Visual soul food

Proteas, wrinkly faces, cows grazing, autumn trees and selfies are some of the things that inspired Salt Rock artist Roz Cryer‘s students to pick up their paint brushes.

The jolly, colour loving Cryer was proud to open her students’ oil painting exhibition at Durban’s popular artSPACE on Monday night, which will run until November 14.

The 17 students from the North Coast were thrilled to see their work in the limelight and raved about Cryer’s inspirational teaching.

“Roz loves to stretch us and she often makes us uncomfortable to see how we react and grow,” said the artsy hippie, Abigail Cansdale van der Leek, who enjoys painting selfies.

Fellow student, Sue Hunt is more into the landscapes and darker tones.

“Roz introduced me to scumbling and glazing, which I really enjoy in my painting. I am also trying to break out of the realistic painting, to go more abstract,” said Hunt.

Linda Cousens on the other hand loves painting people.

“I try to tell a story in my paintings, showing the contrast between the conservative and liberal sides of my family,” said Cousens.

Cryer said she takes time to get to know her students and she adores seeing them develop their own painting style.

“Painting is soul food for some and a desire to express something that cannot be expressed adequately with words. Often it is a mix of both or more. It is a journey of self-discovery in which each person’s unique vision of life and experience of the world is expressed on canvas,” said Cryer, who will be showing her own exhibition after this one on November 16.