I grew up in Roodepoort, Gauteng and moved to Cape Town in 2012. I currently live in Strand, Western Cape.
William Olivier TRANSPOSED METAMORPHOSIS Oil on canvas 1000 1200mm R6 750
I have been practising art informal since a young age by drawing portraits and I wanted to obtain an official art education after completing my matric, but my future was redirected, when I obtained a bursary from a major steel manufacturer, to study mechanical engineering. During my studies, I kept my creative side alive by making jewellery and selling it to students. Not having much time to practice art for the next 20 years, switching careers multiple times between engineering and information technology environments.
William Olivier LOST IN CONTEMPLATION Acrylic on boxed canvas 1000 x 1000mm R4 500
I decided it was time again to invest in my passion for creating art. ln June 2016. I discovered my talent for creating sculptures during a ceramic and sculpture workshop. I have since embarked on a journey to develop my hidden talent to transform ideas into sculptures and paintings.
My other passion is to capture by means of portrait painting, a moment in time, of a person. The moment being an achievement in their career, a special event or a breakthrough moment.
Past group exhibitions and achievements:
. Top 40 Finalist VULEKA exhibition 2021. Atl Association of Bellville . Top 250 Finalist Portrait Awards 2021, Rust en Vrede Gallery . Sculpt 2019, The fiIelrose Gallery, Melrose Arch . art@clocktower, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town (20’18-2019) . Bright Street Gallery, Somerset West. (2018)
Lily Brannon was born on 5 February 1992 in Johannesburg. From a young age, she has been experimenting with all types of natural mediums with which to create. She used anything from beetroot and spices in the kitchen to leaves, flowers, and mud from outside and rubbed or crushed them on old ceiling boards and newspapers. Over the years Lily has explored more sophisticated mediums like oil paint, ink and charcoal, but she states that her favourite mediums are red wine and charcoal. Using these mediums enables Lily to create from that experimental playfulness that she had as a little girl. Wine is layered in symbolism. It holds a story of transformation from the moment the farmer plants a vineyard right through to the glass in your hand – much like the transformation of charcoal.
Most of her artworks explore the paradoxical meaning found in human existence. According to her, “it is only when we come to terms with the complexity of life that we are permitted to surrender to creative expression, true freedom and growth.” This complex yet delicate balance between joy and hardship is not only revealed in her art but also in the symbolism of her name Lily (pureness) Brannon (sorrow). Sorrow and suffering play an integral part in bringing us closer to the pureness of our being and exposing our true selves. Just as a vine has to be pruned and its fruit pressed and crushed to make a beautifully complex wine, so we as humans are transformed by our hardships. We learn to rise above our circumstances and gain wisdom, insight and strength. This theme is an integral part of Lily’s own journey. Through her art, she strives to be a voice for the underdog, the mistreated and the ones that fall through the cracks.
In her latest charcoal series titled “To be human” Lily explores the similarities between different human experiences. Through this, she strives to question the emphasis our society places on categorising humans, especially in South Africa. Her artworks guide the audience through a process of acknowledging the concept of the “other” and reconciling that with the identity of the “self”. This will hopefully challenge and shift the perspective of the audience, helping to foster an understanding of the “other” and inspiring a change in human behaviour. How could we not change if we see that every “you” is just another “me”?
Lily currently resides in Cape Town where she is working on her career as an artist. She frequently hosts social art events and art classes to promote art and self-expression.
Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is farmed and harvested with no harm coming to the bugs themselves. It is processed and sold as dry flakes which are then dissolved in alcohol to make liquid shellac which is used as a brush-on colourant, food glaze and wood finish – it is the primary element in French polish wood finishes. it functions as a tough natural primer, sanding sealant and high gloss varnish and is great at sealing out moisture.
Debbie Farnaby I AM HERE Fired clay wax finish R1 800
For fired ceramics, shellac provides a protective cold finish to the piece and dissolving stains and oxides in the shellac and wax components can provide a range of interesting patinas to the finished piece.
Debbie Farnaby FREEDOM Fired clay with shellac finish R2 100
To apply shellac, dissolve the flakes in alcohol overnight and then strain to remove any remaining debris. Add the chosen stains and oxides to the liquid shellac and apply to the piece using a paintbrush. It is better to do multiple thin coats as opposed to a single thick coat and this also provides more depth and variation to the patina. Once the shellac is completely dry, dissolve the wax in mineral turpentine. You can add whatever oxides or stains you want to the wax and stipple this onto the piece using a paintbrush. Once the wax had dried you buff and polish the piece. The wax pushes back the natural gloss of the shellac and allows the colours embedded in the shellac and wax to blend.
Debbie Farnaby AWARENESS Fired clay with shellac finish R2 700
If you are interested to purchase any of the artworks on display, click the link below:
” I want to draw the attention of the viewer to the beauty of flowers, on a larger scale than normal Nature is truly inspiring – and the Creator is truly the greatest artist of all.” – Anni Angus
Artist Bio:
I paint and draw anything that makes me smile, in any media. I am and always will be, simply put – an artist. Inspired by animals, children and nature, I focus on what inspires me – the innocence and purity of anything naturally beautiful in its simplest form, and that which gives us hope and virtue in this hectic world.
Anni Angus AURORA Oil on canvas 600 x 750 mm R3 000
About AURORA:
With my most recent oil painting, I tried to capture the essence of sunshine, of the sun and the colours thereof, of shadows, of light and dark and the many hues in between. Yellow is a “happy” colour…
Life is all about transformation, changing and coping with the challenges as we go along. We live our lives daily in this frantic, unpredictable world. We cannot stop the winds of change that forever lows. We can only cope by embracing it, accepting it, rising up to the challenge and coming out stronger. That’s what I feel is. And life is exactly like the stages of a flower, a flower that metamorphoses from a tiny bud, then bursts forth into a delicious aromatic spectre of strength and beauty, before ever so slowly wilting and fading away. Nature accepts change, and in turn, leaves behind a memory of beauty.
Artwork by Anni Angus from previous Bright Street Gallery exhibitions:
Anni Angus AWAKENING Oil on canvas 700 x 850mm R3 600
My name is Anni Angus. I’m usually a monochromatic artist who enjoys the technical side of drawing – that being pen and ink pointillism and graphite. But every alternate month or two I love to pick up my oil paints and paint again. I like to swing from one medium to another it challenges and teaches me. Life after all is a learning process.
When I paint though, I like to keep it simple. I like to keep a very minimalist choice of colours on my palette – that being mainly three colours, but never more than four. ln this case l get an overall softer effect when mixing them, and the colours seem to flow into each other and the whole picture seems to “blend” together and come together almost effortlessly.
For the summer colours exhibition, I chose to do two big floral works in oil of my favourite flower – peonies. I love the flowing movement that peonies seem to have, their intricate petals and the “delicateness” of it, I also want to draw the attention of the viewer to the beauty of flowers, on a larger scale than normal. Nature is truly inspiring – and the Creator is truly the greatest artist of all. I have called the one “Tranquillity”. By using only three colours I created various shades of green, grey and ochre. The shades of green grass, stormy clouds and sunlight. The tranquillity of sunlight shining through parting clouds after a rainy day. The other one, “Awakening” was painted on a black background with four colours. The colours of a sunset and a sunrise, a brilliant beautiful soft light that bursts forth into a new day, giving everyone hope.
We are truly blessed to live here in the Western Cape, one of the most beautiful in the world!
Anni Angus TRANQUILITY Oil on canvas 750 x 900mm R3 750
If you are interested to purchase any of the artwork on display, please click the link below:
Bright street Gallery’s latest group exhibition features an eclectic mix of Paintings and complementing Sculptural Ceramics inspired by the Winds of Change theme.
Participating Artists paintings: Anni Angus, Jane Barnes, Lily Brannon, Maritza Breitenbach, Belita Burger, Norman Field, William Olivier, Anneke Potgieter, Jalaun Schultz, Charme Southey, Aiden Taillard, Linda du Toit, Bert Touwen, Diane White, Marion Langton
BRIGHT STREET ART GALLERY 