Two seasoned artists, Cryselda Venter and Liezel de Lange, both from Jeffreys Bay, were pleasantly surprised when they were recently selected as the joint winners of a drawing challenge as members of the South Africa Drawing Guild.
Venter has been interested in art for most of her life and obtained an art degree at the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education in 1978 and then her honours in fine arts at Unisa in 1997.
Thereafter, she was an art teacher at various high schools throughout South Africa and the United Arab Emirates for many years.
With many years of experience in the art industry, she opened her art studio, Cat’s Art Studio in Pretoria in 1997 and then, in 2019, she moved her studio to Jeffreys Bay.
Venter, who is a member of the Kouga Art Society said, throughout her career as an artist, she has submitted her work to various competitions.
Last year she submitted a compressed charcoal drawing and a water colour to TheSouth African Artist magazine’s landscape competition.
“When I get the opportunity, I participate in art exhibitions and group exhibitions,” said Venter.
Finally, last year, after learning about the South Africa Drawing Guild from fellow Jeffreys Bay based artist, De Lange, she decided to join as a member of the platform.
According to the SA Drawing Guild website, it aimed to create a platform for local South African artists working in the drawn medium which includes pastel, coloured pencil, charcoal, and graphite, to showcase their talent.
As a new member, Venter was excited to participate on the platform’s recent member’s challenge, #8 Botanical Challenge.
“Early one morning, after our rain, I took photos in my succulent garden of Kalantchoe Thyrsiflora, fondly known as ’Plakkies’. I loved the raindrops on the leaves and the variety of colours of the plant,” said Venter.
She then decided to use the picture of the plant as inspiration for a drawing she submitted to the Drawing Guild.
After her submission, she was surprised to learn that she had won a prize for the challenge alongside her fellow artist and friend, De Lange.
Venter said the judges decided that for the first time there were two winners for the drawing challenge since both art pieces were spectacular.
“Winning this award is wonderful mainly because of the recognition of my artwork on an advanced level of drawing in dry media,” said Venter.
De Lange, who is also a member of the Kouga Art Society, uses various forms of media which include oils, acrylics, and watercolour for her paintings.
After completing her National Diploma in Fine Arts at the Vaal Technikon in 1991, she continued to work in interior decoration for the last 25 years.
When she moved to Jeffreys Bay in 2017 from Vanderbijlpark, she began working on painting full time.
“Currently, my art is on a journey to seek out the joy and magnify the beauty in our day to day. Through my art, I want to show that who we are and how we impact the world should have lasting value,” she said.
De Lange who has been a member of the Drawing Guild since it was established in 2019, has been fortunate to have three of her art pieces selected for the platform’s exhibitions in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and George.
Like Venter, she was also able to find inspiration for her art piece from her beautiful garden which she then submitted for the botanical challenge.
“I was walking in my garden one afternoon and the light caught a single stem of lavender, which I then took a picture of. When I was looking for inspiration for the botanical theme required for the challenge, I realised that the photo I took of the stem of lavender would make a lovely drawing,” said De Lange.
She said she had won many other awards for her work as an artist, but her most recent award from the Drawing Guild was special to her because she received recognition from other artists whose work she admires.
“It was really a wonderful surprise to receive this award. The standard was incredibly high, and we were competing against many amazing artists,” said De Lange.
“Drawing really is the bare bones of art and skill on a different level so recognition from my peers is an honour.”
As joint winners of the competition, both Venter and De Lange have received awards as well as a prize sponsored by Art Savings Club, a fine art supply store.
For more information about the Kouga Art Society or for art class booking contact Liezel de Lange on 083 578 4104.
For workshops in painting, drawing, printmaking and jewellery design and manufacture contact Cryselda Venter on 073 333 5550.
To join the South African Drawing Guild visit their website on https://thedrawingguild.co.za/.
