Slow Art Day International 2020
Sat Apr 4, 11:00 - Sat Apr 4, 17:00
Artichoke Gallery @ MelonRouge Eatery, Art, Antiques
ABOUT
Slow Art Day is a global event with a simple mission: help more people discover for themselves the joy of looking at and loving art. Join us at Artichoke Gallery, MelonRouge, Magaliesburg, South Africa in celebration of this special day and experience ART yourself.
Our 3 artists will be:
- Bertie Rietveld
- Evarné van Niekerk
- Lorraine Reister
Why slow?
When people look slowly at a piece of art they make discoveries.
The most important discovery they make is that they can see and experience art without an expert (or expertise).
And that’s an exciting discovery. It unlocks passion and creativity and helps to create more art lovers.
How does it work?
One day each year people all over the world visit local museums and galleries to look at art slowly. Participants look at a few works of art for 10 minutes each and then meet together over lunch to talk about their experience. That’s it. Simple by design, the goal is to focus on the art and the art of seeing.
In fact, Slow Art Day works best when people look at the art on their own slowly and then meet up to discuss the experience (though some hosts decide to do the discussion right in the gallery).
Costs:
R20 pp for facilitated walk and talk.
R140 pp for facilitated walk and talk and a light lunch menu
R20 of each ticket sold will go to "Happy Yappers animal sanctuary"
BERTIE RIETVELD
Meet the Maker Bertie Rietveld
My name is Bertie Rietveld, I live on a farm in the picturesque Magaliesburg, South Africa. I have been living here since 1987 and enjoy the quiet country life. Once a week I brave the big smoke of Johannesburg to get supplies, but that is out of necessity, not a choice.
My knife making journey started 40 years ago, my final year at High school. As things go at school, various fads take hold, yo-yo’s, dingbats, marbles, knockers, and then everyone was playing with knives, and every self-respecting schoolboy had a hunting knife in his school case and would play Pegasus every break. This was the 70’s and no we did not stab other kids or the teachers! This was pre-TWHGM. (The world has gone mad)
Anyhow, I assessed my funds, pocket money, and paper route proceeds and went to a well-known knife and gun shop in Carlton Centre, JHB, called Sharp Edge and had a look at their knives. I wanted a really good knife and my eye fell on a custom knife that someone had made, and it was priced way above my financial means, so before settling for something clearly inferior which I could afford, I decided to make my own. And the rest is history.
In the beginning, I think everyone starts with hunters, but I progressed very soon to Art knives, the utilitarian approach soon faded and I wanted to make knives that would be very special and become heirlooms, and to that end, I started with daggers and other collectible pieces. I soon realized that when you peruse knife books you will become a copier of other peoples work, it happens on a subconscious level, so I stopped looking at knives and rather get my inspiration from other sources like the myriad of beautiful objects in the world, superyachts, bridges, animal bones, flowers, insects, etc. the list is endless. These objects serve as ideas and I might only use a line or shape from one object and build on that. Design is the most important aspect of knifemaking. It is sad that so few makers realize that and just mindlessly copy other people's work.
In the early years, my mentor was Piet Grey, a founding father of our Guild, and the knifemaker I admire most is probably Wolfgang Loerchner.
One of my philosophies is that I don’t take orders, I make what I want to make if I don’t do that I will end up with a multi-year order book and that would just stifle all creativity.
I really enjoy what I do and have traveled overseas to shows more than 70 times since I started international shows in 1993. I have met so many fine collectors and makers all over the world and many have become good friends.
The knives displayed here are one-of-a-kind, handcrafted pieces. I have on occasion made more than one of a particular model, but it does not happen often. I really enjoy the challenge of making something new and fresh.
As many daggers are one-offs, I spend a lot of time drawing and then tweaking the drawing until the overall aesthetics and dimensions are 100% correct. From this 2-dimensional drawing, each dagger is then first constructed from hardwood and painted matte black to remove all colour influence. Sometimes several guards or pommels are made until the result is satisfactory. Only then are materials carefully selected for that particular design.
These wooden daggers are also kept as a reference work once the real dagger has been sold. Yes, it is going the extra mile, but that is what sets my work apart.
All my daggers can be dismantled for cleaning or transportation purposes.
The Rietveld Knives logo is to be found within a Stanhope lens on the knife. This method of marking his knives is unique, it complements the beauty of the knife, and it eliminates defacing the Damascus blade with an etched or stamped logo.
To view the logo, the lens must be held quite close to the eye like you would with any magnifying glass or microscope.
The Stanhope Lens: Invented by Lord Charles Stanhope, an English scientist (1753-1816). It was ground from one piece of glass with one flat and one domed side. The object to be viewed is placed on the flat side. The convex side is held in front of the eye and magnifies the image.
My name is Bertie Rietveld, I live on a farm in the picturesque Magaliesburg, South Africa. I have been living here since 1987 and enjoy the quiet country life. Once a week I brave the big smoke of Johannesburg to get supplies, but that is out of necessity, not a choice.My knife making journey started 40 years ago, my final year at High school. As things go at school, various fads take hold, yo-yo’s, dingbats, marbles, knockers, and then everyone was playing with knives, and every self-respecting schoolboy had a hunting knife in his school case and would play Pegasus every break. This was the 70’s and no we did not stab other kids or the teachers! This was pre-TWHGM. (The world has gone mad)
Anyhow, I assessed my funds, pocket money, and paper route proceeds and went to a well-known knife and gun shop in Carlton Centre, JHB, called Sharp Edge and had a look at their knives. I wanted a really good knife and my eye fell on a custom knife that someone had made, and it was priced way above my financial means, so before settling for something clearly inferior which I could afford, I decided to make my own. And the rest is history.
In the beginning, I think everyone starts with hunters, but I progressed very soon to Art knives, the utilitarian approach soon faded and I wanted to make knives that would be very special and become heirlooms, and to that end, I started with daggers and other collectible pieces. I soon realized that when you peruse knife books you will become a copier of other peoples work, it happens on a subconscious level, so I stopped looking at knives and rather get my inspiration from other sources like the myriad of beautiful objects in the world, superyachts, bridges, animal bones, flowers, insects, etc. the list is endless. These objects serve as ideas and I might only use a line or shape from one object and build on that. Design is the most important aspect of knifemaking. It is sad that so few makers realize that and just mindlessly copy other people's work.
In the early years, my mentor was Piet Grey, a founding father of our Guild, and the knifemaker I admire most is probably Wolfgang Loerchner.
One of my philosophies is that I don’t take orders, I make what I want to make if I don’t do that I will end up with a multi-year order book and that would just stifle all creativity.
I really enjoy what I do and have traveled overseas to shows more than 70 times since I started international shows in 1993. I have met so many fine collectors and makers all over the world and many have become good friends.
The knives displayed here are one-of-a-kind, handcrafted pieces. I have on occasion made more than one of a particular model, but it does not happen often. I really enjoy the challenge of making something new and fresh.
As many daggers are one-offs, I spend a lot of time drawing and then tweaking the drawing until the overall aesthetics and dimensions are 100% correct. From this 2-dimensional drawing, each dagger is then first constructed from hardwood and painted matte black to remove all colour influence. Sometimes several guards or pommels are made until the result is satisfactory. Only then are materials carefully selected for that particular design.
These wooden daggers are also kept as a reference work once the real dagger has been sold. Yes, it is going the extra mile, but that is what sets my work apart.
All my daggers can be dismantled for cleaning or transportation purposes.
The Rietveld Knives logo is to be found within a Stanhope lens on the knife. This method of marking his knives is unique, it complements the beauty of the knife, and it eliminates defacing the Damascus blade with an etched or stamped logo.
To view the logo, the lens must be held quite close to the eye like you would with any magnifying glass or microscope.
The Stanhope Lens: Invented by Lord Charles Stanhope, an English scientist (1753-1816). It was ground from one piece of glass with one flat and one domed side. The object to be viewed is placed on the flat side. The convex side is held in front of the eye and magnifies the image.
EVARNÉ VAN NIEKERK
Artist 2 - Evarné van Niekerk
My art has always been inspired by the beautiful surroundings I have had the privilege to live in. Born in 1967 and raised in the beautiful Hazyview, a rural village in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
I currently live and farm in the spacious valley at the foot of the Magaliesburg Mountain; in the Cradle of Humankind, in a close-knit community in Hekpoort, Gauteng, SA.
From natural breathtaking beauty around Hazyview to the abundant wildlife adjacent to the Kruger National Park, nature and animals have had a very strong and lasting influence in my art.
I won local art competitions at both primary and high school.
While studying BA Fine Arts at UNISA, I simultaneously worked as an artist for local marketing and signwriting business. During that time I exhibited my artwork in various lodges and hotels in the area around Hazyview. I particularly enjoyed hand painting unique wildlife-themed signboards for restaurants and businesses. Using and making elephant and hippo dung paper and wooden or leather covers, I designed and handmade menus for several restaurants.
I was commissioned to create a sign in Katima Mulilo, involving both signwriting and painting.
I currently do portraits on commission, specifically equine, canine and human. I work in charcoals, acrylics, oil pastels and oils. Among my commissions have been equine portraits for various top riders in our country and I have had the honor to support and sponsor pieces for the SA Lipizzaners.
I currently have some work on exhibition at an equine gallery near Kyalami as well as the venue Black Horse Estate.
I am passionate about animals and my current focus is to render uniqueness through my mark making and distorting perspective to create a dreamlike feel in a surreal reality.
My art has always been inspired by the beautiful surroundings I have had the privilege to live in. Born in 1967 and raised in the beautiful Hazyview, a rural village in Mpumalanga, South Africa.I currently live and farm in the spacious valley at the foot of the Magaliesburg Mountain; in the Cradle of Humankind, in a close-knit community in Hekpoort, Gauteng, SA.
From natural breathtaking beauty around Hazyview to the abundant wildlife adjacent to the Kruger National Park, nature and animals have had a very strong and lasting influence in my art.
I won local art competitions at both primary and high school.
While studying BA Fine Arts at UNISA, I simultaneously worked as an artist for local marketing and signwriting business. During that time I exhibited my artwork in various lodges and hotels in the area around Hazyview. I particularly enjoyed hand painting unique wildlife-themed signboards for restaurants and businesses. Using and making elephant and hippo dung paper and wooden or leather covers, I designed and handmade menus for several restaurants.
I was commissioned to create a sign in Katima Mulilo, involving both signwriting and painting.
I currently do portraits on commission, specifically equine, canine and human. I work in charcoals, acrylics, oil pastels and oils. Among my commissions have been equine portraits for various top riders in our country and I have had the honor to support and sponsor pieces for the SA Lipizzaners.
I currently have some work on exhibition at an equine gallery near Kyalami as well as the venue Black Horse Estate.
I am passionate about animals and my current focus is to render uniqueness through my mark making and distorting perspective to create a dreamlike feel in a surreal reality.
LORRAINE REISTER
‘n Labirent storie – Lorraine Reister
Lyne en vorms met inkpenne
Ek kan teken met potlood en pen, maar meeste van die tyd doodle ek net. Nie net doodle ek al van laerskool af nie, maar veral as ek oor die telefoon praat of in ‘n vergadering sit. Dit kom sommer vanself.
Ek het groot geword in Meerhof. Daar het net ‘n handjievol mense gewoon. Min heinings. Meer huise en teerpaaie het eers gekom toe Pelindaba en Valindaba gebou is. Intussen kon ek leer "kyk" en het nog nooit opgehou nie.
Met ‘n fyn oog kan baie vorms en lyne in die natuur en die elke dag se lewe waargeneem word. Wat sien jy nou eintlik as jy kyk na vetplante, blare, boombas, dorings, blomme (fuchsias is ballerinas), vere, voëlnessies, spinnerakke, insekte (naaldekokers is adellik), soogdiere se oë en wimpers, see diertjies in ‘n rotspoel, kranse, skerp kristalle (sekerlik het jy ‘n kopersulfaat kristal gekweek?), beweging op water? Die lys is oneindig en nou is ons nog nie eens by groente en vrugte nie. Hoe lyk die binnekant van ‘n ertjie peul? ‘n Oopgesnyde lemoen en ‘n vy?
Die vorms en lyne wat ek dus trek, terwyl ek doodle, bestaan al miljoene jare. Die spreekwoordelike “daar is niks nuuts onder die son nie” is so gepas.
‘n Paar maande gelede vertel ‘n vriendin egter vir my dat doodle nou “zentangle” genoem word. Ek begin dit Google en besef elke dag hoe baie mense prentjies met inkpenne teken en dat ek eintlik nog niks weet nie en dat daar nog ‘n hele wêreld voor my ooplê. Op ‘n CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher) se webblad sien ek toe ‘n voorbeeld van ‘n Labirent met zentangles en als val net in plek. Om binne-in ‘n Labirent te doodle is verskriklik lekker en het vir my spesiale betekenis. Dis die beste van twee wêrelde wat bymekaar kom.
Ek verkies om ‘n Labirent vir ‘n spesifieke persoon te teken. Dis vir my soos om met die persoon te gesels en ‘n seën oor hulle uit te spreek. Ek skryf dan die persoon se voorletter in die middel.
Labradors en Labirente
Die eerste 3 letters van beide Labrador en Labirent is “lab”, maar daar is meer as net dit.
Nikita is ons vierde Labrador en ‘n pet-shop-hondjie. Dit was ‘n emosionele koop wat indruis teen al ons beginsels, want geen mens wil ‘n puppy-mill ondersteun nie, maar Lucca, ons ouer Labrador, was toe al vir twee jaar lank , alleen. Soos alle ‘n Labradors het Nikita baie energie , maar sy was wilder as Marley, van “Marley and me”.
Ek kontak toe maar ‘n Tellington TTouch spesialis. Met die telefoniese gesprek, stel die vrou voor dat Nikita meer sal baat by een-tot-een sessies, as groepklasse (die ander honde en hulle eienaars moet immers ook kan konsentreer). Die vrou het my geleer hóé om aan Nikita te vat en die heel belangrikste, hoe om met haar deur ‘n Labirent te stap. Die Labirent word sommer met ‘n tuinslang uitgelê. Nikita moes sit by die ingang sodat ek haar leiband kon aansit . Dan het ons baie stadig geloop tot by die middel van die Labirent. Daar moes sy weer gaan sit en vir ‘n rukkie wag. Dan het ons weer baie stadig teruggestap tot by die beginpunt, waar sy weer vir ‘n rukkie moes sit en wag.
Die impak van hierdie oefeninge was ingrypend. Dit het Nikita kalmeer, selfvertroue gegee en baie meer gelukkig gehou. En vir ons ook.
Vandag
Ek woon saam met my man in Krugersdorp. Lucca is nou 14 en Nikita 10.
Ek trek omtrent elke dag lyntjies en vormpies. Jy kan ook. Ek het geen formele kunskwalifikasie of ondervinding nie.
Lyne en vorms met inkpenne
Ek kan teken met potlood en pen, maar meeste van die tyd doodle ek net. Nie net doodle ek al van laerskool af nie, maar veral as ek oor die telefoon praat of in ‘n vergadering sit. Dit kom sommer vanself.
Ek het groot geword in Meerhof. Daar het net ‘n handjievol mense gewoon. Min heinings. Meer huise en teerpaaie het eers gekom toe Pelindaba en Valindaba gebou is. Intussen kon ek leer "kyk" en het nog nooit opgehou nie.
Met ‘n fyn oog kan baie vorms en lyne in die natuur en die elke dag se lewe waargeneem word. Wat sien jy nou eintlik as jy kyk na vetplante, blare, boombas, dorings, blomme (fuchsias is ballerinas), vere, voëlnessies, spinnerakke, insekte (naaldekokers is adellik), soogdiere se oë en wimpers, see diertjies in ‘n rotspoel, kranse, skerp kristalle (sekerlik het jy ‘n kopersulfaat kristal gekweek?), beweging op water? Die lys is oneindig en nou is ons nog nie eens by groente en vrugte nie. Hoe lyk die binnekant van ‘n ertjie peul? ‘n Oopgesnyde lemoen en ‘n vy?
Die vorms en lyne wat ek dus trek, terwyl ek doodle, bestaan al miljoene jare. Die spreekwoordelike “daar is niks nuuts onder die son nie” is so gepas.
‘n Paar maande gelede vertel ‘n vriendin egter vir my dat doodle nou “zentangle” genoem word. Ek begin dit Google en besef elke dag hoe baie mense prentjies met inkpenne teken en dat ek eintlik nog niks weet nie en dat daar nog ‘n hele wêreld voor my ooplê. Op ‘n CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher) se webblad sien ek toe ‘n voorbeeld van ‘n Labirent met zentangles en als val net in plek. Om binne-in ‘n Labirent te doodle is verskriklik lekker en het vir my spesiale betekenis. Dis die beste van twee wêrelde wat bymekaar kom.
Ek verkies om ‘n Labirent vir ‘n spesifieke persoon te teken. Dis vir my soos om met die persoon te gesels en ‘n seën oor hulle uit te spreek. Ek skryf dan die persoon se voorletter in die middel.
Labradors en Labirente
Die eerste 3 letters van beide Labrador en Labirent is “lab”, maar daar is meer as net dit.
Nikita is ons vierde Labrador en ‘n pet-shop-hondjie. Dit was ‘n emosionele koop wat indruis teen al ons beginsels, want geen mens wil ‘n puppy-mill ondersteun nie, maar Lucca, ons ouer Labrador, was toe al vir twee jaar lank , alleen. Soos alle ‘n Labradors het Nikita baie energie , maar sy was wilder as Marley, van “Marley and me”.
Ek kontak toe maar ‘n Tellington TTouch spesialis. Met die telefoniese gesprek, stel die vrou voor dat Nikita meer sal baat by een-tot-een sessies, as groepklasse (die ander honde en hulle eienaars moet immers ook kan konsentreer). Die vrou het my geleer hóé om aan Nikita te vat en die heel belangrikste, hoe om met haar deur ‘n Labirent te stap. Die Labirent word sommer met ‘n tuinslang uitgelê. Nikita moes sit by die ingang sodat ek haar leiband kon aansit . Dan het ons baie stadig geloop tot by die middel van die Labirent. Daar moes sy weer gaan sit en vir ‘n rukkie wag. Dan het ons weer baie stadig teruggestap tot by die beginpunt, waar sy weer vir ‘n rukkie moes sit en wag.
Die impak van hierdie oefeninge was ingrypend. Dit het Nikita kalmeer, selfvertroue gegee en baie meer gelukkig gehou. En vir ons ook.
Vandag
Ek woon saam met my man in Krugersdorp. Lucca is nou 14 en Nikita 10.
Ek trek omtrent elke dag lyntjies en vormpies. Jy kan ook. Ek het geen formele kunskwalifikasie of ondervinding nie.
DIRECTIONS
Slow Art Day International 2020
Artichoke Gallery @ MelonRouge Eatery, Art, Antiques
T2, Bekker Schools Road, Magaliesburg, 1791, South Africa
Get Directions