Hold-all container from boxes

Art material hold-all container made from cut-up boxes (beer boxes, food packaging, and a broken needlework-container), stitched together to create different sections and pockets for art materials, booklets and other trinkets.

Landscape, peace and sunshine!

Green, earth and growth

Mirage hiding the city

Mountain Mirage. Ink, Coffee and left-over 'donated' PVC on wood. 630 x 530mm. 2011

Join me tomorrow!

I'm going to join the gathering tomorrow, want to join me? Here is all the information you need, emailed to my by Barbra from Peace P.R.O. and Heart Space, as well as Bridgett Whyte:

On Tue morning, 6 December 2011
we are calling a CROWD gathering outside the High Court, and a PARADE to the Court (details in time line)

WHY: In support of the Dalai Lama entering South Africa and our Constitutional Rights! (Official statement below)

http://www.facebook.com/events/239050599491517/

Timeline:

• 8am Court Case begins
• 9:30am
  Paint & Dress up in Company Gardens begins
  (Please call Lauren 082 498 1069 if need be)
• 11am
  CROWD Gathering outside High Court begins
  Company Gardens - distribution of placards.
• 11:30am
  All leave Company Gardens for High Court(Crowd) & Green Market Square(Parade), gather in front of Church. (CNN & other media arrives from now - 2pm)
• 11:45am
  Call in Green market Square begins - Drums & all welcome
• 12pm PARADE leaves Green market Square (bring colour/flags/banners and musical instruments)
• 12:20-30
  Parade arrives outside Court
• 12:30am
  Sacred Sound, Dance and Storytelling on the streets, SPEECHES and FEEDBACK from Court, National & International Media interviews
• 1pm
  'Prayer for Peace' Link-up!

(We've been asked to have a presence which grows outside the High Court between 11:30am & 2pm. the Advocates take their lunch break during this time, so will all be coming out of Court, then Re-entering in this time.)

INVITED SPEAKERS:

• Rev John Olive (Interfaith) -
• Ian Mac Farlane
• Gary Eisenberg & John Smith (Advocates who will be in Court)
• Human Rights Commission
• Desmond Tutu Peace Centre
• representatives of the Hon M. Lekota, MP
• representatives of Prince Buthelezi
• and others still to be confirmed (see updates)

(media: call Barbra 083 367 3624)

"On the 6th December 2011 the High Court of South Africa will hear an application to order the Government to allow the Dalai Lama to enter S.A. and to stop barring him from us! The unlawful barring of the Dalai Lama is against our Constitutional Rights of Association, Religious & Political expression, and echoes the old practice of apartheid: barring those whom the regime did not like.."

We have been invited to Parade & Gather in our many colours!

Come Earth Dancers, Come Troubadoure, Come Rainbow Warriors, Come Occupy Groups, Come Artists All, Come Green Faire'ers, Come speakers & Storytellers!... Let us create a Heart Space outside the court and speak with the people of our country and the World! We parade in Full Rainbow Colour, bring your toys, your musical instruments, invite your friends... We have been Called! Is is a personal invitation.. Come stand for our amazing Constitutional Rights, for the Rights of the people of Earth & for The Rights of the Earth Planet

REMARKS TO THE DEMONSTRATORS for tuesday 6th

Thank you all for being here today. By being here each of you is supporting the statement that democracy belongs to everyone and we all share an equal measure of responsibility to protect it.

We live in a democracy shaped by the Constitution.  Under the Constitution, the courts are the final venue for democracy is protected, where wrongs are righted and where those who have been deprived of a voice can finally be heard and their grievances redressed.

We all know that by barring the entry of the Dalai Lama, our Government did wrong. We have come here, to this court, to put it right. Your presence here today signifies that the Government wronged much more than the Dalai Lama himself.  The Government wronged all South African citizens who cared about associating with the Dalai Lama and receiving his religious and inspirational message.  In so doing, our Government violated our constitutional freedoms of associations, religion and political activity.

There is something else that on this occasion we must redress through our collective actions.  In fact, our Government did more than breaching our constitutional rights. It acted in a manner which belittled the dignity of our Republic and its institutions.

When two years ago our Government barred the Dalai Lama, it took the position that it never refused the Dalai Lama a visa because, it said, the Dalai Lama had not applied. It turned out that the Dalai Lama had tried to apply four times and his attempts to submit his applications were wrongfully rejected.  We are here to express our contempt towards a Government which resorts to such untruths to justify its misdeeds.

This was two years ago.  On the most recent occasion our Government conducted itself with similar lack of decency. The Minister of Home Affairs has stated under oath that she did not refuse a visa to the Dalai Lama but that rather just had no time to process his visa application. Yet the Dalai Lama went to apply for a visa four months in advance and was told that it was too early and to come back after two months.  His application remained with the Minister of Home Affairs for two months and was withdrawn only after it became too late for the Dalai Lama to travel to South Africa in time to attend Archbishop Tutu’s 80th birthday and meet with Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi on the following day.

This ducking and diving, these juvenile excuses, these untruths are unbecoming of a democratic government of a respectable country.

All facts about the Dalai Lama are universally known and are well known to our Government because the Dalai Lama has applied for visas on several occasions.  He received several entry visas until three years ago. Therefore, the decision of whether to issue him a visa should not take more than a day. By delaying as much as she did, the Minister of Home Affairs denied the Dalai Lama a visa without the courage or the decency of openly admitting having done so.

We are here today to state this misconduct is not only unlawful and required to be corrected by the courts, but is also contrary to how we expect our government to behave.  If our government can deal in this manner in respect of a Nobel Peace Laureate who is universally recognized as a champion of goodwill, nonviolence and reconciliation, what constraints will our Government respect when dealing with us all?  We are here to demand respect for the Dalai Lama but also to protect ourselves and our freedom from this and any future Government.

Thank you for making this important statement.  Your statement today will be heard and not forgot.

THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION

The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.

It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self- interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others – even our enemies – is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.

We therefore call upon all men and women

• to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion
• to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate
• to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures
• to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity
• to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings – even those regarded as enemies.

We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in a polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensable to the creation of a just economy and peaceful global community.

Leafless, and reaching...

Naked tree in the dark night, reaching outwards for water and sun
Ink on found paper, 145mm x 100mm, 2011

Playing with sand on Bloubergstrand

Sand Curves, Bloubergstrand, Western Cape, South Africa, November 2011


Carved Curves, Bloubergstrand, Western Cape, South Africa, November 2011

Not to be missed: Stages by IKAPA

Don't miss "Stages" at the Magnet Theatre in Obs this Sunday at 6pm!

"Stages" features dancers from all of iKapa Dance Theatre's dance groups including their Outreach Kids, Youth Company, Professional Company and the OnPointe Performance Team. 

Tickets are R60 (email admin@ikapadancetheatre.co.za) or R80 at the door if you'd like to come and watch this great production! Click here to pre-book NOW.

Create Christmas Presents in Cape Town

Remember I posted a bit of information about Doodle Creative Space? Based walking distance from where I stay in Cape Town it's the ideal spot to go and create something pretty in a comfortable, well lit space with all the right materials and tools well within reach.

This year I'm making even more of an effort to do handmade Christmas gifts (instead of leaving everything to the last minute as I usually do, I'm trying to finish them much earlier).

I think that making something beautiful or functional for someone is much more special, personal and unique than buying something. It shows that you put in effort, thought, energy and nurturing into the gift, and essentially you are "giving" a bit of yourself! I mos believe that anything that you bring into being through your own creativity and handiwork is an expression of yourself. So... back to Doodle Creative Space - you can choose from a selection of options and easily make 3 unique and beautiful presents for R350 – R400 during November and December. Some other workshops that they're running this month are:

19 Nov – Making Christmas cards and a present for your loved ones.
26 November – Making Christmas table decorations.

You can also spoil a creative loved one with a voucher!
Book a space, buy a voucher or find out more by contacting doodlecreativespace@gmail.com or go to www.doodlecreative.co.za

Alternatively, you are MORE than welcome, of course, to buy some of my artworks as gifts for your loved ones, or commission me to make some art-, illustration- or craft-works. These are some artworks currently available for sale. To see more available works, go to my State of the Art gallery (http://www.stateoftheart.co.za/Art/Gallery/42), or if you're in Cape Town, meet up with me to see smaller works not available on the website. Email me at art@janetbotes.co.za.

A moment in time: Drawing of a leaf

 

Watercolour & pencil, 210 x 148mm, 2011

the wind rushing through time

the rush of the wind through the leaves
with the sound of your heart underneath
the warmth of the sun on your skin
with the grass growing wildly at your feet

the season changes swiftly in the mountain
while the rock lies peacefully in the stream
and the colours burn orange in the forest
while we drift along in the flurry of life

Excited!!

Ok, I've known for months that this day is on its way, but didn't realize just how quickly time has managed to fly away into space - the day has come... Richard Long is in South Africa, and in Cape Town, NEXT WEEK!!

Iziko Museums is proud to host Richard Long’s first solo exhibition in Africa. The artist will be in attendance at the opening of the exhibition on Wednesday 9 November 2011, and will give a public presentation on his work at the Iziko South African National Gallery on Thursday 10 November at 18:00.

Read more about his Karoo Highveld exhibition on Artslink or on the IZIKO website, and see his work on his website: www.richardlong.org

Vanuit die argiewe

Pasella skietdag vir GYA

GYA (Green Your Art) verskyn 23 November 2011 op Pasella, waarin ons vir die kyker wys hoe om papier, rysmeelgom en kleursel vanaf plantmateriaal te maak... Hier is 'n paar foto's van die skietdag wat by Doodle Creative Space in Vredehoek plaasgevind het.

Pasella-aanbieder Crystal-Donna het hierdie kunswerkie gemaak na my en Nicolle se demonstrasies

 

Mede-kunstenaar Nicolle Marais, Kunstenaar en eienaar van Doodle Creative Space, Elzette, en ekke

Nog foto's

Meer oor GYA

En kom ons slaan oor na Engels vir...

More about the space:

Last week I dragged hubby to the Space for a session of working with clay. Pierre made a small bust, and I made a very organic-looking flowering container. They're still on the drying rack at the space, which explains the lack of photographs of these pieces. Doodle Creative Space is very well equipped for painting, ceramics, pottery, mosaics, and almost any other arty thing that you could think of save for metalwork. The prices for sessions, classes, space and materials are incredibly reasonable, and the atmosphere is comfortable, creative and wonderful. Bring a bottle of wine and snacks to enjoy while you create, and make use of the balcony to take a break and take in some fresh air. Here's the contact information for the space:

Illustration for Greenpop

Illustration that I did on Monday for Greenpop's Good Things Happen When You Plant a Tree campaign. This is printed on the Assembly's latest line-up brochure, as the collector's poster on the flip-side. It is also used in the flyer for their third COOL AS FOLK party: ecojunki.blogspot.com/2011/10/greenpop-cool-as-folk-party-at-assembly.html

Ink in water: the essence of substance

Dew drops on a leaf of my small cherry tree

Die November 2011 uitgawe van Sarie!

Ek is ingesluit in 'n artikel oor vroue wat 'n deel vir die natuur doen, saam met Riana van Nieuwenhuizen wat bewaringswerk vir jagluiperde doen, en Natalie Rowles wat in Kwazulu-Natal reeds ongeveer 3000 bome verskaf het aan skole. 'n Uitreksel uit my stuk:

"...Maar enigiets wat die moeite werd is, verg vasbyt. Uitdagings bring groei. Elke groen kuns-oorwinning is 'n oorwinning vir die aarde."

Een van die groot redes waarom ek deelmaak van hierdie artikel, is a.g.v. GYA (Green Your Art) wat ek saam met Nicolle Marais as deel van ons Atelaya Art Collective aan die gang hou. Lees meer oor GYA by www.gya.withtank.com.

A fine balance

Emotion bubbling and boiling over the edge
Anger blinding the eyes of compassion
Love forgiving and nurturing all pain
Apathy has no place in a world full of passion

Nearly almost tipping over the ledge
Simply never releasing the hold of age
And always to be washed away by rain
Is the remnants of yesterday's rage

Feel. Heal. Aspire.

Koekenaap workshop: part four

The open day was held at the Wesland Kunsvereniging building in Vredendal, and in almost record-breaking time we managed to hang and display all the artworks for viewing. These are the artworks that I have created in 10 days' time in Koekenaap:

Koekenaap: Seedpod, acrylic on found paper, 148 x 95mm, 2011.

Koekenaap: Transpirasie II, wine and ash on paper, 320 x 230mm, 2011

Koekenaap: Kliphard, watercolour & pencil on paper, 400 x 290mm, 2011

Asem, leafprint on paper, 148 x 100mm, 2011

Blare in 'n ry geplak - sketsboek werk

Work in progress

My Koekenaap work, laid out on the floor of the hall.

Detail: Bound to Earth, mixed media on wood, 590 x 155mm, 2011.

The workshop was an incredible opportunity for creative experimentation and growth. The people I met have all in some way taught me something about myself, themselves and about art.