Chandler House presents Lené Ehlers’ very first solo exhibition, Oomblikke – a graphic/illustrative-cum-painterly collection inspired by suzanis, the enrapturing embroideries of Uzbekistan and Central Asia, and full fruits of the season.

With roots in the eighteenth/nineteenth centuries and ancient tradition, having survived suppression under the Soviet Union, suzanis are more than just pieces of uniquely mesmerising cloth work. They are intimate familial and spiritual relations made visible; sigil-like expressions that weave the stories of love between mother and daughter, husband and wife, friends and kin, person and prayer.

For Lené, what started off as a more graphic and illustrative exhibition soon flourished into a more painterly and informed one after an introduction to the world of suzanis. She spent weeks with a private collection of these tribal textiles, allowing the designs – each as distinct as its creator’s story – to prompt a dialogue between weaving brush strokes and the cutting, collaging and layering of paperwork.

The result? Oomblikke is Lené’s new-found love for ancient motifs and patterns; an invitation to viewers to celebrate suzanis and her take on their intuitive and fleeting moments of abundant colour, form and pattern.

The exhibition runs at Chandler House’s Voorkramer Gallery until the 3rd of May 2022. To see more of Lené’s work, check out the Q&A we did with her here.

The post Oomblikke by Lené Ehlers at Chandler House appeared first on Visi.

Cape Town-based artist Kristi Marié Pretorius‘s latest series, Submerge, forms part of Thalassophobia – a personal exhibition that explores her fear and love of the ocean and fear and love of the Self.

Submerge is an extension of Kristi’s 2019 introduction to her weariness of open waters – a metaphor for a life characterised by waves that can both soothe and leave one gasping for air. Dreamy archipelagos are love notes to oceans envied: Kristi wishes, like herself, she could know the things that dwell beneath.

The series sees Kristi explore two different mediums, oil paint to create the richness of the deep blue sea from an aerial perspective and acrylic paint for a translucent quality that seeks to elicit the sensation of a current drawing one in. The interplay of mediums seeks to, at first, overwhelm the viewer with darkness – a symbol of existence’s inevitable pressures. What follows is a path toward the relief of light.

The gentleness of Submerge is an alchemy of vulnerability and anxiety transformed into peace and control; a journey of heartbreak, discovery and loss. The overarching message is: Taking a step back is often all we need to gain perspective about what lies ahead. For Kristi, the situation is the ocean – a source of both beauty and terror. Her perspective gained? “Take me to the deep end, I am ready.”

Love Kristi’s work? Check out the Q&A we did with her here.

Looking for more local art? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here, or take a look at our list of exhibitions and shows to see in 2022.

The post Submerge by Kristi Marié Pretorius appeared first on Visi.

Cape Town-based artist Lucie de Moyencourt shows VISI into her home in Gardens for a sneak peek at two of her favourite nooks.

These Fancy Corners are the perfect places for relaxation and to indulge in cherished pastimes.

For Lucie, there are two spots in her home that stand out, namely a corner on the verandah and her small second studio space. Here she can indulge in her books and sketchbooks, eat breakfast and create works of art.

Watch the full video above to get an inside look into Lucie de Moyencourt’s two Fancy Corners.

To view Lucie’s work, visit luciedemoyencourt.com or follow Lucie on Instagram.

The post WATCH: Fancy Corner: At Home With Lucie de Moyencourt appeared first on Visi.

We caught up with Pretoria-based artist Nina Torr to find out more about her illustrations, out-of-the-ordinary figures and brand-new exhibition.

When did you first start illustrating?

I’ve been drawing and painting my whole life and I studied Fine Arts at university, but I’d say the first actual illustration I did was in 2011. I was struggling to find work at the time, so to keep myself busy and try make some extra cash I started designing tattoo flash. I didn’t actually earn much extra cash from it, but the drawings did lead to what eventually became an illustration career.

How would you describe your work?

My work seems to hover somewhere in between illustration and painting. I’m trained as an oil painter and I’ve always loved pictures and the stories they tell. I try to create work that looks fairly friendly and accessible at first, but hopefully draws you in to a slightly deeper story. I mostly work in ink or gouache, but I’ve started exploring some screen-printing, monotypes and digital illustration. It seems to be characterised by a fluid outline, combined with flat bright colours and fine details.

Your pieces often depict other-worldly creatures and figures. Where do you get inspiration for these creations?

I’ve been very influenced by old religious painting like those found in the Nuremberg Chronicle. I’m also drawn to early Netherlandish painting, like Van Eyck’s stiff and obsessively detailed work. I enjoy looking at work that is perhaps not technically accurate, but painted so deliberately that it becomes its own thing, such as naïve scientific illustration, or outsider art, or alchemical illustrations. I also enjoy looking at work that seems to be based on descriptions, rather than visual reference, such as medieval or early Renaissance paintings of animals, especially lions. They tend to be fantastically wrong, but far more interesting than if they were right. I’m also very interested in Moebius and Hokusai at the moment and I’m starting to research mythology and fairy tales more than I used to, so that I can draw from existing stories as well as my own.

Which up-and-coming local artists would you like to work with, and why?

I suppose I would like to work with someone whose work is completely different from mine, which would probably also involve a different field. So I’d say I’d like to work with an animator or game designer, or a fashion designer. I’m very impressed and inspired by the work that the fashion designer Sheila-Madge Bakker is busy doing. I’m very drawn to masks and costumes and her work is very theatrical, so there might be something to explore there.

What can we expect from your upcoming exhibition The Way Back at 99 Loop in Cape Town?

At the beginning of last year I had my previous solo at 99 Loop, called Still at Sea, which was largely about transitions and liminal spaces. I then had a two-person show at In Toto gallery last October called The End of Something, which had something to do with putting old ideas to rest. So now for The Way Back, I’m finding my way back home and reconsidering some old ideas. A lot of the work is about navigating emotional landscapes and trying out new roles, as well as dealing with circumstances beyond one’s control.

What are your plans for 2018?

Apart from a few group shows I haven’t committed to very much just yet, which is a big relief to me. I’ve begun speaking about developing a mobile game, but it’s very much in its infancy. I hope to revisit some experiments in costume, masks and theatre, but I’ll see as I go along.

View more of Nina’s work on Behance or at ninatorr.com.

The post Artists We Love: Nina Torr appeared first on Visi.

Illustrator Carinè Müller is the talent behind Billow Studio, a creative practice based in Cape Town.

We caught up with her to find out more about her intricate nature-inspired illustrations and what’s next on her agenda.

When did you start illustrating?

I can’t remember when I started drawing – it must have been pre-school when everyone starts drawing. But I remember my one friend used to draw incredible viking boats in primary school. I was intrigued by their detail. He must have been only four- or five-years-old (and definitely inspired by Viki the Viking). I used to love seeing him spend time on one drawing when the other kids just made a bunch of colourful happy stuff. That made me consider my own drawings more I think.

I didn’t study art because I didn’t think I was good enough, although I did study art during high school – it was the only subject I got a distinction for! I loved Art History and went on to study Publishing and did my Honours in Visual Studies so I could be as close to the Art Department as possible. It was the one course that had all the same (theory) subjects and I loved doing research-level Art History because I am fascinated by ancient history and culture – I always wanted to be the female Indiana Jones. It was a bargain because I got to study film and English as well. I painted (mostly the ocean) for a couple of years after high school but then really started illustrating when I moved to Cape Town in 2008.

What inspires your illustrations?

First and foremost, the ocean. The ocean continues to teach me, without it I wouldn’t have a fire to fuel creativity. I am inspired by structure in nature – how bigger things that seem chaotic are made up of organised smaller parts to create a bigger whole that seemingly has structure. I like how nature can then break it apart again. Take, for instance, a wave or a cloud. This is how I decided on my company name – Billow. I also like how nature can overwhelm man-made things given time and patience. Look at how wind can dance with a curtain. This is what Billow means to me. My subject is the natural world. I am fascinated by natural history. I think the subject that I have explored the most is definitely the ocean in my oceanscape oil paintings and fish. I have illustrated a lot of fish in my life!

What do you love most about being creative?

I love being immersed in the process because it forces me to think – it’s like therapy and meditation rolled into one. Not only that, but it teaches me patience. I love to work with ink and I mostly do pointilism with a 0,05 point archival ink Sakura pen, small things that create a whole and require a vast amount of patience to create.

I’m investigating using natural mediums such as flowers to create pigment and I have a crop of Indigo growing on Kogman & Keisie Organic farm in Montagu that I have big plans for if I can only find the time! I love sculpture and hope to explore more of that in future, and I want to delve into the world of brass as I’ve only really worked with wood before. I would love to combine wood and brass for a future project I have in mind. I used to make oil paintings of the ocean and since I have a better workspace now I am planning on hauling out the brushes again – I miss the smells! I also work on surfboards from time to time. I am planning on reviving my stationery line Return To Sender in the near future. I’m enjoying experimenting with new techniques and mediums and the process inspires me greatly. It’s wonderful having the opportunity to use different materials and that is probably what I love most about the creative process.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

I’m playing with breaking down patterns and structures found in nature and painting fragmented, fractal versions of it. I’ve always been inspired by Fibonacci – which reflects how perfect nature is in itself. The way that man influences nature in a negative and destructive way is explored in my new work too. Somehow even after being tainted by mankind these structures and patterns stay beautiful. Nature will always prevail.

Crop of new work in progress, 2017

For more information about Carinè’s work, email mail@billowstudio.com or follow Billow Studio on Instagram or Facebook for the latest updates.

The post Billow Studio appeared first on Visi.

Kirsten’s playful signature figures are back alongside contemplative landscapes in this third solo exhibition.

The title of the exhibition refers to the time it takes the planet Saturn (29,5 years) to orbit the sun and return to the place in the sky that it occupied at the time of one’s birth. It marks an astrological period that occurs in a person’s late twenties as they move into full adulthood in their thirties; a period that Kirsten, who turns 30 this year, is experiencing herself.

Symbolically, it characterises a progression in Kirsten’s art and process. This time of transition and self-reflection is expressed in larger artworks and a confidence to test new techniques and colours.

Whether it’s natural landscapes barren of human activity or a lively composition brimming with quirky characters, whether the locations are familiar (Sea Point pool, for example) or imagined, Kirsten’s unique ability to capture a moment in time makes every piece feel personal and relatable.

Saturn Returns will be on exhibition at Salon Ninety One, 91 Kloof Street, Cape Town from 21 June to 27 July 2017.

The post Kirsten Sims’ Solo Show: Saturn Returns appeared first on Visi.

We spotted 25-year-old Cape Town-based illustrator Gwendolene van der Merwe at this year’s Design Indaba festival, where she was featured as part of this year’s 40 Emerging Creatives.

We caught up with her to find out more about her beautifully illustrated books, her love of creating and what’s next.

What inspired your latest illustrated book The Thought Fox?

It was originally a project I did for my Honours in Illustration, for which we were briefed to created any type of narrative illustration. I was inspired by the poem The Thought Fox by Ted Hughes. His poetry really evokes my visual senses.

When did you start illustrating?

I’ve been making art and drawing since I can remember. I only started taking it seriously when I entered high school and have been practicing on improving ever since. I studied Visual Communication Design at Stellenbosch University and my work leaned more towards traditional art and illustration themes, so I furthered my studies and did the Honours in Illustration course, which I graduated from this year in March.

What do you love about illustrating?

I love exploring with different mediums and telling stories. I also love using it as a way to speak about my own experiences.

How many books have you created so far? Any new books on the horizon?

I have only created a few books for university, but I have a few non-book illustration projects on the horizon (nothing specific yet) and also a possible collaboration that will remain secret for now. People can keep updated via Instagram or Facebook.

Browse the gallery above to view a selection of Gwendolene’s work.

The post Design Indaba Emerging Creative: Gwendolene van der Merwe appeared first on Visi.

On Wednesday 5 April 2017, Kirsten Beets’s third solo exhibition, Mirage, opens at Salon Ninety One in Gardens, Cape Town.

Kirsten Beets, who we previously featured here, is a seasoned artist that has exhibited both locally and internationally, including exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, the Scuola Internationale di Grafi in Venice, Italy and the Cape Town and Johannesburg Art Fairs, amongst many others. Kirsten completed her bachelor in Fine Arts and BPhil in illustration at the University of Stellenbosch and is currently based in Cape Town.

Kirsten’s latest exhibition illustrates the fragments of a shifting memory that dances on the borders between the feeling of a hot, dry Cape Town during its drought-filled months and the juxtaposing preserved green kingdoms of the suburban and botanical garden. Illusion is a strong theme seen throughout the exhibition and her subject matter explores the illusionary space within a mirage and the seemingly natural spaces of leisure that humans have constructed for themselves. This exploration of illusions makes a social commentary on the relationships humans have with their environment.

The exhibition opens on Wednesday 5 April 2017 at 6:30pm at Salon Ninety One, 91 Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town.

The post Solo Exhibition: Kirsten Beets appeared first on Visi.

The increasingly popular Cape Town-based artist Kirsten Sims invited VISI to take a peek into her studio.

While she may be known for her distinctive painted characters, Kirsten is also the author and illustrator of a children’s book, which she chats about here.

Her latest work is on show at Salon Ninety One gallery in Cape Town, as part of the Oracle group show, until 21 January 2017.

For more information about the exhibition, visit salon91.co.za.

The post WATCH: In Studio With Kirsten Sims appeared first on Visi.

Multi-talented Nelspruit-born, Cape Town-based artist Daniella Mooney, whose work is part of the permanent collections of Kentucky’s 21C Museum, Ellerman House and Zeitz, chats to us about painting, greatest achievements and creating.

What do you love most about creating?

Having the chance to do things differently.

What has been your greatest artistic achievement so far?

It’s a tough question because it’s difficult to separate all the works from each other. I’d say my greatest artistic achievement has been to be able to keep at it and make a career of doing what I love. It’s been a huge privilege being given the opportunities I have, so I’m happy that I’ve tried to make the most of them.

From sculpture and installations through to painting, your talents seem boundless. Which medium do you find you’re most drawn to?

In a way, each medium gives me some respite from the other, so it depends on how I’m feeling really. I always used to proudly identify as being a sculptor but now it’s all mixed into one. Sculpting can be very labour intensive and time consuming so I have really come to enjoy the – let’s call it gentler – process of painting. Painting for me is a great space for quick experimentation and play, and I have found that it has helped me loosen up a bit more when sculpting.

Your paintings often feature calming natural landscapes. Are these works inspired by specific places? If so, where?

The landscapes I paint are mostly from my hikes around the Western Cape mountains. My close friends are also avid hikers and take really beautiful photos of their hikes so I’m often inspired to paint from their adventures too. 

Do you have any exciting projects coming up?

I have a few small group shows and am busy working on an outdoor installation but most importantly lots of exciting hikes to get to – I’m doing the Tsitsikamma soon which I’m looking forward to.

View more of Daniella’s work at daniellamooney.tumblr.com.

The post Artists We Love: Daniella Mooney appeared first on Visi.