About my art:
My 2021 solo exhibition is titled: “Shelter in the shadow”.
I began my new series of oil paintings during the hard lockdown of 2020. With the use of strong, deep colours and exuberant brush strokes, I aimed to counterbalance the deep feelings of fear and uncertainty I experienced a year ago. I chose to call forth ‘overflow’ and ‘abundance’ in a time of need and want, and this is reflected in the titles and mood of the paintings. They stand in stark contrast to these uncertain times.
The motivation behind each piece was to bring pleasure, colour, beauty, and exuberance to our lives – and to speak hope to those viewing them. As always, I used fynbos as my inspiration, but deviated from the exact colours and shapes as I wanted to portray freedom in my mark making with vibrant colours and strong contrasts.
The title for this exhibition, ‘Shelter in the shadow’, refers to the deep palette I used in most of these artworks. When I walk in the fynbos-rich mountain paths, I find my best inspirational material on the shadow-side of the mountain. Here the light is more subdued and the colours of my subject, much deeper. The temperature is cooler, and I can walk slower and look closer. My eyes can focus better. I aim to portray this in my paintings.
On a spiritual level this has meaning for me too. During this past year, a deep truth has resonated within me: ‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty’. I will take shelter in the shadow.
Events and Viewing
On a practical note:
This year’s exhibition will take on a new format and will be different to my pervious exhibitions. The exhibition will extend over 17 days in order to accommodate smaller groups of people.
I am planning various events during this time: Two opening evenings; a breakfast morning with myself; a full day lino printing workshop and the Welgemeend Art and Craft Fair.
Please view the calendar (below) for more information and follow the links to make your reservations for these events. All the viewing times are on the calendar. Please note that these are the time-slots when I will personally welcome you at my exhibition. (To arrange a viewing for a different time-slot, please contact me directly on hermien@hermien-art.co.za or 083 7044 734.)
I find it exciting, after a very quiet 2020, to look forward to hosting an art exhibition and I hope to see all my friends and clients there!
Calendar:
Events and viewing:
Thursday, 27 May: First Opening Evening ; 19h00 – 21h00
Art sales open. This is the opening function with wine, music and snacks where I will talk about my artworks. A limited number of spaces are available due to the Covid regulations. Entrance is free.
Please book in advanced via the calendar (above) to ensure your space.
Friday, 28 May
The exhibition will be open for viewing and sales during the day from 10h00 – 14h00.
Friday, 28 May: Second Opening Evening ; 19h00 – 21h00
This is the second opening function with wine, music and snacks where I will talk about my artworks. A limited number of spaces are available due to the Covid regulations. Entrance is free.
Please book in advanced via the calendar (above) to ensure your space.
Weekend, 29 and 30 May
Unfortunately, Welgemeend will be closed for the Saturday and Sunday due to another function, but I have arrange for a viewing on Sunday 30 May, late afternoon.
Sunday, 30 May
The exhibition will be open for viewing and sales from 16h00 – 18h00.
Week, 31 May – 6 June
Please see the calendar for daily viewing times.
Wednesday, 2 June: Breakfast morning
I am planning a breakfast morning in the beautiful manor house. Karin Koch from Welgemeend Functions will prepare a delicious continental style breakfast for a limited number of guests. I will talk about my artworks and the exhibition will be open for viewing and sales. I hope the weather is fine so that we can enjoy our coffees on the stoep overlooking the lush gardens and Cape Town. Bring your friends for a mid-week breather!
Please book in advanced via the calendar (above) to ensure your space.
Cost: R180pp
Thursday, 3 June: Art Class
My regular Thursday art class students will move their art making session from Durbanville to Cape Town for the morning. Karin Koch will spoil us with coffee and cake. You are still welcome to come and view the exhibition – I multitask well!
(If you also want to enjoy coffee and cake for R100, please order from Karin at Welgemeend: 082 774 5915.)
Afternoon viewing: 16h00 – 18h00
Sunday, 6 June: Lino printing workshop
This Sunday will be a creative day spent in the beautiful Welgemeend surrounded by the exhibition artworks : Shelter in the Shadow.
I will present a full day lino cutting and printing workshop where I will teach you everything you need to know to create your own lino artwork.
The day starts with a cup of coffee and a chat about what you would like to make. I then discuss lino-printing in detail with the group to help you understand the medium and make a good design. We then draw our designs onto the lino blocks. I provide lino cutting tools to cut away into the block to create a relief for printing.
At lunch time we take a break to enjoy a meal, prepared by Karin Koch from Welgemeend Functions.
Thereafter, I demonstrate the printing process and then you print your own artwork onto paper – a minimum of two prints.
I hope to inspire you and hope that everyone will enjoy the process of design, lino cutting and printing.
All art materials are included in the price. (Lino block; cutting tools, printing inks and paper)
(The exhibition will also be open for viewing throughout the day.)
Please book in advanced via the calendar to ensure your space.
Cost: R1600pp
Lino printing workshop; Cape Town: *Date and time to be finalized soon.
Week, 7 June – 12 June
Please see calendar for daily viewing times. Note that Wednesday, 9 June will be closed to allow for the set-up of the art and craft market.
Thursday, 10 June – Saturday, 12 June: Welgemeend Art and Craft Fair
For the last weekend of my exhibition, I am thrilled to have a group of creative people join me for the Welgemeend Art and Craft Fair. The manor house will be bustling with vendors with locally hand crafted clothes, gifts, home decor and delicious food. You will have to look closely behind these exhibitions to still see my art on the walls!
About the fair: The Welgemeend Art and Craft fair is an intimate and elegant Pop-up Affair curated by Karin Koch from Welgemeend Functions. A truly beautiful market with hand picked Craft and Art stalls. Come to relax, experience and shop.
The market will be open daily from 10h00 – 17h00. Saturday from 10h00 – 15h00. Entrance fee: R20pp (at entrance)
History: Welgemeend – Cape Dutch Manor house
Cape Town today is a vast city, but for two centuries it fitted into “Table Valley”, and at the foot of the mountain was a number of small farms called “Gardens” where today we find Gardens, Oranjezicht and Tamboerskloof. Several of their old homesteads still survive with Welgemeend as one of these and the only one that is open to the public. Today Welgemeend is a function venue and houses the prestigious Boerneef Collection of South African art: the art collection and books of the South African poet and linguist known as Boerneef (late Prof IW van der Merwe).The Boerneef Collection is on permanent display in the Welgemeend Manor and consists of work by Irma Stern , Maggie Laubser, May Hillhouse, Cecil Higgs, Jean Weltz, Hugo Naude, Enslin du Plessis, Pierneef, Alexis Preller en Pieter Wenning and is considered to be one of the most comprehensive and best representative collection of early South African Art.
It is rare to find such a venue with a beautiful garden in the heart of the Mother City – walking distance from the bustling Kloof Street with many restaurants, taverns and high street shops.