy what pleases him/her. Sort of Gallery-of-the-air that has no bounds. While only in its infancy, we will put a diary on it, suitably updated of what’s happening, and, of course, a means of exhibiting our art. Members will be able to:

- 1. Submit 6 (six) photographs of work to: gallery@lowveld art.co.za; This will be published on the website . Plse send good quality pics but resized (Work will be subjected to scrutiny by small panel as we would like this website to be of good taste and no explicit or vulgar work will be published)
- a suitable CV or profile (one page max) plus a photograph should be sent to Odette Espach at info@odetteespach.co.za for inclusion with the art on the web.

- 2. Send pictures of paintings to: critics@lowveldart.co.za for an objective/constructive crit by three well known local artists -
The cost of all this will probably be a charge of R300.00 per year, including the first set-up fee.
As a marketing tool what could be easier and have such a wide spread audience?!
2/……

2.


DIARY: WORKSHOPS and EXHIBITIONS: * February: St Valentine’s Day Exhibition at MICA with cheese and win on Saturday 13th, set up by 09.00 and go through to 13.00: contact Sarah Koster at 013-755 4843 or e-mail: sarahk@nelspruitmica.co.sa.
* February 16th: WSSA (in JHB): Submit photos on disc for the OPEN.
* February 27th, for one week only: “Recollections of a Dendrogenealogist”, ie.TREES, by
Leigh Voigt at Casterbridge Gallery.

* March 4 & 5 Portraits in Pastel: Workshop by Odette Powell, at This and That. R1000 for the two days, 09.00 to 16.00. Contact no.: 013-752 5689.
* March 7th –10th : Artist Retreat at Sandvlei, in the KNP, with Bill Ashton: course booked up but not yet paid up, so if you’re keen, contact Sarah Koster, at Mica. Cost, inclusive of everything, for the three days is R4500! Sarah hopes to organize more of these KNP trips, even to having them as day trips, with artists going out to a quiet spot and spending the day painting and even walks. (See above for contact details.) * March 13th: PPC Cement course, a follow up on the most interesting and fun-filled course held last year. The course will probably be held in White River or Hazyview: contact Nandi at Pretoria
Association of Arts 012 3463100 or Ilona Petzer: 0828936718 . Cost R 60.00

. March 19th – april 7th :Solo exhibition by Ilona Petzer at Association of Arts, Mackie
Street Pretoria. We wish her all the best !


· Also in March: the Hazel Soan workshop presented by the WSSA: contact Colleen Dreyer for details, though the course is already full they do have a waiting list.
Colleen at 013 741 2277 or 083 461 1666.

· April 1st is last day of submission to Mica for Art competition: Two categories one for new
signatures and one for established artists. Judges will choose top 25 in each category and customers will vote for top 5. (Theme : South Africa : year of excellence)
Prize to value of R10 000 will be awarded

* April 1,2 & 3: Louis Audie at Ambience Inn, White River, acrylic and oil painting techniques;
April 5,6 & 7: Louis Audie at Ambience Inn, White River, acrylic and oil painting techniques
Contact Daleen Mulder 082 341 5522 or Hannes Scholtz 082 821 5060.


* May 12: a one week EXHIBITION by Stef Botha on CHIMPS in very different poses!! At This and That, Nelspruit. (See above tel.details.

* May 14 & 15: Ina Moolman (Gauteng) presents a course in Mosaics: “Create a journey mirror”,
Please contact Daleen Mulder (above) for details of cost and venue.

· May 28, 29 & 30: Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday morning UPLANDS Art Festival: for details contact Sally Bakken at Uplands School, White River or 083 297 1660, e-mail GT500@iburst.co.za.





3 * Then later in the year there are:
- Portrait workshop by Heidi Beyers (Gauteng) 4 days in August (Daleen Mulder);
- Submissions for the Eisteddfod for adult artists (Odette Espach);
- In August Ilona Petzer and Yvonne Ankerman will tell us all about their two months art experience in Paris, plus a workshop on marketing and etching;
- September sees the Eisteddfod at the Civic Centre, Nelspruit; LAA has been invited to exhibit work during Gala evenings
- Innibos takes place in September this year, after the World Cup, with the art being exhibited at the Mercure Hotel, Nelspruit.
- Talk by Tabita Sales on her thesis ( art)
- Woodturning workshop by Butch Smuts ART CLASSES These are ongoing at: - This and That on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays : Odette Powell, Heila van der Merwe and Yvonne Ankerman - and Mica on Weekdays and Saturdays: contact Sarah Koster.

GALLERYAnd now a little about the Potential Gallery!Firstly, the WILD FIG spot: There is an old General Dealer’s shop/building on the Vergenoeg road just next to da Loose Mongoose. The developers of the Wild Fig Country Estate bought this building as part of the whole estate property. After an impassioned appeal through the Lowvelder by Ilona Petzer some time ago, Susanna Oosthuizen, from Wild Fig, contacted us offering this building. We took a look! First impressions were “Urgh” but then we saw past the peeling paint and broken windows and, Wow, the possibilities struck us. Here is a large exhibition area, a place for workshops, an office, a tea garden outside and plenty of parking, with water and electricity right here.And it is situated on the Rocky Drift to the KMI Airport road, with the likes of Bosch Pottery Studio and the Eloffs on the same road. Can you see the start of an Artists’ Meander to compete with the Midlands? It will not too be far from Nelspruit and will give folk in White River (at last) something to boast about.
We made a proposal and the developers made their offer. They are prepared to let us the “gallery” rent free for 7 years, provided we fix it up. We are now doing our homework and are looking at some of the more important details plus a more realistic costing than our first cost try.
If we succeed, then we will need some R150 to 200,000 to cover building material, paints, lighting, security, etc. etc. plus the labour. We will, of course, be making all sorts of appeals for help, be it with second hand building material and paint, plus heaps of that stuff called “sweat equity”, or elbow grease! Rest assured, if it’s all OK, you’ll be the first to know!

Secondly, the existing Gallery at CASTERBRIDGE:

There is an art gallery at Casterbridge, just outside White River on the Hazyview road We have approached the owners of the complex about allowing us take over so that we can have on-going exhibitions and workshops there. Of course, we would have to pay a rental , generating the income would thus be important
The main argument in favour of this venue is that it is in a diverse and a thriving shopping center, so there are many more feet every day. Security is better; located next to a hotel and restaurant.

Either way, your committee is doing all we can to make the gallery dream come true!!
--4--
DO YOU RECOGNISE THIS from the last News Letter? Well, it still applies!!For us to achieve anything of consequence we need a strong base. You have received this Newsletter because you are a member, but there are many artists out there who are not yet members. Please encourage them to contact Sarah Koster, at Mica, or Ilona, Annemarie or Rob for membership application forms.(membership forms will also be published on the website) The cost of R150 per year(this year’s fee is now due)

JJJThe Crit If you’re not satisfied with your work, you’re in good company. Turner and Matisse used to sneak into museums and exhibitions with their paints to touch up their paintings (and give the guards fits). Maybe they’re masochists, but maybe painters willingly submit their work to (often harsh) criticism in classes and workshops. Most painters probably don’t get as much out of the crit as they could. They pay too much attention to the instructor’s comments about their paintings and then turn a deaf ear to his comments about everyone else’s work. Think of the crit as an opportunity to visit a museum or exhibition with your instructor as a knowledgeable tour guide. The crit is your opportunity to study and learn from many different paintings. Painters usually do not submit unfinished work to the crit, could that be a mistake?. Not only is your ego less fragile when the work is unfinished, but also you’re more likely to consider the instructor’s comments in finishing the piece. Never make the changes an instructor suggests unless you agree with him. It is, after all, your painting. Some things are better the first time, but painting is not among them. Your next painting will be better than your previous painting – guaranteed! JJJ ** If you don’t like it, it will be for one of three reasons: - bad shapes - not enough entertainment - beaten to death. (Edgar Whitney)Remember:
website ; http://www.lowveldart.co.za/ our blog site : http:// associationartslowveld.blogspot.comour e-mail : lowveldasart@yahoo.com
E mail for pics on web : gallery@lowveld art.co.za
Email for crits: : critics@lowveldart.co.za postal address : P O Box 18132, Nelspruit, 1200Editor (Rob) : tel. 013-750 0700, 082 753 6019 Have fun painting, creating and sharing by selling those products of God-given talents.
Greetings, Rob McQueen (The artist in me looks from outside!)

AGM

Remember our AGM on Saturday 12 September 2009 at Uitsig @10;00
Judith Mason will conduct a drawing workshop after the meeting!!!

PPC cement workshop

PPC Young Concrete Sculptor Workshop comes to Nelspruit

PPC Cement painted the Phezulu Woodworking warehouse in Glenwood, Nelspruit, red this weekend. The event was the PPC Young Concrete Sculptor workshop, targeted at local artists in Nelspruit and its surrounding areas, young in the art of concrete sculpturing.

Nearly 30 artists and potential artists attended the workshop. Bheki Luphahla, PPC’s Technical Consultant was there to answer all questions related to the technical use of concrete. He also exposed workshop attendees on how to use concrete for creative expression as well as its versatility. Kay Potts, Chairperson of the PPC Young Concrete Sculptor Competition judging committee, was also present. She shared with the team the dos and don’ts to help them qualify to enter the competition taking place later this year.

According to Ilona Peltzer, Chairperson of the Lowveld Association of the Arts, the first-time workshop in the area proved to be a success. ”It was so amazing to have something different in the Lowveld. We so often have workshops on painting and other forms of Art, but this was the first time for sculpting, more so in concrete. We can’t wait to have another one. ”

Presented in partnership with the Association of the Arts Pretoria, the PPC Young Concrete Sculptor Awards competition is now in its 17th year and has become one of South Africa’s most prestigious visual arts accolades.

“The PPC Young Concrete Sculptor workshops give artists, young in the art of concrete sculpturing, the opportunity to manifest their artistic talents. One can immediately feel the change of vibe in the morning and when they leave in the afternoon. Then one knows the sculpting bug has bitten a few. We have a number of our prominent sculptors who got bitten by the bug and now look back with pride at the start of their careers, when they first participated in this competition. I look forward to having a few competition entrants from the Lowveld this year,“ says Nomzamo Basson, Public Relations Manager for PPC

For more information on the 2009 PPC Young Concrete Sculptor Awards Competition contact Nandi Hilliard at Association of Arts Pretoria via telephone on 012 346 3100, fax on 012 346 3125 or email at artspta@mweb.co.za or go to www.ppc.co.za.

Judith Mason

We received this from Barbara Moore:Judith Mason Cr e a t i v i t y Workshop
I know that I don’t have to explain who Judith Mason is…...do I?
I have long admired her art, and so was delighted to be able to attend a creativity workshop with her. It was the first time I had met her and found her to be charming, and so supportive of us amateurs. In fact one of the things she particularly said was
that she has come to value amateur artists and support their efforts.
Judith based the creativity workshop on a princess-and-the-frog fairytale—brought up to date with appropriate feminism, where upon visualizing a married life with responsibilities, lots of kids and a chauvinist husband, the otherwise ecologically correct princess dines that night on frog’s legs and preserves her independence!
We were given four tasks, using simple drawing or pastels or painting...anything we liked.
1. Draw a four panel cartoon of the story.
2. Decorate a paper plate with a ”salad” of drawn butterfly wings—taken from a variety of butterflies on a printout provided by Judith.
3. Draw the frog prince morphing from frog to handsome prince in three stages.
4. Draw the princess in her beloved nature environment, using birds, bees, butterflies etc, but humanize her and de-Disney her.
We did all of this in about three hours, and finished off with our own meal of “frogs’ legs” (delicious Woolworths mini chicken kebabs) and champagne (that’s why we had to bring a wine glass!).Our homework is to create a painting of the princess…..should be fun. It was a great left brain morning.Judith is not feeling well, and her drawing workshop will move to September, maybe at AGM.

newsletter

NEWSLETTER!!

1. Opening and Editorial
The Lowveld Association of Arts was formed in September 2008. One of its aims and objectives is to send out newsletters and to keep members up to date regarding opportunities in the world of art. We trust you will find it both entertaining and instructive. Please feel not only free, but compelled, to let us have any news, information, criticism and suggestions for this newsletter. We will try to keep in touch with all of you, our members.

At the outset, please let us know in what format you want to receive this: e-mail or printed and sent by post.

2. An up to date on what has been happening since we started: - we have established a “blog” site , viz.http://associationartslowveld.blogspot.com
- In January local artists were invited to send paintings to the Pretoria Association of Visual Arts exhibition; 4 artists responded and their works were accepted and Erika and
Ilona’s paintings were sold.
- our first exhibition, “Best of the Lowveld”, was held in the Nelspruit Civic Building, in the Banquet Hall from 23rd to 26th March. The opening on the Monday night, 23rd, was well attended and enjoyed by an appreciative audience. Of the nearly 90 paintings displayed 10 were sold. We are grateful to Mbombela Municipality who offered the venue for free, parking, however, is something that needs attention in future - SANAVA (SA National Association of Visual Arts) held its AGM and our chairperson, llona Petzer, represented us at the meeting in East London. SANAVA has 27 branches and 20 affiliated organizations. It is affiliated to the International Association of Arts.
- The annual Uplands Festival, held on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th May, was a full house: Some 60 artists were exhibiting in 9 classrooms, and more than R150,000 worth of art works were sold. This exhibition gets bigger each year and is something we will support.
- In June we had a most delightful workshop with Judith Mason, during which frogs were “turned” into princes and butterflies became princesses! - In June Louis Audie gave a series of workshops in White River,
- The Rendezvous Centre, at Hazyview, held an arts and crafts fair over the weekend of 20th June. Although a good venue there were very few feet and not much sold.
- INNIBOS: The opening at the Civic Centre, Nelspruit, was a most prestigious affair. Professor Marius Wiechers gave a enlightening talk in honour of the guest artist, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard, who could not be there but was represented by her son and daughter. The art on show was mainly works from well known national artists but included some good work by invited local artists. Pieter Bisbergen artist and lecturer from University of Pretoria did a demo on his way of painting and also did a “walk about” talking about some of the work exhibited. This was so interesting that we felt we should invite him to come down to the Lowveld again. (more later.). 2/… 2.Due to the fact that The Lowveld Association of Arts had not yet been formed when the committee of Innibos planned the art for 2009, our Association was not directly involved. Innibos did however ask Odette (This and That) to accommodate local artists in the garden and in her Gallery . This “arts in the garden” formed part of the arts meander.
3. And, coming up……..- Eugene Hurter will be holding another workshop in White River on 15 & 16th August.- Watercolour Workshop by Sue Dickenson August 7-8. Contact Odette 082 603 1321
- Mica hosts a course on oil painting and how to make your own frame. Contact Heila 013- 7554848- Watercolour Soceity : workshop 24 July: about HAVING FUN, getting creative juices flowing and breaking some watercolour rules (did I hear a huge cheer go up!?!), as well as try some quick and experimental techniques for salvaging failed paintings as well as painting some new stuff. Contact Barbara 082 4543233. (Sorry, bit late!!)

4. Other news:
i. Botanical Gardens: We are in negotiation with the management to use the venue at the entrance for R3500 per month. We will be able to judge the success of this as a venue after Innibos, as this has been used for one of the ‘outside’ Innibos venues.

ii. The Municipality has again kindly offered us the use of the Banquet Hall at the Civic Centre for four days on October. We are thinking of having an ARTS FAIR for this, inviting all members, arts teachers, WSSA and anybody else who could boost an arts awareness in the Lowveld. We are awaiting written confirmation from the municipality and only then
will we give out more details iii. The Lowveld Honorary Ranger, together with the Lowveld Association of Arts, has embarked upon an initiative to raise funds for conservation in the Kruger National Park. We are inviting artists to participate by donating a wildlife painting. These paintings will go on auction at a banquet (Think magnificent art, glamour and a delicious Gala Dinner) organized by the Honorary rangers in March 2010. Quentin from 50/50 will be the master of ceremonies. This is a wonderful opportunity not only to do something for conservation, but also to get maximum exposure, as the auction will be on Sanparks website and “friends of the Kruger” will be able to bid, from as far as the States! Wildlands in KZN has been doing this for many years and this has been a huge success. Go to http://www.wildlands.co.za/home.aspx to read more of their story….we want to do something similar for the Kruger. Art will be selected by a panel of judges. The Honorary Rangers will also help organize an art exhibition at the banquet (separate from the art to be auctioned) and then move the exhibition to a camp in the Park.

iv. We are in contact with the Mpumalanga Government regarding funding for a gallery site. Early days on this but rest assured we are only too aware of the need for a permanent venue for displaying our members’ works of art
As art is really the sharing of a passion for the pleasure of visual perception we will continue to strive for opportunities to display. 3/…. 3.

5. Herbert Evans Art Shop
Remember that their Sale will be starting beginning of August. If you can’t make it to Johannesburg during August, let us know. There may be a plan to place orders that can be sent down to you by courier. Even do this as a group….
6. Annual General Meeting
Our AGM will be held on the 16th of September 2009 10.00 at Uitsig Estate Nr 2. Pieter Bisbergen (from UP) will do a demo and a short talk. Those who had the privilege to see him during Innibos were extremely impressed, so do not miss this!!
7. The International Portraits Competition
This will be an International exhibition to be held in Mauritius. Entry fees are 40 Euro and the deadline for submission is 30th July. For more info contact ilona

8. Spring Fair at Halls in September
Gail Marsh (of Halls) has contacted us, inviting all artists interested to exhibit during their Spring Festival. Although we feel that the entry fee is a bit high, you are welcome to contact Gail at 076 409 1515 or gail@halls.co.za if you are interested. Perhaps also say you reckon this fee is high and they’ll get the message that all artists don’t sell paintings for R1000’s

9. Friends of the Association
Judith Mason has donated R2000.00 towards the association to start a group “Friends of the Association”. Any company / individual willing to donate an amount to the LAA will always be mentioned in our letters and on the blog. Please try and get such donations toward art in the Lowveld, as we need funds to start our own gallery!!! 10. Spier Contemporary 2010 Competition
The Spier Wine Estate runs a bi-annual national competition that is becoming a most prestigious (that word again!) affair. See www.spiercontemporary.co.za for more details

11. Something different: a bit of art history:

.            Kandinsky: Russian, born in Moscow 1866, died in France 1944
- Studied law and, at age 30, was offered professorship at Tartu University in Estonia.
- But, having seen an exhibition of French Impressionists, decided to move to Germany to study painting fulltime.
- He progressed from traditional naturalistic scenes to abstract canvases that made him one of the great pioneers of 20th century art.
- Bright colours were used for effect, not naturalism: trees could be red, horses and hills blue. “Colours and shapes speak to people just as musical sounds do. “Colour is a power that directly influences the soul”, he said.
- He saw the artist at the apex of a triangle moving into the future, the base representing the mass of humanity who are slower to see the light.
- He carefully mixed colours: sage, sky blue, maroon; and experimented with texture, using controlled paint splatter for a sandy effect. 4/…. 4.
- In 1921 he was asked to join the Bauhaus art school in Germany. He started painting his signature hard edged abstracts with bright colours, black lines forming the skeleton for vividly coloured shapes on a pale background. Jagged saw teeth motifs, rainbows, triangles, circles, sometimes recognizable boats creating structure with their masts and spars. - He left Germany in 1933 to settle in the South of France where he spent the rest of his life somewhat isolated from the art world. But his work is widely considered a true expression of modern art in its most colourful form. Taken from TIME April 27, 2009. 12. Comments:
This is a news letter: please let us have your comments on the format you would like to receive this ‘letter’. We will welcome any news items and announcements about any exhibitions you are involved with or know about.
Do you want members’ news? What some of our members have been doing? Where they are now, both physically and in the art world? For instance, Marietjie Henning has just sold three paintings at an exhibition in America, with the promise of more to come!! See our blog for more details!

You can send your messages to me, Rob McQueen at angus@lantic.net,or tel./fax 013-7500700,or to Ilona Petzer at cpetzer@soft.co.za or 013-744 1292.
Have a splendid day and do not even think of stopping your painting juices, but keep them flowing!