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www.thevillagenews.co.za
10 February 2021
LOVE A LITTLE LOCAL
The Artwalk is back!
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fter a very quiet January, there was an uptick in activity in Hermanus on Friday evening as the HFF committee decided on short notice to go ahead with the February Artwalk. Although the event was more subdued than usual, many artwalkers
were delighted to be back and made use of this opportunity to pop into their favourite art galleries. Harbour Road was quite busy, with many Artwalkers gathering in The Courtyard and stopping off for a drink and a bite to eat at The Wine Glass and other restaurants in town.
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It was encouraging to come across several people who said they had come for the weekend, with some of them experiencing the Artwalk for the first time. Accommodation establishments also reported an increase in weekend bookings.
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– Hedda Mittner
Kelly Sam admiring this striking charcoal on paper portrait by Lauren Redman in the Art@ Africa-Hermanus Gallery.
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1. David Wilson, Kees van de Coolwijk and Daniel Reddie from the Hermanus Photographic Society with some of their photographs. 2. Barbara Lindop in her gallery, Inthethe, which recently moved to a new premises in High Street across from Oskars Delicatessen. 3. Terry Kobus of Originals showing the way on the HFF map to firsttime Artwalkers, Marguerite Jones and Henrik Karlsson, who were visiting for the weekend from Cape Town. 4. Ed Bredenkamp of Lembu chatting to local Artwalkers, Oskar Kirchner and his daughter Sabine.
PHOTOS: Hedda Mittner & Taylum Meyer
Hats for Africa in Hermanus’ CBD H ats off to Hermanus Tourism for heeding the call for a centrally-located studio where young artists of this region can ply their trade in full view of members of the public who will be able to purchase directly from them (see The Village NEWS of 20 January).
Just under 18 months ago, Mardee Cita arrived in town with nothing but a powerful belief in his God-given talent to be an artist. To help him stand out from others displaying their wares at the Whale Festival, he painted all his clothes, literally from head to foot, in colourful Ndebele designs. In effect, he became a walking work of art. Thanks to his painted hat and enthusiasm, he subsequently caught the attention of art lover, Lillian Lloys Ellis who persuaded him to make more of them for sale, each a unique item of wearable art. Since then, the initiative has gone from strength to strength and Mardee is now employing three assistants to help him produce
a torrent of beautiful hats. Now they have been given a beautiful space in the heart of the CBD from which to continue creating and selling the hats – as well as painted sneakers – to locals and visitors.
The ‘Mardee’s Hats’ sign (designed and painted by Mardee himself, of course) proudly announces their presence in the Hermanus Tourism building on Station Square. Mardee was smiling from ear to ear when it opened its doors for the first time on 1 February, barely able to believe his good fortune. Meanwhile Tourism’s Frieda Lloyd is equally pleased to have been able to make the space available. “It fits perfectly into our policy of reaching out into the community to promote art and entrepreneurship on the one hand, and to add to the unique tourism offering available to visitors to the Overstrand.” It was hats off all round when Mardee’s Hats opened its doors for the first time on Monday 1 February in the Hermanus Tourism building. Surrounded by hats for Africa, each one a unique piece of wearable art, are Frieda Lloyd of Hermanus Tourism, Mardee Cita, his two assistants, Lwandiso Tunalele and Lwandiso Mhlanyane and Lillian Lloys Ellis who has helped Mardee establish his innovative art-based business.
