Artist: Norma Akester, GILLITTS

It's been awhile since Norma last exhibited on one of my Exhibitions.....Needless to say, I'm chuffed to have her back. Her work is always of an interesting nature - there's definately nothing "twee" about Norma!!

All of her new paintings are oils...with a story to tell.....this is what Norma has to say:
There's Windmill (above) - with an emergent purpose of drawing that life giving source...water

Full Blown (Poppies) - relative to open blooms - it's alive!!


The set of Chrysanths - an unfurling and dropping of petals...


An Almost Desolate Place - a quiet, almost melancholic painting of an open space with a few emergent trees

Last but not least and perhaps with the longest story to tell, is the painting - Last Stand, Gillitts Bluegums - which when first introduced to this country, were planted in vast numbers as the properties of the timber - straight and hardwood - suited the requirements for props used in the mines......now, however, they are being eradicated as Alien Plants which are also too thirsty and draw too much from our water table. I took a photo of these last fews trees after driving around Gillitts in search of them......

Artist: Lesley Freeman - DURBAN NORTH

To try and tie Lesley down is one heck of a job!!!...more so, to get a painting or two to exhibit - but thankfully, before she left on her trip to the UK, Lesley dropped off two bright, colourful florals.

As always, Lesley's work incorporates play on colour, light and shape....from the beginnings of a background of shadowy texture....emerging as a whole.

Both works - Blue Hydrangeas, an oil and Mass of Tulips, a watercolour - have been framed by SmArt.

Artist: Sally Spaull - MORNINGSIDE

Sally's back....the invitation to exhibit and meet the requirements were met with alacrity!!....There's not much that I can say, that will encompass just how these new oil paintings befit the Emergence theme...so I will allow them to speak for themselves!!




In fact, the titles given by Sally, Out of the Earth, the Dance of the Tree 500 x 750 (top left) and Into the Light 500 x 250 (bottom right) - address the very nature of the paintings most succinctly!!

Artist Profile - Belinda Ross, Durban North KZN

Although a newcomer to the SmART ART exhibitions and blog, Belinda Ross is in no way that to the world of art and exhibitions...........when asked about her life, her art and the paintings she will be submitting - Autumn Blaze of Colour 450 x 450 (left) and Aged Trees in the Woods 800 x 500 (bottom) - Belinda had this to say:

I am a home based artist currently residing in Durban North. My family and I moved here 3 years ago from Johannesburg and love the relaxed life coastal living brings. I am the proud mother of three daughters.

I was brought up on a farm in the Eastern Cape and have always been inspired by landscapes. I am passionate about the colours and textures found in nature. I have been painting all my life and completed a diploma in textile design many years ago as well as a higher diploma in Botanical drawing!

I work primarily in oils and my enjoy painting large canvases the most! Most of my paintings are full of colour and I have recently done alot of work inspired from a trip to the Underberg in Autumn. The colours in the Japanese maple trees and oak trees just blew me away.

A succinct yet evocative statement from a very personal point of view !!

It's indeed a pleasure to have Belinda's work showcased on the Emergence Exhibtion!!

Artist - Juliette Gjersoe - Westville

Well, how wonderful to have Juliette back!!




Bold, confident colourful........she's the epitomy of an emerging, though established artist and has taken to the theme, Emergence, like a duck to water...

Palmiet River (740 x 590) - a framed oil - the evidence and emergence of filtered light through the canopy of trees.....


Bowl of Roses (500 x 500)


Juliette has been busy busy and will be submitting 10 oils (4 of which are mini....and are signed as such!! MINI !!) - see above

Tulips and Peaches (600 x 450) - above; and
Five Lillies (460 x 610) - below






....there is a definite journey of emergent colour and light depicted in each one....

however, there are two oils - Shell to Wave and La Tuna' (300 x 600) which have been specifically created to encompass all that Emergence might mean.....



Of La Tuna, Juliette has this to say: ...to rise up from beneath; and of Shell to Water - this....come to light, appear, arise

Artist Profile - Emma Robb, Umdloti

It is so exciting to be able to introduce a new artist to the Exhibition and the blog - especially when as multi - talented and faceted as Emma Robb .

I was first introduced to Emma as a visitor to one of the exhibitions, and no idea of the talent embodied beneath that very cheerful smile!!

But, the talent emerged (sorry - just had to do that!!) when I approached Emma to exhibit and more so, when I asked her for a little info into her background.....
To quote from her resume:

Emma Robb based in Umdloti KZN since 2000. Paint mainly in oil. MOAG Award winner for best painting 2004 and the won Peter Moir trophy for drawing 2005. Emma is well respected in the screen print industry for over 35 years. Then on to a very successful Advertising and Print business career and also specialised in Project Management to the print Industry. She is the proud recipient of many South African and International Gold and Silver awards in recognition of Screen print of the highest quality. Emma retired to Umdloti to paint full time. 082 447 8353 - 031 568 1957

More, need not be said!!









Emma is submitting three oil paintings - and as with all the artists exhibiting on this Emergence Exhibition, I have asked for a brief comment/reason why and how they think that their work befits the theme - I think you'll appreciate what Emma's come up with.......


White Mykonos: 510 x 760 (top)
Engulfed in tranquillity and peace, my thoughts turned into beautiful brush strokes captured onto canvas forever.

After the Race: 610 x 450 (middle)
There were many... toward success... to survive... And the reward? A breath of fresh air.

Bluff Reflection: 610 x 760 (bottom )
Where the sea meets the sky is not a mirage you see..it’s a miracle how it keeps the two apart.

EMERGENCE - SmART ART"S 2008 Year End Exhibition

The end of the year is upon us, a new season dawns, bringing with it summer rains which usher in fresh growth..........................and a fresh approach to the forthcoming SmART Exhibition!!

The exhibitions have in the past been given very simple seasonal titles - - Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring. This time around, however, it's a title with a difference - Emergence - which, though in no way prescriptive, is going to be interesting from a creative, perspective viewpoint.....Artists have been given free reign; though it is expected that their works will in some way relate.....................

From The American Heritage Dictionary -

e·mer·gence

(ĭ-mûr'jəns) Pronunciation Key n. The act or process of emerging. A superficial outgrowth of plant tissue, such as the prickle of a rose.

A little Wikipedia information that I've collected re Emergence proves to be rather fascinating as one reflects on the way one word encompasses much!! Herewith the info in no particular order -

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Emergence is the process of complex pattern formation from more basic constituent parts.

Emergence in organisational theory

Emergence is referred to as the complex process whereby the right person or idea emerges exactly at the right moment. Just when a problem occurs or a necessity, the potential solutions also emerges.

Living, biological systems

Flocking is a well-known behaviour in many animal species from swarming locusts to fish and birds. Emergent structures are a common strategy found in many animal groups: colonies of ants, mounds built by termites, swarms of bees, shoals/schools of fish, flocks of birds, and herds/packs of mammals.

An example to consider in detail is an ant colony. The queen does not give direct orders and does not tell the ants what to do. Instead, each ant reacts to stimuli in the form of chemical scent from larvae, other ants, intruders, food and build up of waste, and leaves behind a chemical trail, which, in turn, provides a stimulus to other ants. Here each ant is an autonomous unit that reacts depending only on its local environment and the genetically encoded rules for its variety of ant. Despite the lack of centralized decision making, ant colonies exhibit complex behavior and have even been able to demonstrate the ability to solve geometric problems. For example, colonies routinely find the maximum distance from all colony entrances to dispose of dead bodies.

Language

It has been argued that language, or at least language change, are emergence phenomena. While each speaker merely tries to reach his own communicative goals, he uses language in a particular way. If enough speakers behave in that way, language is changed (Keller 1994

Architecture and cities

Emergent structures appear at many different levels of organization or as spontaneous order. Emergent self-organization appears frequently in cities where no planning or zoning entity predetermines the layout of the city.

Often architects and landscapers will not design all the pathways of a complex of buildings. Instead they will let usage patterns emerge and then place pavement where pathways have become worn in.

As can be seen, and has been said - the theme - Emergence, is in no way prescriptive!!.........nor may I add, limited!!

I look forward to the new contributions with much excitement!! Photos of the artists' work will be posted as soon as to hand.

At this stage - names of the participating artists (subject to possible change) include: Mabel Armitage, Trish Lang, Sharon Goulding, AnnMaree Harrington, Norma Akester, Corrie Scribante, Marlene Dickerson, Jeannette Edwards, Jean Scott, Michael Ralfe, Sharleen Boaden, Gift Madziva, Maddy Finlay, Leslie Freeman, Justin Mashora, Emma Robb, Maria Kapatos, Sally Spaull, Bev Letard, Colleen Barker, Jean Whysall, Nora Lemmon, Juliette Gjersoe, Heather Iggulden, Jocelyn van Breda (JOZI) and Photographer - Emil von Maltitz

Last; but in no means least -as part of the Emergence - I have decided to donate a portion of the hanging fees charged to charity . Art is all about an awareness, culturally,emotionally,physically -of the world and its' peoples around us. I wish through the medium of the Exhibitions, to do just that - to create an awareness - make it more about people and art - than just art!! Accordingly, God's Treasure Chest -a home run for aids/special needs orphaned babies in Amanzimtoti will be the nominated beneficiary.