Hopes, and Fears
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Hopes, and Fears Acrylic on wood 20 x 20 cm |
It can be terribly hard to decide what to paint next.
Especially if you're trapped in-between worlds like I usually am, I need to
paint something I'm passionate about, and I desperately need to sell it.
Being told what to do often helps.
These paintings were done for a Group Exhibition in 2010, themed
'BALJAAR'.' Baljaar' can't be translated to english, but loosely means a
frivolous, childlike play, playing with abandon, and the theme was chosen for a
Afrikaans festival because it is such a unique afrikaans word. We had to work
on 20 x 20 cm wood circles, and do something inspired by the theme, but those
were the only parameters.
I found this wonderfully hard, because I had to out-think
and outshine all the other exhibitors, without having a clue what their ideas
would be or how good their work was, but convinced that they would be better
than mine. And the pressure I put on myself got me to possibly one of my best
concepts to date. In each painting I would combine adult 'baljaar' with kiddie
'baljaar', and inevitably bad vs. good.
I drew on my own experience, things that affected me when I was a
child, or things that I did as a young adult that would affect the child
Marike. This is the only range I ever did that focused more on concept than execution.
And one of the most successful. (which might lead you to think that I should do
that more often, but one does not simply think up great concepts every other
day!)
I 'accidentally' sold a bunch of the paintings at the exhibition (I was
the only person who did) and was told that I quickly had to do a bunch more, as
the work was being exhibited again, and I had to have the same amount of
paintings as the rest of the artists. Which was a great complement! The works
that weren't bought by acquaintances after the exhibitions, were bought as a
group by a local curator. So all in all, a pretty good run.
My work always has a underlying theme, it really helps me to stay focused, even when I do simple still lifes, I keep my theme in mind, to me its always personal. But except for the occasional commission, I don't get told what to do, and its a bit of a pity. A little restriction can really get you thinking outside the box, and produce work that you yourself never expected.
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Plaaskombuis |
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My en Panna se piekniek |
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Oupa Pieter |
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Pa Kleintyd |
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Durbanville '98 |
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20 Feb 2010 |
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Ek en Helene, Vida |
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Eerstejaars party |
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Ma kleintyd |
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Rouan en Anton |
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Die vliegtuigparkie |
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