Lucky blue brush strokes

Sheffield Beach is home to a tiny lady who loves country rock music, shades of blue and murder mysteries.

Wearing a long turquoise dress with a purple silk scarf wrapped around her waist, the elf-like Jane Strode talked about her life between black ink and blue paint.

“I worked as a court reporter for the Daily News for 11 years. I loved it, especially the exciting murder cases.”

Strode’s lungs however did not play along and the continuous smoking in the newsroom affected her asthma so badly that she eventually had to leave. When she started going to art classes however, a new world opened up.

“I remember driving home after class, lost in my own little world, so excited about what I had learned,” said Strode with a big smile and sparkling pale blue eyes.

Her parents, Brian and Mary Rose, who own the Claremont Farm Indigenous Nursery, helped her start a weekly Saturday morning craft market.

“The market started in Ballito in 1999 where the tourism centre now is. It grew so quickly. People from all over the province joined in.”

When the market later moved to Salt Rock however, it started losing traction and she eventually closed it. Strode continued painting, but she was helping her parents with the growing nursery and got side-tracked, lacking inspiration to paint.

She recently found inspiration in the lonely white sand, clean colours and cold water of Muizenberg where her younger brother and fellow artist, Andrew, lives.

“I got excited again and took lots of photos. When I came back, I saw artSPACE was looking for artists to exhibit and I thought I would give it a try,”

Shortly after, artSPACE director, Karen Bradtke contacted her and offered her a solo exhibition, which is now open until September 19.

“This is the first exhibition I have done in ten years,” she said, brushing her short, grey hair behind her ear.

For any artist, this opportunity is hugely exciting, but for Strode it is particularly special.

“I have macular degeneration, an incurable eye disease, and only have 50% of my vision left. I was very open about my deteriorating eyesight when I applied, but luckily Karen has faith in me and my art.”

“I have found a new freedom of movement in my brushstrokes and the colours that I use. A desire to experiment and break away from old habits,” she said, looking at her beach scene paintings.

“I am never going to become a famous artist or break rules, but I read somewhere once that there is nothing wrong with painting pretty pictures,” she said with a chuckle.

“Perhaps I am placing too much emphasis on my eyesight. Perhaps this new freedom is also part of growing older and becoming more confident as an artist.”

Although she puts on a brave face, she does have dark moments.

“I have recently had to give up driving, which has been the toughest part so far. Losing that independence and not being able to just get into the car and go to a book store is difficult.”

Looking back, Strode feels that she has always been lucky in life, because people have believed in her, which is what gives her courage, a genuine laugh and a bright, blue future.