Artists
Painted Canvas is dedicated to promote art and artists. We believe that art collectors are not just interested in the art piece all by itself, but they are also interested in the story behind the art. In other words your (the artist’s) story. We therefore aim to post interviews we had with our featured artists on a regular basis. Artists can contact us to apply for an interview. If you are a viewer/reader/collector and want to know more about a certain artist, you can let us know and we will interview that artist. We will feature articles in our Blog written by our artists.
Featured Artist of the Month
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Johanneke Strydom
Question #1: Where did you grew up?
I was born in the Caprivi. My dad was in nature conservation. He was an ichthyologist, in other words he did research on fish. So I grew up in nature and we toured often. When I was 4 we moved to Pretoria near the Magaliesberg. My dad didn’t like the city life so we moved to Pietersburg. There we stayed on a small holding and we had donkeys and horses. After some years we moved to Louis Trighardt where we also stayed on a small holding.
Question #2: When did you start to draw and paint?
From when I could hold a pencil! When I was 5 years old my mom took me and my brothers to a art centre in Pretoria for classes. The lesson I enjoyed the most was when we had to draw a stuffed lilac-breasted roller and I used soft pastels. I still remember the excitement. Apart from lessons, I always sat in the field drawing things I saw.
When I was 19 we moved to Holland and I remember taking the dog for its walks and then sitting in park and drawing and observing. I then went to the University of Pretoria where I studied preschool education. I still went for private art classes. It was during those years that I started painting in acrylics and later in oil.
Question #3: After you started your own family, did you still have time for art?
Yes, even after I got married and started having kids, I always made space for a small studio to paint. We stayed on a farm near Molteno in the Eastern Cape for a couple of years. There I made my studio in a small wooden cottage in the middle of a poplar forest. I also started to read many books on painting. I read a book: Daily Painting by Carol Marine which inspired me to also make a small painting from life every single day. That exercise taught me that I do not know the basics good enough. So I entered an online painting course at Virtual Art Academy. I then also did a workshop by René Snyman and that reinforced the concepts and principles I learned from the Academy.
Question #4: Where do you stay now?
We moved to the Western Cape a few years ago and stayed on a farm outside of Wolseley for a few years. Last year we moved to Worcester into a beautiful house overlooking the mountains. It is better for my art to be closer to an art community. Since I joined SASA I had many more opportunities for exhibiting my art. I had my first solo exhibition at Kotze Gallery in Bloemfontein. Last December I have another solo exhibition in Swakopmund, Namibia.
Question #5: What medium do you prefer to work in?
Definitely oil. I love the creamy texture and the expressive effects and directness that I can get from oil paint. I almost always paint Alla Prima, which means in one sitting and which also means that I paint wet into wet. I do not wait for a layer of paint to dry first.
Question #6: You said that you paint from life but you also paint in the studio. How do you combine those two?
Yes I always prefer to paint outdoors from life. I then also take lots of photos for reference. I would then go back to the studio to work on larger paintings where I would use both my photos and my colour and value studies as reference. I find it difficult to paint something that I did not experience myself. So although I do commissions, it is not always easy for me.
Question #7: What do you consider as the most important principle of painting?
In my opinion it would be values. I always start with small value studies or notan studies as it is also known. In other words light and shadow areas. But value is also closely related to composition. For me colour temperature is the cherry on top.
Question #8: Do you only do landscapes or do you also do portraits?
Although I will probably always prefer landscapes, I also do a lot of portraits. I sometimes get frustrated because I think of too much detail. It is an area where I really want to improve. I often do figure studies. And I also do still lifes because it is an easy way to practice values. You can control the light.
Question #9: What is it about plein air that you enjoy so much?
I think it because I grew up in nature, where I have always felt more connected to God. It feels like worship when I stand somewhere in the field and paint. That is where my love for nature and painting comes together.
Plein air painting also makes possible for me to explore new landscapes.
Question #10: Do you feel that this is the path that God has prepared for you?
Yes I believe it is my calling and I also want to transfer it to others.
Question #11: What do you want the viewer to see and experience when looking at your art?
I want them to stand in awe of God and His creation, because that is what I experience when painting.
Question #12: What are your dreams when it comes to your art?
I want to better my technique so that I can effortlessly express my feelings and emotions.
Question #13: Can you name 4 artists who really inspire you?
Richard Schmidt, Kevin McPherson, Scot Christenson and from South Africa, René Snyman.
Question #14: What is the best advice you can give artists?
Work from life and paint every day!
Thank you Johanneke for being our feutured artist this month and sharing your story with us. We are looking forward to seeing how your art will develop. All the best from the Painted Canvas team. Please visit the website of Johanneke Strydom to see more of her art.