Sketch Challenge: day 9 & 10

Day 9

Favourite TV Show
Bones

Day 10

Favourite Candy

I stay away from processed foods as much as possible. After I weaned myself off processed sugar, fruit is sweet enough to satisfy my 'sweet tooth', and now my favourite candy is dates! The Nãkd bar that I sketched on day 3, is also made from dates as main ingredient!

Sketchbook day 4: favourite place

Sketchbook Challenge: Day 3

Stirfry veggies & Quinoa, with a Nãkd wholefood bar as dessert

Sketchbook Challenge: day 2

Dung Beetle, from a beautiful photograph by Niel Aldridge

30-day drawing challenge: Day 1

I'm participating in another drawing challenge, and this time I'm sticking it to the end! With my dear artist friends Mark Shaun Hopkins and Elaine Kotze, we're doing this challenge, which I found on Pinterest and traced back to here and here (I don't know who the original creator of the challenge is, but she/he is wonderful!): 

WILD & STILL: my first solo exhibition

WILD & STILL is now open! Strijdom van der Merwe gave a beautiful opening talk and many people watched, and participated, in my performance art piece on the opening evening during June's First Thursdays. 

This exhibition of artworks aims to achieve a tension between the raw power of the wilderness and tranquillity in our local natural landscapes. The artworks include still snapshots of wildness, in the form of paintings, drawings, mixed media work, and original limited edition prints. 

Featured in the diary of the Country Life!

Detail from "Eye of the Storm"

Detail from "Organic Matters"

Detail from "Forces of Soil"

Detail from "Tanglewood"

Preview and buy works from WILD & STILL: stateoftheart.co.za/curator/15/wild--still 

View photos of the exhibition and artworks on Facebook. 

and

JOIN ON 14 JUNE FOR MY ARTIST WALKABOUT AT 11AM

StateoftheART Gallery, 61 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town.
The gallery is next to G2 Art Gallery, on the fan walk, between Bree street and Loop street, in the heart of Cape Town. 

See you there!

more info, see the catalogue, and watch the video:

janetbotes.com/wild-still-exhibition

Untamed, wild & still

“Untamed”

Pencil on paper

594 x 420mm

2014

One of the works for my exhibiiton WILD & STILL,
opening on 5 June at StateoftheART, Cape Town.

30min-max drawings

As part of an initiative or challenge started by Mark Shaun Hopkins, I've been drawing every day. A quick sketch or doodle that doesn't take any longer than 30 minutes. I find this a great new routine, doing it at the start of my day, which makes it a great spark of creativity for the rest of the day.

Tread Lightly

feel the delicate flutter of wings against your legs

Walk Silently

hear the distinctive sound of crickets calling their mates

Speak Softly

acknowledge the gentle balance that earth tries to hold

Odonata, 2014, ink and coffee on cartridge paper,29cm 40cm

Sketchbook Snapshot: leaves, seeds & foliage

"Everything in Nature carries significance; one simply has to know how to read the signs" - Linda Tucker, Saving the White Lions

New Work

"Genus"

Janet Botes

Ink & Acrylic on Found Wood

203 x 114mm

2013

"Habitat"

Janet Botes

Ink, Acrylic & Pronature Paint on Wood

198 x 114mm

2013

Art Blocks

Tomorrow's Scape

Janet Botes

Mixed media on wood

450mm x 150mm

2012

Summer Afternoon Light

Janet Botes

Mixed media on wood

450mm x 150mm

2012

Untitled

Janet Botes

Mixed media on wood

450mm x 150mm

2012

On Butterfly Wings

Janet Botes

Mixed media on wood

450mm x 150mm

2012

Strung Together

Janet Botes

Mixed media on wood

450mm x 150mm

2012

Amongst the Waves

Janet Botes

Mixed media on wood

450mm x 150mm

2012

Contrast

 

These small artworks were created using scraperboard as medium and technique - a layer of black sits on top of the white backing, and is scratched away to reveal the white. They are available for sale from Studio 46 in Bloubergstrand, Western Cape.

Waiting for sunrise

"Waiting", ink on paper, 105 x 148mm, 2012.

NEW: work in progress

Inspired by leaves, bark and branches of a tree, and insects - specifically butterflies, moths, flies, cockroaches and mosquito's. The focus on wings in the works, also refers to flight, flying or freedom. The arrangement(s) also starts to resemble flower structures, which serves as food and home for insects.

Medium: (above) ink and tea on paper. (below) ink and mixed media on wood

I've grown a fresh interest in insects after seeing several praying mantis nymphs grow among my pot plants, as well as seeing the many small spiders and cockroaches that took shelter in the abandoned buildings at Conradie Care Centre. Every time I saw one, two or more of the mantids among my spinach leaves, rosemary or other plants, it was unexpected and while I was deep in thought. Every time it was a pleasant surprise and when they were still small I once saw six of the praying mantids on the same plant! These encounters are only a small part of my new-found connection and love for small creatures - as soon as you start noticing and respecting them, you start seeing them more and experiencing bizarre and wonderful little coincidences often bordering on the spiritual. I've recently bought myself the Field Guide to Insects in South Africa, by Mike Picker, Charles Griffiths and Alan Weaving, and am in awe of all the amazing "goggas" that share our world with us. The next time you see a bug, take a minute or two to really look at it. You might be surprised at what you see or realize!

A moment in time: Drawing of a leaf

 

Watercolour & pencil, 210 x 148mm, 2011

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

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.