Focal point issue 8 oct 2014

Focal Point Issue Eight

October 2014

In-house Magazine of the

Western Cape Artists’ Society

Focal Point Issue Eight Editorial Spring has arrived and we all awaken from our winter hibernation and feel invigorated by the warmth we suddenly feel around us and by the green shoots that suddenly appear and by the birds who are suddenly so busy.

As artists we feel the urge to shake off the dust and this issue is dedicated to spring cleaning and taking a fresh look at some of our past pieces of artwork and to moving out from our studio to explore art in the environment. You will see that in the Learning Points section I give several ideas for how to rework those put aside paintings you have kept, but that need some attention. There are lots of things you can try – you have nothing to lose and you may gain a masterpiece.

We were fortunate to gain many new committee members at our AGM and the committee is now working very hard behind the scenes to provide you with a wide variety of exciting activities – some

October 2014 very new. I hope that some of you are taking advantage of the plein air painting outings we have arranged.

Later in this issue we have two articles about experiencing plein air painting and I also provide a list of some of the advantages of working this way.

We also have a stimulating year end function to look forward to. We are calling this “A Carnival of Colour” and it promises to be very exciting. We want you all to support it and bring along your family and friends on November 15th.

There will be lots of activities and fun for all (children included). For those who wish, they can wear costume to suggest an artist or a famous picture, but this is not obligatory. Please see a copy of the advertising poster and note the activities we already have planned. If you would like some posters to show in your area or social club etc. please contact Shelly Deane at smd@sun.ac.za. We will also provide some at the October general meeting.

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Talking of our new committee members, we will start to introduce them to you through this magazine and we start with our Chairman, Herman van Zyl. We are thankful that he is willing to step in and take the chair, but who is this person who suddenly appeared in our ranks?

Read our interview with Herman to find out more about him.

So as you can see from the above, the advantages of belonging to the Western Cape Artists’ Society are ever increasing, but here I list them:  Regular meetings with fellow artists with whom ideas and experiences can be shared;  Provision of regular workshops where new skills can be learned from experienced artists- we hope to hold four workshops during 2015;  A monthly meeting featuring demonstrations, talks or in-house competitions (for fledgling artists) with some constructive critiques from which we can all learn;  Discount when making purchases at The Italian Artshop and Deckle Edge;  At least 2 exhibitions per year where members can enter their work for selection and exhibition with possible sales resulting – we have secured a new venue for exhibitions at The Lord Charles Hotel;

 Three issues of Focal Point magazine per annum with instructive and interesting articles;  A regular newsletter informing members of Society news;  Regular plein air venues are arranged so that members can safely join a group to paint outside;  Information and updates about exhibitions and art happenings in the area.

In addition this year we are arranging a Carnival of Colour which we hope will be a huge success and who knows it may become an annual art event for our Society!

We listened carefully to the comments made on our recent survey and have ideas from these for our members during 2015. If you haven’t already completed your survey form, please do so. Contact Shelly Deane if you have any problems completing. (All contact details are given at the end of the magazine).

We hope that this will encourage you to pay your subscription in early 2015, as we need funds to be able to provide all of the above as a service to our members. Please also bring along fellow artists or would-be artists to join our vibrant Society.

Kathy Wivell Editor 3

Articles in this issue Page Branch news

Lose the fear

Members’ exhibition at the Imibala Gallery

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Workshop with Dianne McNaughton

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Jenny Merritt demonstration – Lose the Fear!

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Making of Warhorse

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In conversation with…

Herman van Zyl, WCAS Chairman

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Plein air painting

So what’s so special about ‘plein air’?

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What a treat – an art retreat!

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Advantages of plein air painting and tips

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Painting landscapes with atmosphere

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Loosening up

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Make spring cleaning have some meaning

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Writing an Artist’s Statement

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Art happenings nearby

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The artistic journey

Learning points

Out and About

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Branch member news The Opening of the Members’ Exhibition at the Imibala Gallery

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Workshop by Di McNaughton On September 27th ten members attended a workshop run by Di McNaughton. This was entitled “An introduction to Acrylics” and what an introduction she gave us. First of all we did exercises trying out different ways of using acrylics – I never knew there were so many.

After a demo by Di of how she goes about one of her abstract landscapes, we all tried our own using some of the techniques we had learned. Then we tried our hand at painting proteas using any method we liked.

It was fascinating to see the different works produced and I know that we all went away with our heads buzzing and hoping to see Di again soon for another of her excellent workshops.

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Let go of your fear On 16th August Jenny Merritt demonstrated the start of an abstract painting in acrylics.

The advantages of creating an abstract work are that you don’t need an external reference, you can let go of reality, nothing is wrong. You should trust your own colour intuition. However, you must follow the same basic steps as used for any painting by creating balance, having a focal point, and leading the viewer’s eye into the picture.

Jenny had a large canvas and with her Hamilton brushes she slashed black lines into three areas of the canvas – she said she had nothing in mind, just putting paint where she liked. However, she said to always work in odd numbers and decide where your focal point is to be placed. Jenny then added some red paint to the same areas with the emphasis in her focal point (she says to always add some red somewhere – as it is very eye-catching).

As she worked she carried the paint onto the sides of her canvas as she dislikes the plain black that many artists paint the sides with. Jenny advises that you keep things simpleleave spaces- you don’t have to cover the entire canvas.

The next step was to dip a rolled up ball of nylon stockinette into water and then to wipe out some of the paint, smudging other areas and carrying the diluted paint into new areas – but still leaving some spaces. Then some Cobalt Blue and Yellow was added – again thinking of the balance of each part of the canvas and each colour.

Here is the finished painting:

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Jenny says that research has shown that the average gallery viewer spends only 7 seconds before each picture. Your job, as the artist, is to make them stop and look for longer – even if they say “this is such crap” and then discuss it, you have held their interest. I actually find it useful to visit galleries with friends so that we can discuss the details in a picture. ________________________________________________________________________

Jenny’s challenge Go and buy a cheap Chinese large canvas, some Dala paints and Hamilton brushes and have fun. Stop before you think you should and hold the work before a mirror and see what you think. Lose your fear and inhibitions – have fun and who knows what you might discover.

Let us see what you did – send a photo to kathywivel@gmail.com. Or bring your work to show at the next meeting – we want to see more artwork at our meetings – let go of the fear!

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Making War Horse A few weeks ago I saw the DVD “Making War Horse” produced by the National Theatre in London. This is the most amazing film and should be seen before the stage show if possible so that you know the huge background effort that went into the stage production.

Several things struck me:  It was a huge leap of faith by all concerned. The Handspring Puppet Company wanted to make a puppet production from a children’s book. This book told the story through the horse’s mind, but they knew that they didn’t want to have speaking horses. So they were not sure how they were going to tell the story.  The National Theatre were not sure that the production would work, but they were prepared to allocate funding and time to the development of something very new – breaking new boundaries.  The Handspring Puppet Company had not made horses before and had to devise the puppets and teach the puppeteers how to operate them effectively.  No-one knew how the audience would receive such a uniquely different stage show. In fact it was initially only staged three nights per week, but it was a sensation and sold out in London for a full 5 years.  The horses are made mainly of bent bamboo and are hollow. The puppeteers operating them can be seen by the audience. It wasn’t known if the audience would accept this, but they actually became so engrossed with the feelings of the horse that it didn’t matter. This accentuated the fact that you do not need to feed an audience with actuality, just as we, as artists, do not need to be too realistic in our work. Our audience can fill in the gaps.

All of this showed that fear had been left behind as everyone involved worked very hard to make it work. It was a superb team effort.

Even if you don’t manage to see the DVD, try to see the stage production at Artscape in December. Our fellow member, Anita Glenister, is the sister of one of the Directors of The Handspring Puppet Company and she has a copy of the DVD for private showing to small groups.

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In conversation with WCAS Chairman:

Herman van Zyl Interview by Chris Hall

What is your background in art?

As a youngster I was always good at drawing. At school I would do the artwork for the staging and scenery for plays and events. Later, when my children were at playschool I did artwork for their school. And then I did no art for about 30 years.

Then about five years ago a dear friend of mine gave me a painting as a present. He was clearly very proud of it. I looked at it and thought: ‘I could do so much better.’ That prompted me to take up painting again. Since then I have attended various short courses, including one of Mel Elliot’s and I have painted regularly at Albart Samson’s sessions at PNA in Strand.

Otherwise, I have learnt a lot from various art DVDs and practiced on my own.

What is your preferred medium and why?

Definitely oils, often with acrylic as a base. I find them easier to work with than other media: you can move them about, allow a painting time to dry and then fix your mistakes. I want to perfect (or at least become confident in my proficiency) before I move onto anything else. I must admit that I find watercolours daunting.

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How do you feel about taking on the Chairmanship of WCAS? Well, it was sprung on me a bit. It had never been an ambition of mine, nor was it something I had foreseen. I don’t really have an agenda; rather it has been my passion for art which has inspired me. My main aim is to get more ‘buy in’ from the membership and to delegate lots of the responsibility to the rest of the committee. Basically I see my role as a facilitator and figurehead for the group.

What are your hopes for WCAS? I’m very excited about the future of WCAS. I want to grow the membership – that is one of the main aims behind our Carnival of Colour in November – to get people really interested in their art.

But I’m very aware of being sensitive to people’s needs. It’s very important for me to pursue what I believe is right. First of all I want to get our numbers up and also strive to do the very best for all our members, so that people see the value of the group.

This magazine speaks mainly to part time artists who want to improve their work. What advice would you give them?

I know I have the ability to teach and guide. I would really like to work with beginners, showing them how to get to the next level. There is a ladder of knowledge. For example, you must understand colour. I would like to spend time in helping people move forward.

Discipline is so important – setting time aside to paint. I have trained my family to respect certain times when I am not to be disturbed. This is the time I dedicate to my painting.

Herman opening the WCAS exhibition at the Imibala Gallery in August 11

Plein Air Painting “Three brushstrokes from nature are worth three day’s work in the studio,” Claude Monet

So what’s so special about ‘plein air’? (compiled by Shelly Deane) They are technically smart, but life-dumb instruments”.

As a ‘beginner’ artist I find one of the most daunting things I face is the wealth of information and advice about painting techniques – composition, values, focal points, perspective, edges, brushwork, etc.

However, one of the most consistent pieces of ‘art wisdom’ seems to be this: you can create a good painting working from a photo, but to create a great painting you need to work, or at least do a lot of practice, from real life - be it still life or plein air. Working only from a photograph is restrictive in that a photo is already a form of art – an image captured by a remarkable recording machine (especially so these days, with digital cameras and superb lenses), but an image that cannot capture what the human eye can. Richard Schmid, arguably one of America’s grand masters has this to say about a camera:

“Unlike us it does not think or feel and therefore cannot record the way you or I see a subject. No camera was ever terrified whilst snapping a shot of an oncoming train or ducked bullets in combat, and no camera was ever in love with the person whose picture it took. Cameras do not get emotionally involved, do not have attitudes, philosophies, or opinions, and they don’t get angry when their pictures don’t turn out.

Watching the recent DVD of Cory Trepanier’s adventure into the wilds to paint the arctic regions of Canada brought this home. Surely carrying a gun to scare off polar bears, tying yourself to a bush to prevent falling into a gorge while painting a spectacular waterfall, and scraping hundreds of mosquitoes off your palette (not a recommended situation to be in!!) leaves one with a spiritual and memorable connection to the scene you are trying to capture? And that brings me to the other aspect of plein air painting – the sheer experience in the form of smells, sounds and general atmosphere that is connected to the capturing of a real-life subject.

At recent meetings of the WCAS, and in replies to the survey we sent out, it was clear that plein air trips were very much in demand, so with some trepidation we planned our first plein air trip to 12

Vergenoegd wine farm and kept our fingers crossed for fine weather.

The 13th September dawned clear and windless, though decidedly nippy, and by 7am the keenest of the bunch were already painting.

Everyone arrived when they felt like it, and by 10am there were 20-some artists sketching, painting, or photographing away furiously.

Vergenoegd has not been prepared for tourist consumption and maintains its slightly run-down old-world charm – an artist’s paradise.

Two resident, tame Chinese geese soon joined in the fun, ambling from artist to artist for attention, and adding to the camaraderie of the group.

Such a good time was had by all that we are planning to return to Vergenoegd on Saturday 1st November (hopefully!) Details will follow.

The story goes that in America someone was going on a road-trip to Mexico in his air-stream caravan and mentioned this in a magazine article, inviting others similarly interested to ‘meet him at the border’ if they wished to join in. Upon arriving there a few days later he was astonished to find over 300 caravans waiting to join his trip.

Given the response from those artists who came, and those who wished to come but had other obligations, and those who enquired from afar (Cape Town & Hermanus) we can’t help feeling that the next time we organise a plein air trip and say the equivalent of ‘meet you at the border’, we may be quite overwhelmed by the response, ha ha! Thanks to all who made the event so worthwhile.

It was wonderful to see the different styles of drawing and painting, and the wide variety of subjects that captured our group’s attention. Yes, we had to deal with changing light conditions, and two demanding geese, but luckily no polar bears or mosquitoes!

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What a treat – an Art Retreat (compiled by Kathy Wivell) In early September I embarked upon my first Art Retreat – not really knowing exactly what to expect. However, I went with fellow society member, Ann Selbach, who had been the previous year, and she gave me some valuable tips.

I was really pleased that we would be painting en plein air as much as the weather would allow, as this is my preferred method of painting, and the itinerary for the four days looked very interesting.

We arrived at “Absolute Beach” Bed and Breakfast establishment where the group of artists would stay. This was a lovely lodging right on the beach at Britannia Bay up the West Coast, and it was beautifully decorated. A delicious lunch was served to us all at one large table (as all meals were), so we had lively conversation each mealtime. Our hosts were a delightful young couple, Marina and Duncan, who have a passion for cooking and they looked after our every need during our stay. Then we were off to the beach (if we wanted to) – where we could paint whatever we liked. The organiser of this event, Yvonne Ankerman, demonstrated how she paints rocks in oil paint. We could watch if we wished, but I do not paint oils so I settled down with my watercolours and painted Yvonne and other artists at work on the beach.

The next day we drove the short distance to Paternoster where we would spend the day at work. Lunch was brought to us at the beach – how’s that for service? There was plenty of choice of subject – small fishing boats, rocks, fishermen’s houses, birds etc. In the evening we all showed our work for a constructive critique – the variety was amazing, with pastels, oils, watercolours, graphite. After supper we watched a DVD of Herman Pekel which was instructive and amusing.

We were up before dawn on the next day and heading to the small local harbour to paint the sunrise. Unfortunately we only saw grey sky and felt the cold wind. Breakfast arrived later with welcome warm toasted sandwiches, yoghurt and fruit and hot drinks, to keep us going. I think we all painted the larger fishing boats in one form or another. I made a pen sketch and added some watercolour before heading back to the lodging house for some shelter. At the B&B I sat on one of the patios and painted the view (with blankets provided for my legs). Ann worked in the studio. In the afternoon Yvonne demonstrated how she paints oils using a palette knife.

On Thursday we drove to Shelley Point to paint the lighthouse, rocks or flowers. Some stayed here the whole day, but Ann and I had completed our watercolours and so we 14

headed along the coast a little to paint the wild flowers. After the evening critique Dries (the owner of the B&B and a fellow artist) gave us some tips on loosening up by using pastels for quick sketches.

Friday, and it was time to leave, but most of us decided to visit Bokkom Laan in Velddrif en route (Bokkoms are mullet that are salted, then strung into bunches and hung up to dry, almost like a fish biltong). Here there are quaint restaurants on the Berg River and huge pelicans and other birds. We said our final goodbyes here and headed home.

Ann and I both enjoyed the retreat. Our hosts couldn’t do enough for us – we had nothing to do but enjoy our painting – it was very relaxed and comfortable accommodation. I came home pleased with my six sketches and having received useful crits each evening. My fellow artists were a delight to know, the food was delicious and the scenery was beautiful. Even the weather held for us. What more could I have wished for?

Below I show one of my works from the retreat, plus one of my pastel loosening up works – inspired by Dries.

NB : The Society is hoping to arrange an art weekend away during 2015 – watch the news

“Paint generously and unhesitatingly, for it is better not to lose the first impression,” Camille Pissarro 15

The advantages of Plein Air Painting If you haven’t tried painting directly from the environment you may feel a little uncertain of how it works and how it will benefit your work. Here are some benefits and tips:

Benefits By painting outside in the environment you can gain the following benefits: 1. Your awareness of the nuances of the landscape are heightened 2. You feel the environment and this will be reflected in your work 3. You learn to see beyond the details of a scene – you stop fiddling with the tiny details that don’t really matter 4. You learn how to translate what you see into artistic symbols instead of details 5. You realise that your viewer wants to see what you have experienced rather than what you have seen 6. You learn how to look for the main area of emphasis 7. You work more speedily to catch the light and movement 8. You stop worrying about producing a finished work of art and concentrate on capturing the essence of what is in front of you 9. You can try out new materials and techniques e.g. pen and wash, pastels, coloured pencils 10. You stop relying on photographs which may not be taken from the best vantage point – just moving a metre or so can change an image dramatically.

11. You become more aware of light and shadow and its movement.

12. You see colour with more clarity than on a photograph

Tips for going on a Plein Air outing 1. Keep it as simple as possible – do not take every artistic item you have in the studio 2. Be aware that the weather can change – take sunhat and sunscreen, a jacket in case it comes cooler, insect repellent just in case, a chair or stool to sit on, a drink and maybe a snack.

3. Decide what medium you want to work in and prepare canvasses before-hand, or stretch paper and fasten to a board, or sharpen your watercolour pencils etc. Take plastic water bottles and not glass.

4. Take a plastic bag to put your dirty tissues, rags etc into 5. Decide how you are going to carry your wet canvas, pastel or charcoal sketch etc.

6. Carry all your materials in one large bag if possible – you may need to walk some distance to find your vantage point.

7. If in doubt just take a pen and sketch book or portable watercolour kit and sketch book.

You can download free instruction “A streamlined method for quick and deliberate plein air painting” by Maddine Insalaco – click here. This is a short demonstration of oil painting, in which Maddine states “Refining the ability to paint quickly outdoors had distinct benefits for artists at all levels. There is no better way to learn to see and mix colours than by studying them directly from nature” (this information provided by Ann Selbach).

Have fun – join us in one of our outings – enjoy yourself!

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The artistic journey Tips adapted from “Painting Landscapes with Atmosphere” by Ray Balkwill If you are embarking on Plein Air painting for the first time, some of you may be attempting landscapes as a new subject or in a different manner. So here are a few tips to help you: 1. Before starting use a viewfinder to work out the best composition – you can make a viewfinder by cutting a small square out of a piece of card, or use the thumb and index finger of both hands to form a viewfinder.

2. Do not rush into the work – sit and consider the scene carefully first 3. Make sure you have all your equipment set out in a useable manner 4. Work on a small scale to begin with, using as large a brush as possible 5. Keep it simple – think in terms of masses and shapes – a thumbnail sketch or two can be invaluable 6. Choose a limited range of colours, whatever medium you use.

7. Use large brushes as much as possible to avoid fiddling too early in your work 8. Don’t overfill your painting – keep a restful area somewhere in your work 9. If you have a busy sky, keep the landscape simple, and vice versa 10. When painting water, use expressive brushstrokes which should always follow the flow of water 11. Do not be afraid to adapt the scene to make a better composition e.g. move a rock or a tree, or add a figure 12. If bad weather threatens you may need to make notes so that you can finish the sketch later Loosening up We often get caught up in producing work with society selection for exhibition in mind and we fear taking risks in case it turns out to be unacceptable or a failure, and so we forget to really enjoy our art experience and don’t take risks. So let’s look at ways to play and loosen up – to not worry whether we create a finished picture – but you may be surprised at the results you do achieve.

1. Change your subject matter – e.g. if you always paint still life, try figures: if you always do landscapes, try animals.

2. Change some of your materials – try adding pastels on top of your work, or use gouache or Inktense blocks or pencils.

3. If you always work indoors from photos, go out into your garden or on one of our plein air painting outings and paint from life.

4. If you normally start by making detailed drawings in pencil before you start painting, try painting without pre-drawing, or use water-soluble pencil, or acrylic with a stick, or charcoal or pastel.

5. If you only work on one day a week, try to do a quick daily sketch – see your drawing improve.

See my pastel sketch in the ‘Out and About’ section – it took me 10 minutes at the most.

“The only real voyage of discovery consists not in Seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes,” Marcel Proust

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Learning points Make spring cleaning have some meaning I hope that you are cleaning out your studio or cupboard or box, ready for some great work ahead. In doing so, I am sure that you found some items you had forgotten you had or that you haven’t used in ages. You also found several pieces of art which were never finished entirely to your satisfaction. Why not try out some of those long unused materials on these works – they are not doing anything at the moment, so you have nothing to lose. Here are a few suggestions (but there are many more): 1. Try applying pen lines to define areas of watercolour that have become a bit indistinguishable – concentrate these on the focal area of the picture. You can get pens or inks in various colours, it needn’t be black 2. Apply pastel or gouache over watercolour to add sparkle or depth of colour. Add oil pastel to acrylic or oils.

3. Glaze over a dull picture to brighten it up. You can glaze with the same medium as originally used or try a thin layer of a different medium e.g. watered acrylic paint or ink, glass stain. A glaze is a thin, semi-transparent wash. Oil colour can be mixed with a glaze medium, acrylic and watercolour and ink can be diluted with water or you can try some glass stain. If you wish to apply more than one layer of glaze, allow each layer to dry completely before applying the next. You can subtly alter colours by warming up cool colours with a light red, orange or yellow glaze, or cool a warmer colour with a diluted blue or green glaze.

4. Cover an acrylic or watercolour either wholly or partially with Gesso and work over it with fresh paint.

5. Make a mount out of 2 L shaped pieces of card. Move the frame, in varying sizes, over the picture to see if you can find interesting sections you can crop from the bigger picture 6. Look at the picture in a mirror and see where the apparent problem lies. Try to improve that area.

7. Take inspiration from the original and paint a fresh piece rectifying the problems you can now see, or using new ideas you have gained from your experiments.

8. As a last resort, cut the failed work into bookmarks or gift tags – punch a hole and thread with ribbon or string.

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Writing an artist’s statement This is a brief written description of your work and your practice – how you do it and why. Every artist should have one – writing one helps you to focus your thoughts and boost your confidence. So let us all write our own statement – this is not a CV which is factual, but a statement that helps the reader to gain a unique insight into your work.

You should go about this by asking yourself the following questions1. What is your area of focus or interest?

2. What is your medium and why?

3. How do you use your medium to reflect your ideas?

4. What is currently driving your work forward?

5. What influences your choices?

6. What ideas are you currently developing and why?

Keep it honest and simple, preferably in the first person.

(Taken from “Diary of an artist – Laura Boswell” published in Artists and Illustrators magazine April 2014).

Out and about Some of us attended the launch of Marguerite Poland’s new book “Taken Captive by Birds” at Henri’s Restaurant. This beautiful book was illustrated by the highly detailed drawings of Craig Ivor. I am sure we will hear more of this artist in the future.

The Decorative Arts Society had a really interesting talk on September 25th

by Lloyd Pollack on the subject of Jacques-Louis David – Artist of the French Revolution.

Helderberg Village held their arts and crafts exhibition at the end of September and showed a wide variety of work made by residents including that of some of our members. The work was of a very high standard and I really enjoyed viewing it all.

Equus Gallery at Cavalli Estate on the R44 has a new exhibition opening on October 18th – a solo exhibition by Marieke Kruger entitled “Reflecting Self” We are lucky to have such a wealth of art happenings in our area – please make an effort to visit some galleries and enjoy what they show.

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WCAS Committee Contact Details: Herman van Zyl herman@hvz.co.za Shelly Deane wcartsoc@gmail.com Kathy Wivell kathywivel@gmail.com Chris Hall chris87hall@gmail.com

The Western Cape Artists’ Society

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