Art portfolio- my work

Studio musings

Art portfolio- my work, Studio news/blog

I don’t know about you, but the more the real world freaks me out, the more I escape to a fantasy one, equipped with fantasy characters of my own making. So at the end of 2020 I started working on a series of altered photos once again. I say once again because I’ve been altering vintage photos since 2014 – for example:

Title: It’s contagious Medium: Vintage photograph, cotton thread and rubber 59 x 44 cm 2014/2015

So while I was waiting for the big reprints of vintage photos which I am currently working with (looking forward to share that journey with you soon). I also did smaller ones, some inspired by my mother-in-law whom we visited in December. I took a walk down in memory lane with her one evening going through a drawer full of photos. Some of the photographs were slightly damaged which she gifted to me, for example the one below.

I am happy to announce that this series found a home in Phoenix Arizona and will hopefully reach their destination soon with the help of Jetlog Logistics.

In other news: our eldest son is turning 13 on the 23rd of January. I asked him how does it feel to be a teenager. He said it feels okay except for some “symptoms” he is currently experiencing 😉

What a joy to be the mother of this child o’ mine.

Etienne photographed by Kleinjan Groenewald

Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Ooh, oh, where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Oh, where do we go now?
Where do we go? (Sweet child)
Where do we go now?
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay
Where do we go now?
Ah, ah

Last but not least….The group exhibition: “No holds barred” at RK Contemporary gallery is coming to an end on the 31st of January. Feel free to check it out if you get a chance.

Over-rated, You can’t touch this, Aim higher, Inflation, Do/Don’t (Embroidered rubber)

On that note….

Please keep safe – mentally and physically until next month. ❤

Adventures with Diana- Diana se avonture

Art portfolio- my work
Diana se storie deel 1 2020 Collage, Fabriano, cotton thread and rubber 35.5 x 25 cm

Terwyl haar liggaam besig was om te herstel, het Diana solank haar verstand geoefen.

Diana se storie deel 2 2020 Collage, Fabriano, cotton thread and rubber 35.5 x 25 cm

Sy is vyf en twintig en siek en sat daarvan om so hard te werk en steeds n sukkelbestaan te voer. Daarom besluit sy dat dit tyd geword het dat meeer mense van haar bestaan bewus word.

Diana se storie deel 3 2020 Collage, Fabriano, cotton thread and rubber 35.5 x 25 cm

Diana voel dat haar kans om te slaag omtrent vyftig to vyftig is.

Diana se storie deel 4 2020 Collage, Fabriano, cotton thread and rubber 35.5 x 25 cm

“Maar ek kan nie nou ophou nie” se Diana

***

Collage elements from the following books:

“The woman in fashion” bu Doris Langley Moore (First published 1949)

“Diana se stryd teen die see” by Valjean Mcleninghan (1980)

Back to the future: Masked baby monsters

Art portfolio- my work

I had some fun and games during the holidays with a series done with mixed media (ink, charcoal, pastel and acrylic paint) The series of drawings was exhibited in their original state (before the mask) at my first ever solo exhibition at the Joao Ferreira gallery back in 2004. Titled: Siembamba, Let’s play pretend. Below is the original invitation:

I decided to add some masks to the original drawings, and for me in a way the added masks turned the babies into monsters!

My obsession with masks resurfaced in 2020, because suddenly masks became a necessity. I used to be fascinated by rituals during my student days and masks were important in rituals too. Traditionally masks were used during ceremonies across the globe. And now more than ever they became a part of our lives. Although I must admit that I prefer cultural masks instead of the ones currently worn by everyone. (do you also find it surreal going to the shops and seeing everyone wearing masks?)

Masked baby monster 1 (2004-2020) Mixed media 52.5 x 37.5 cm

So I have started a whole series around the idea of cultural masks – which links to my fascination with relationships, anthropology, fairy tales …. but I will tell you more once I have worked on a new artist statement…

Masked baby monster 2 (2004-2020) Mixed media 52.5 x 37.5 cm
Masked baby monster 3 (2004-2020) Mixed media 52.5 x 37.5 cm

In my next post I will continue with my fascination with masks and show and tell you more.

Until then….have a good week. xxx

Hormonal Imbalance, snails and Summer holidays: Studio news….

Studio news/blog
Hannalie Taute in her studio photographed by Kleinjan Groenewald

Hi dear friends. I’m a bit late with my monthly studio news update, because I’ve been on a emotional roller-coaster these past few weeks. I had to try and stay calm because the boys was writing exams, but I just felt uninspired, tired, drained, sad and anxious. Our garden at the moment is a true reflection of where I’m at emotionally….

what happened here!!?
the bloody snails are everywhere!

dare I even show you these! Yikes! BUT after I spent Monday afternoon in the garden, with my fingers in the soil and getting rid of some snails, I feel much much better. Gardening as therapy 😉

I also cleaned up the studio and found some old ink drawings I did in 2004 for a solo exhibition at the Joao Ferreira gallery in Cape Town. I allowed myself to feel destructive and playful and so I reworked those drawings:

drawing from 2004 reworked in 2020

I still feel kind of tired, but actually I am grateful, because there was lovely highlights this year too!!!

can you guess which one is the Beyond burger?

A dear collector send us a Spur voucher from abroad, and so we had a chance to finally get a taste of the Beyond Burger. (which according to the Youtube channel my boys watched, taste and look like a real burger, but it is completely plant based.) Just a pity its double the price of a normal burger.

Thanks for the feature RK Contemporary and SA Art Times

I received some lovely magazine exposure abroad and locally.

I had the opportunity to work on some amazing commissions and exhibitions this year too. A big thanks to each and everyone who commented, liked, shared, discussed and bought my work this year. It doesnt go unnoticed and I appreciate it. This was actually my best year in the studio sofar!

But then why….

All I can think is that it is due to a hormonal imbalance:

“Hormonal Imbalance” 2020 (Embroidered rubber. Altered vintage photograph)

But I will leave you with this quote from an amazing book I received as a gift and just finished reading”

“If you are pitched into misery, remember that your days on this earth are counted and you might as well make the best of those you have left.”

Yann Martel from the book: Beatrice and Virgil