Exhibition remembers the beauty of forests
The exhibition consists of paintings, works on paper and sculptures.
An exhibition titled “As it was: Exploring the changing forests of the Lowveld”, opened on Saturday at White River Gallery at Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre.
Participating artists are Tony Fredriksson, Laurel Holmes, Wendy Sippel, Anna Kirtsen and Ingrid Uys, while Elise Buitendag, a botanist, artist and author, was the opening speaker.
The exhibition consists of paintings, works on paper and sculptures.
It explores the subject of change, the embrace thereof and the notion of the fleeting passage of time, capturing so to speak an “as it is” moment, through the glimpses of natural landscape undisturbed by the footprint of man.
“Any journey into the Lowveld involves a route through pockets of spectacular, untouched landscape. Forests of siberianas, kiaat, and aloes and glades and valleys of woodlands provide homes and shelter to a myriad of natural creatures.
“These are treasures to be witnessed and revered, serving as reminders of how things were, reflecting decades and centuries of pristine natural balance and harmony,” said Dana MacFarlane of White River Gallery.
Buitendag started her career as a botanical officer at the Botanical Research Institute in Pretoria.
Since moving to the Lowveld she worked for 12 years as botanist at the Lowveld National Botanical Garden and was later employed by the National Department of Agriculture.
Buitendag is acknowledged as a professional botanical artist and has authored and illustrated several publications. She has participated in five international botanical art exhibitions, as well as many other exhibitions held in major cities of South Africa.
Since retirement, she has been teaching art part-time. After painting botanical art in watercolour for several years, she presently prefers to explore the possibilities offered by oils, expressing largely what she observes in nature.
Buitendag is working towards completing of her book Genesis of a Garden, reflecting her memoirs during the first 12 years of the Lowveld National Botanical Garden. This book, along with an exhibition of her paintings, will be launched at the WRG in March 2019.
There will be an artists’ walkabout on Saturday November 17 at 12:00 and the exhibition runs until November 24.
For more information, pricing, availability, contact MacFarlane on 082-784-6695 or dana@whiterivergallery.co.za.
