More land art on Gordon's Bay beach

Small elongated pieces of rock that seems to 'sliver' off from large rocks, planted into the sand, and washed away by the tide

These are the rocks where I found the long pieces of rock. There are several yellow rocks lying around, which I used to accentuate a natural cleft between the rocks.

Land Art on Sunset Beach

I was up this morning at 5h15, preparing for a morning of playing and creating on the beach from about 6h15. Diaan Mynhardt, a very talented photographer, joined to capture this human-nature co-creation, as well as artist Janet Ranson, who created a large-scale snaking kelp-installation. It was a morning filled with beauty and magical moments - including my utter delight of creating sand lines that partially get washed away by the very slowly-incoming tide. I also found the power of the water that pushes onto the beach astonishing - the rushing water flinging the pebbles against the sides of my bare feet and ankles.

I should add that I did get slighty agitated when the water kept washing away the small rocks before it was 'the right time', which then made me realise that it's an apt metaphor for life - things don't always work out the way that we want it to, but instead of fighting against it or getting unhappy about it, rather appreciate that there's so much other things that DO go well.

Creative Energy and Flow at Site_Specific

I was very privileged to be one of the artists for the 2013 Site_Specific International Land Art Biennale, held in Plettenberg Bay from 10-17 August. I met incredible artists, professionals and also members of the public (some as young as 5 years old, while others were retired and had a lot of experience and wonderful stories to share). I'd like to share the work that I did during the week...

Inspired and fascinated by the splatter patterns of water on sand,
the idea started to form around
the connection and borders
between land and sea. 

Sea to me = Spatters Waves Foam Water Flow

&

Land brought me to soil, mud, "grond"

Only after I started playing and experimenting with the mud on the sand and rocks did I find out about the ship that got stranded just up the coast towards Knysna and Wilderness, leaking oil. My artwork incidentally or accidentally gained a new layer of meaning.

"Flow" and "Riding the Wave" became slogans for my week - realizing I had to manage my energy levels, taking advantage of the inspiration and creative flow, because time seemed to fly past sooo quickly!

...The sands of time...

Painting with Mud.

Connecting with the rocks that has not yet eroded into sand.

Flow. Drift. Splatter

Flowing with clarity and energized focus.

Creating, Working

Being in the moment.

Drifting along, swept away by emotions.

Feelings, thoughts that ebb and flow like the tides.

While oil seep into the cracks of our survival.

Spluttering, Crashing against rock, 

hitting your head against a wall to leave your mark.

Flow, Focus, Have Faith

that you are in the right place at the right time.

That everything can be healed, washed away

By water. Or by Time.

 For images of work by the other Site_Specific artists and participants, go to: 

• pinterest.com/sitespecificafr/landartbiennale-photo-competition/
• facebook.com/events/418591894888932
• sitespecific.org.za
• landartsouthafrica.blogspot.com/2013/08/sitespecific-2013-huge-success.html

New work: A Perspective On Time

A Perspective on Time

Mixed Media on wood/board

36.8 x 32.3 cm (unframed)

2013

Part of my Beach Meditation series, which are inspired by land art that I created by placing or arranging found pebbles on the beach. Each of these land art pieces were made as a prayer or meditation. 

This particular painting is focused on time - the rings of circular 'sun' design being divided into 12 sections for the months of the year, into 24 sections for the hours within a day, and 28 lines symbolizing a moon cycle. The focus of this particular 'meditation' is about using our time wisely in ways that support our goals, priorities and dreams. 

I've been giving a lot of time away freely the last few years, and I've also wasted some time on doing things that made me neglect my own needs, as well as the people I love. I am learning to find a balance in the way that I spend my time, making sure that everything I choose to spend time on, is done for and with the right reasons and intention. 

New artwork: Breathe and Believe

Breathe and Believe

Janet Botes

Mixed media on wood

670 x 340 mm

2012

Part of a new series called Beach Meditations

This artwork is available, please contact me at art@janetbotes.co.za for more information. 

Vanuit die argiewe

Beach shots, Western Cape