Personal notes
PLEASE NOTE - THIS SITE IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION - IT IS NOT FINISHED YET. IT STILL NEEDS SOME 'FINE TUNING' (PROBABLY SPELLING CHECK NEEDED?) - ENJOY IT, NONE-THE-LESS!
CV
1968-1981- Kingsmead College, Johannesburg
1982 1985 - The University of the Witwatersrand - Fine Art Honours degree
1996 - Maxims - Adobe Photoshop
1998- Maxims - Adobe Illustrator
1997-2004 - Had lessons on and off and took part in a few workshops with various artists - Dee Vorster, Lynda Ballen,Rhyno Swart, Reshada Crouse and
Kerry Evans
2006-2009 Various on-line courses at the Digital Art Academy with Marilyn Sholin, Karen Bonaker, Diana Dillon, Jill Garl, Kirk Nelson, Skip Allen, Tim Shelbourne
2006 - Took part in an Impressionist workshop with Jeremy Sutton in San Francisco
2009 - Central St. Martin's in London, Designing for the Web (short course - summer school)
My Story
I have always been involved in creating and making art. I went to extra art classes when I was eight years old, I loved art all the way through my primary school years, I did art for matric and I went on and did an Fine Art degree at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
At university I majored in Photography and Painting. I have always used my photographs as springboards for my paintings. Sometimes I would alter the photographs a lot before painting from them and other times not. I would sometimes play with the altered perspective that the camera would give a scene and sometimes not.
About 16 years ago I discovered the computer as a 'creative tool'. I had a knitting machine and I could design and digitize beautiful patterns and send them to the knitting machine. I then discovered that the computer could be used in creating embroidery designs. I guess you could say I was printing with 'wool and cotton'.
At the same time as learning about all the creative aspects that a computer could be used for I was learning more and more about digital photography. I had bought myself a film scanner and I learnt how to use Adobe Photoshop. I was in heaven! I had always loved being in the darkroom developing my photographs, but I found the computer and everything one can do to and with photographs completely intriguing. I eventually graduated to a digital Camera. I was hooked!
For a long time I continued to work traditionally with oil on canvas or linen. I continued to use my photographs as a springboard for my paintings. I also continued to learn as much as I could about Photoshop and digital photography. I was also committed to learning how to produce a beautiful print on my own printer at home. That in it's self is a bit of a science and a challenge. I experimented with different papers and canvases.
My focus in my art also shifted to concentrate more on portraiture. I love the idea of creating a family heirloom. I have continued also to paint beach scenes and seascapes. The beach and the sea have always had a special place in my heart and I love trying to capture the changing lights on the beach and the sea. I also love painting figures doing something that they love doing - strolling and playing on the beach.
About 3 years ago I discovered Corel® Painter™. I was completely absorbed and fascinated. I was impatient to learn as much as I could in the shortest space of time. I signed up for 'on-line classes' with the "Digital Art Academy" and I ordered as many tutorials as I could find. I went to San Francisco with my sister, Roxy (also an artist), to do a course with Jeremy Sutton. It was absolutely amazing - his enthusiasm for 'Painter' and Art is completely contagious.
With this fascination with 'Painter' I have had to continue along the road of becoming a print maker. This has been quite challenging. There was no point in spending hours, days and weeks on a painting and then the printed result was not good!
I have found that using the computer as a tool in making art has actually pushed my boundaries more and more - more so than if I had continued along my traditional way of making paintings. It has definitely caused me to question what a painting is and what it is not.
It has been quite an interesting and controversial road to have travelled in the art world in South Africa. I have found that people are reluctant to accept with 'open arms' a painting that has had a computer involved in the process of making the art. It seems to be far more acceptable in the UK and the USA (I can't speak for other countries). Luckily this has not put me off an I am still as excited about learning and creating art in this manner, if not more so.
(This site has been completely designed by me.It is the first web site I have done since completing a one week's course at Central St. Martin's in London in 'Designing for the Web'. Chris Jones was the lecturer. His classes were fantastic. If you see any mistakes, please let me know.)