King Protea, Gladiolus and ferns 800x800mm (Amplify series)

For this painting, I chose dramatic, dark blue and grey background colours to accentuate the bright King Protea and pink Gladiolus flowers.

This artwork is part of my Amplify-series:

Amplify:

I am preparing for my first solo exhibition in three years, coming up in September 2024. I am planning to create new fynbos artworks and to do something completely new to me:  paint the Karoo landscape, where I recently spend a lot of my time.

I find myself drawn to large scale canvasses, to naturalistic, organic forms as well as drawn to abstraction. I aim to work even more freely and loosely.  I see in the works I am creating, that I am increasing the detail of my subject matter and using finer brush strokes with more detail.   At this stage, I do not want to over think where I am heading, but just lean into the process and trusting the spirit within me to lead my art to goodness and beauty.

As I walk in the fresh air of Table Mountain, I observe the fynbos plants with all my senses.  I look at them intentionally and try to remember not only what I see but also the emotions evoked within me.   Similarly, I look with new eyes at the Karoo landscape and see in my mind’s eye the art that will spring from it.  I aim to capture my personal view in nature, incorporating the shapes, colours, movement of the wind and sting of the sharp winter air.

I need to amplify beauty around me.

I need to exalt the Maker of all things.