Friday, March 30, 2012

GIFT A TREE to Greenpop's TREES FOR ZAMBIA project and stand the chance to WIN THIS ARTWORK




GROW AND SUSTAIN THE SOIL. 2012. Mixed media on paper. 900mm x 640mm.

"Grow and Sustain the Soil" is an artwork inspired by trees, and the importance of them on our planet, in our ecological systems and in our lives. Text worked into the artwork symbolizes the importance and role of knowledge and education in developing sustainability within communities throughout Africa and the rest of the world.

Gift a tree for only R120 to Greenpop's TREES FOR ZAMBIA project and stand the chance to win this original artwork!

During their planting of between 5000 and 10 000 indigenous and fruit trees in the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site, Dambwa Forest, and at schools around Livingstone, workshops about sustainable living and conservation will be facilitated with school kids and local farmers - this being the start of an ongoing campaign to make Livingstone a greener and more sustainable environment.


Friday, March 23, 2012

New artwork: Koekenaap, part of the Nuances series



Nuances: Koekenaap
Photographic montage
Limited Edition print on acid free cotton paper (Somerset Velvet) - Edition Size: 5
PAPER SIZE: 70 x 60cm, Image Size: 47 x 40cm
2012

This print is part of the NUANCES series of landscapes, and was inspired by the landscape around Koekenaap in the Western Cape. In this area a lot of Eucalyptus trees are eradicated as alien invader species, and while the landscape seems quite dry and warm, it is also home to many vineyards and other farms.

Aiming to understand the self

We all experience doubt and a lack of self confidence every once in a while. The secret to lifting out of the dip is to know and understand that it's just a phase and that you have everything you need to feel 'better' again within yourself already. You just need to ask, trust and have faith... And then usually the answer will come to you.

We all have different ways of dealing with life's challenges, even if one of those challenges is a lack of challenges within your daily activities. And so each of us have different personalities, skills and careers. I stumbled upon a useful resource today that could give you guidance towards the right career for you, your life purpose or even just towards finding the ideal hobby for yourself, or understanding yourself better.

The Holland Code is a type of simplified personality classification used to help people decide what type of career they should follow. Basically it implies that each person is a unique combination of the following characteristics:

  • Realistic - People who loves working with their hands, tools and machines. Usually practical, conservative and "normal", sometimes lacking interpersonal things since they prefer working alone on projects requiring manual skills
  • Investigative - Explorative people who love shaping an understanding of things, focused on the development of knowledge. Analytical, intelligent and skeptical.
  • Artistic - People with a literary, musical or artistic interest or passion, who have a need to give creative expression to ideas or emotions. Open to experience, innovation and usually opposes routines and conformity to established rules.
  • Social - Helpful teachers, healers and people who live to serve others through personal interaction. Empathic, patient and nurturing, with good interpersonal skills.
  • Enterprising - Persuasive people who are able to direct and lead others, but usually value social status and material accomplishment highly. Energetic and assertive, with sales and manipulation skills.
  • Conventional - People with an inherent need for order, routine and an application of set standards. Careful and conforming, with technical skills in business or production, with the ability to work systematically and precise.

I think it is also valuable to realize and accept that while we all have different personalities, we all have different things that we value and find important. Being tolerant and accepting of other people are one of the greatest gifts that you can give to your family and friends, our society and yourself.

My Holland Code is ARI, ARS and ARE in equal amounts (My artistic rating high, then realistic being my second highest score, and my ratings for Investigative, Social and Enterprising being the same).What is yours? Have a look at Rogue Community College's quiz to calculate your Holland Code(s). Or do you think that this classification method is too simplified, restrictive or lacking in depth? There is of course also the Myers  Briggs personality test, which classifies sixteen personality types according to combinations of these four traits or temperaments:

  • Extraverted or Introverted
  • Sensing or Intuition
  • Thinking or Feeling
  • Judging or Perceiving

HumanMetrics Jung Typology Test

Is there inspiration for an artwork in this? And should I pursue it even though it's so far removed from my usual themes?

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Dust and Love


Found these in my mother-in-law's garden on Moreleta koppie in Pretoria and going to use a knife to scrape a fine dust off them, to mix with egg, gum arabic or water so I can experiment painting with their rich and beautiful ochre colour. 



What am I doing in Pretoria? My father-in-law, cycling legend Ertjies Bezuidenhout suffered a stroke on Sunday 26 February, a few hours after finishing a 103km cycle race in Brakpan. He passed away on Wednesday 29 February (Leap day!) at 10h40, the same time that he finished the race on Sunday, and 5 minutes before my flight to Lanseria landed. He was an incredible and inspiring man, and will be missed greatly by all who knew him.

  


In honour of his name, please consider making a donation to the SPCA, as Ertjies dearly loved animals. Here is the banking information:
Bank: Absa
Account name: Tshwane SPCA
Account number: 070 281 635
Branch code: 334445
Please put Ertjies Bezuidenhout Pick N Brick as your reference
Please fax a copy of your deposit/transfer to 012 803-5219 (Please indicate again that it is for Ertjies Bezuidenhout Pick N Brick) This will result in a plaque bearing his name being placed on the wall at the SPCA. The more money received the more stars on his plaque. The wording on the plaque will be something like:

Ertjies Bezuidenhout
South African Cycling Legend
13/10/1955 - 29/02/2012
The SPCA receives no subsidy from the government. The money donated will go towards paying their vets, staff and animals medication.

We'll also be planting trees continually in his honour and you are welcome to contact me (0723315057 or art@janetbotes.co.za) or Pierre Bezuidenhout (broodenbotter@gmail.com) if you'd like to get involved - either helping us plant trees or if you have venue/space where we could plant trees. 


Long live the King of the Mountain in our hearts and memories!