anthea delmotte

MY STORY . . .

I was born in Windhoek in Namibia on May 10, 1970, and lived in several towns in this country. At the age of 15, I moved to Potchefstroom in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. At present, I live in the Western Cape.

The environment, people and culture of every place I ever lived made strong impressions on me. I was also touched deeply by the non-tangible – life-experience, emotion, character, and personality. I have done crafts, sketching and painting all my life and have always been interested in all forms of art, and especially in painting – an art form of story-telling without words. I had no formal art training, merely found my way as artist through natural aptitude.

Initially, I spent five years designing clothes, but during this period also became involved in painting backdrops for stage décor and making stage props, advertising material and shop décor. Towards the end of my stay in Potchefstroom (1993), I started sketching and painting intensely in various mediums. On arrival in the Western Cape, I continued painting and also did signwriting, murals, and interior decorating. At the end of 1998, I decided to practise painting as a fine art, because in it I found my biggest challenge, my life, and my dreams.

My inspirations are changing all the time and I see myself as an eternal student of the art of painting, an art scientist who experiments, an art psychologist who analyses myself and everybody around me; a preacher; a politician.

I strive to show the world what it gives to me, and to show the world what I could give it in return.

WHERE I’M AT . . .

At present, I live on top of Piketberg mountain (Piket-bo-berg) on a beautiful farm with my five children. I run an organic fruit farm and a self-catering guest house. I paint as much as possible - from 3 am every day until it is time to get the children ready for school and tackle the daily demands of family and life on a farm.

A picture paints eternity, it transcends reason and speaks to the heart – without a word. It tells the story of a time and a place and of people – of their ways and their feelings; and of my way and my feelings; my life. It says everything on a single page. It fills me with wonder, because it taps directly into the original source of existence, directly into creation.

My gentle world of pictures, in you I express myself. With passion I explore your infinite boundaries. I can speak without saying the wrong thing, I try to turn ignorance into awareness; in you I read the reflections of the world outside on what I have to say, and in time I analyse and I learn about myself and the world around me. Through you I grow.

Through you I sometimes wage war to protect the promise of your freedom when the human mind tries to restrict you. I fight because I know you still have to feed your young as you are feeding me, and I are feeding mine. You are my constant friend. With you I shall walk on the way that enfolds before me. I shall do my duty and tell the world about my time, my place, and my experiences with love.

My gentle world of pictures, I bring you my winter, I bring you my spring – with trust and honesty. For your truthful appreciation springs from purity. My friend.

PERSONAL PARTICULARS

Surname: Delmotte
First name: Anthea
Maiden name: Schoeman
First married name: McDougall
Birth date: 10 May 1970
Place of birth: Windhoek, Namibia
Contact numbers: 022 914 5376
073 281 7273
Email address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Education Standard 8, Hoër Volkskool, Potchefstroom 1986

LIFE HISTORY

CHILDHOOD: I grew up in Namibia (Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Otjiwarongo. My parents got divorced when I was about two years old. They both remarried. My father was a policeman, member of the Selous Scouts, motorcar salesman, and eventually had his own business selling trucks. My stepmother did general office work and managing. My mother was a secretary, and my stepfather worked for the railways. I have one sister that I share with the same mother and father, two sisters and two brothers on my mother’s side, and two sisters and two brothers on my father’s side.

My grandparents had a farm in the Kalahari. I spent a great deal of time there, which made a lasting impression on me. Both my grandmothers were craftspeople and they taught me various skills, such as knitting, crocheting, making flowers with stockings and creating with paper. My father used to make beautiful watercolour paintings and sketches and this made a great impression on me when I was young. O, how I wished I could get my hands on those paints! None of the schools I attended offered art as a subject, except Hoër Volkskool, but I only spent a little bit more then a year there before I left school. I focused on sport at school (athletics, dancing, gymnastics, swimming, etc.), but always enjoyed any form of art, sketching, painting, crafts and also performing arts. I was very aware of fashion and image and started designing and my clothes for myself from about the age of 15.

WORK, LIFE & ART: I started working at a very young age and also married very young (the first time) and much older (but not wiser) the second time. Family, work and art have been interwoven for me- a tapestry of love, duty and passion that can only be looked at as a whole – and which is still in the making.

AGE 12/13: Weekend sales lady at Edgars, Otjiworongo, Namibia.
AGE 14/15: Casual cashier at Pick n Pay, Potchefstroom.
AGE 16: Manager at Zeederberg Restaurant, Elgro Hotel, Potchefstroom.
Secretary for Pro-Crit construction company, Naschem, Potechfstroom.
Saleslady for American Swiss, Foshini, Potchefstroom.

At this stage (1986) I got involved in a fashion show as designer with hairdressers Charles and Raymond and two other fashion designers. The show was hosted by Barry Ronge on the television programme Pot Pourri. From then on I ran my own business in dressmaking and designing clothes for both women and men . . .

AGE 18: Birth of my oldest son Ryan on 17 Januarie 1989

AGE 19: Got married
Birth of my second son Cameron on 18 December 1989

AGE 21: Birth of my youngest son Jarrad on 17 August 1991

. . .I also became involved in various forms of art (stage design, making stage props and stage décor, painting backdrops; and advertising and signage) under guidance of my husband Alan McDougall, who studied art at art college in England. He was also a landscape designer and by trade a cabinet maker and I learned a variety of skills from him. During this period I did a lot of promotional work for Spar and from time to time did sketching and painting. I also had three sons. After my divorce I sold insurance for a while, then worked for the Upstairs Pub & Restaurant in Potchefstroom, where I ended up doing murals for the whole interior. I was again offered a job by the Elgro Hotel, this time to start a new nightclub. I also designed the interior and did murals. During this period I also modeled for art students for a few months, which stimulated my interest in fine art more. I moved to a farm at Mooirivier outside Potchefstroom, where I assisted a friend with an audio company. I also sang with him and his band, and started doing a lot more fine art.

AGE 22: In 1992 I moved from Potchefstroom to Moorreesburg in the Western Cape, where I painted murals, did interior decorating, design work, and gradually got into fine art.

AGE 28: In 1989 I entered a competition for the first time – the Winsor & Newton Millennium Competition. Two of my three entries were selected for the exhibition in Sandton Civic Hall.

AGE 29: In 1999 I got married for the second time.

Since then, I have lived in isolated environments with little contact other than other residents on farms and my family. In 2000 I had twin girls. Besides raising children, household and gardening duties, I also produced paintings. I sent over about 40 paintings to Belgium and sold some locally. I did murals and design work occasionally. In this period I also co-wrote songs with my husband, mainly lyrics, and occasionally performed with him (on guitar).

AGE 30: Birth of my twin daughters, Lieve & Keana on 28 November 2000

AGE 37: 2007. I now live on top of Piketberg mountain (Piket-Boberg) on a beautiful farm with my five children. I run an organic fruit farm and a self-catering guest house. And I paint as much as possible.

EXHIBITIONS

1998: Group exhibition, Winsor & Newton Millennium Competion, Sandton City Civic Hall

2001: Solo exhibition, Ou Raadshuis, Sint-Annna-ter-Muiden (Sluis), the Netherlands.

2003: Group exhibition, Brugge, the Netherlands.
Group exhibition, Abele-Watou, Belgium – self-portraitshow with internationally
recognised artists Katche, Neuenschwander, Gadenne Palmer and Sverlov.
2004: Group exhibition of miniatures at Rust en Vrede gallery, Durbanville
Solo exhibition, Piketberg.
Group exhibition, Piketberg Mountain Festival

2005: Group exhibition, Die Ateljee, Piketberg
Group exhibition, “55 Teapots in Clarens”, Johan Smit Art Galery, Clarens
Group exhibition, “Artists from the Cape”, Carol Lee Fine Art, with Sandra Hanekom,
Johan Louw, Judy Woodburn, Kenneth Sinclair, Martin Stiller, Jan du Toit, Sarah Ballam,
Kevin Collins, Anli Venter, Clare Menck.
Group exhibition, “Nine Artists”, Jean Weltz Gallery, with Sandra Hanekom, Mary-Rose
Hendrikse, Kenneth Sinclair, Martin Stiller, Cobus van Bosch, Clare Menck.
Group exhibition, Rust en Vrede gallery, Durbanville
Group exhibition, “Absolute Secret”, the AVA, Cape Town
Group exhibition, Sasol, Johannesburg
Solo exhibition, Piketberg Mountain Festival

2006: Group exhibition, fundraiser competition, Citrusdal
Group exhibition, through Artspace in Johannesberg at new Wakkerstroom establishment
Group exhibition,”Women”, Carol Lee, Johannesburg
Group exhibition,Tina Skukan gallery, Pretoria
Group exhibition, “Creation”,The Lounge Gallery, Seidelberg Wine Estate
Group exhibition, annual spring exhibition at Steenboksfontein, Lamberts Bay
Group exhibition, Redlinghuis Centenary Exhibition
Group exhibition, “30 x 30”, University of Stellenbosch
Group exhibition,”Turn the Table”, Artspace, Johannesburg
Solo exhibition, Piketberg Mountain Festival
Solo exhibition, Archers Bistro, Piketberg

2007: Group exhibition,at Chez Girard, through Artspace, Johannesburg
Group exhibition on slavery, through Investment Art, Cape Town
Group exhibition, “New Signatures”, Sasol, Johannesburg
Solo exhibition at Valentine sunset concerto by theThe Ha! Man, Piket-Boberg
Group exhibition at Lindie van Niekerk Art Gallery. Durbanville
Group exhibition at Artspace JHB – oppitafel
Group exhibition with Sasol Jhb

2008: Solo exhibiton at The Cape Gallery
2008 Group exhibiton with Carollee at Upstairs@bamboo Jhb Encounter
2008: Solo Fundraiser /art auction at Izico Museum for Marisa Smit
2008 Group exhibition at the Ateljee Piketberg
2008 Solo Fundraiser / art auction at Izico museum
2008 Group exhibition with Stellenbosch Art Association
2008 Group exhibition Belville Art Association Picturing Piketberg
2008 Group exhibition with Carollee at Upstairs @bamboo JHB Expression

Upcoming exhibitions

2008 US gallery – group exhibition 30 x 30
2008 Group exhibition, Angels at Grande Provence in Franschoek
2008 Group exhibition Dorpstraat Gallery
2008 Group exhibition Langebaan
2009 September - Solo the Cape Gallery
2009 March – Carol lee
2009 Solo at Liebrecht gallery in Somerse-West alongside Concert with James Grace

COMPETITIONS

1998: Two works selected for exhibition in Winsor & Newton Millennium competition, Sandton
City Civic Hall
2006: Second prize in fundraising art competition in Citrusdal, judged by artist F. Groenewald
2007: Work selected for Sasol New Signature exhibition in association with Association of Arts
Pretoria

MUSIC

2007: Hosted open-air Valentine sunset concerto by The Ha! Man, Piket-Boberg
2008: Gramadoelas concert weekend with various artists, Piket-bo-berg

GALLERIES WHERE WORKS CAN BE VIEWED CURRENTLY

The AVA – Cape Town
Everard Read – Cape Town
The Cape Gallery- Cape Town
Lindie van Niekerk – Durbanville
Moooi Gallery – OudtshoornDorpstraat Gallery Stellenbosch
Grande Provence in Franschoek
Artspace