Category: blog

“The pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste of time.” – Edward Bliss “Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it.” – Salvador Dali In appreciation for all the effort that WASA puts into helping encourage watercolour artists throughout South Africa, I am determined to […]

With so many different brands and colors on the market today, how often have you bought something which has proved to be disappointing, not what you expected and has left a deep hole in your pocket? How many tubes of paint do you have sitting in your box that you seldom use? How often do […]

My brain battled to accept ‘Popcorn, Cup Cakes and Water’ will be served at the opening! It was a WOW! Well done to the youngsters for all their input.  When a few years ago Chris, my local pharmacist and friend, asked if I would like to hang some of my art in his pharmacy, I […]

Want to become an amazing artist? It takes work but you can do it. Follow these tips to achieve your goal quickly. Paint a lot. It doesn’t matter how well you can paint if you don’t do it. Even if you magically had the skills of Rembrandt but never paint, those skills mean nothing. There […]

My Artsy Musings: how YouTube brought purpose and perspective to my life.  Since I was a child I was artistic — I loved painting, drawing and colouring in, and during my junior primary years I was always taking artworks to school and receiving “Well Done” stamps on my wrists and gold stars on my artworks from […]

I don’t normally make new year resolutions but towards the end of 2023 I decided 2024 would be a ‘Slow Down’ year. No more suffering from ‘FOMO’. I had more than fulfilled my late husband’s wish that I was to pursue my art.  I achieved goals between 2019 and 2023 that I had never dreamt […]

Being confined to hospital is not a happy predicament for most, but in a poverty stricken third world country, it can be a desperate situation. The Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, is one of the oldest hospitals in Malawi, opened in 1966, and although quite grand in the day, over the years it has […]

Brushes are some of the most essential artists’ tools, so it’s imperative they’re properly looked after – allowing them to perform to their highest potential. Over time, taking care of your brushes can save you time and money. Good quality brushes can last a lifetime if treated well. Adhere to the following three standards of […]

I count myself as fortunate in belonging to a wonderful community of artists and art lovers in Durban called North Coast Artists. We get together on the second Saturday of every month, to hear all the latest news and showcase our work, in keeping with each month’s theme. However, the highlight of our gathering is […]

Many years ago someone at an art exhibition told me that they knew a painting was mine from a distance because they recognised my style. This was curious to me because I don’t give much thought to my style. I just paint in a way that pleases me. I try to express the message behind […]

My son, Lantz, once asked me “where is ‘there’ Mom?” I replied “ I will know when I get there!” This has been my mantra for many years. As a young child I loved drawing and colouring in. I have always wanted to be an artist and kept telling myself that one day I would […]

Blessings come in many forms and in this case it’s a great big smile and a guy with an almost unpronounceable surname, Blessing Chakandinakira. Blessing was born in Mutare, Zimbabwe in 1989. His father worked for a leather shoe company, which relocated to Bulawayo when Blessing was very young and as with so many rural […]

A friend’s post on Facebook the other day brought to mind a gripe I’ve been chewing on of late: the burgeoning effects of AI (artificial intelligence) upon the world we live in and the implications it holds for the future as human beings.  I find it such a shame that, due to the proliferation of […]

When life gets really overwhelming – as it does – my go-to reaction is to ask my husband, Alex, to run away with me and go live under a waterfall. I imagine a paradise without pressure and responsibility; a slow-paced life, immersed in nature. So far, Alex has been very good at talking me out […]

Having taught watercolor for many years, I realised that the medium of watercolor, with its fluidity and surprises, lent itself to working spontaneously for instance, with no preconceived subject matter in mind ! I selected color pigments that created effects and breakaway washes to add texture. (Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna/Umber) These […]

THE MARVELS OF WATERCOLOR STICKS. Being a traditional watercolorist and preferring to work predominantly with tubes of paint, I was very undecided about these watercolor sticks that are newest form of watercolor paint on the market. Daniel Smith is my favourite brand and as a few of my colors ran out I decided to replace […]

Unlocking Creativity: Exploring the Beauty of Favini Watercolour Papers Watercolour painting, with its ethereal beauty and captivating translucence, demands a canvas that can breathe life into every brushstroke. For artists seeking that perfect balance between texture, absorbency, and durability, Favini Watercolour Papers stand as a testament to the art of paper-making mastery. Craftsmanship Redefined: Favini, […]

You stare at a blank surface and have no idea what you want to paint. It can be frustrating and paralysing. You are not alone. All artists suffer creative block at some time in their lives. After over 30 years painting professionally, I have learned that waiting for inspiration is not the solution. You will […]

A scamming trend seems to have grown prolifically in the art world in recent years, likely due to the increasing number of artists sharingtheir work on social media platforms. I’ve been approached numerous times, primarily on Instagram byindividuals who first compliment me on my art and then claim they want to make a purchase. There […]

The FabrianoInAquarello prestigious annual international event is now open for candidature for 2024.  It is the 14th year since this event was first held in 2010 as an experimental project, and has now become the largest event dedicated to watercolour, bringing together artists, masters, enthusiasts, collectors, art supply brands etc from all over the world […]