The enthusiasm of artists for the first-ever Art in the Country exhibition validated Kathy Jacob’s sense that the time was right for a quality selling event. For the exhibition from May 27-29 at Harrington House in Hilton to appeal to both buyers and the public, Jacob understood that the assembly of 40 artists was the drawcard.

“An exhibition is only as good as its artists and the quality of unique talent,” she said.

“The key to a successful selling exhibit is very simple; it needs the support from respected artists who produce sought-after work.”

The line-up of exhibitors doesn’t disappoint with several top class artists and a sprinkling of sculptors taking a stand at Harrington House in Hilton. They include Simon Addy and Lyn Hoyle of the Addy Hoyle Gallery in Clarens, Bob Mkenzie, David Johnson, Giulia Forman, Nicola Firth, Jodie and Ryan Loubser, Muzi Ndlela and David Weildon. Artists were selected fastidiously and aspirant exhibitors had to submit a portfolio of recent work that were judged on merit.

Ï’m very excited to have Tim Baines and his amazing sculptures on board, while our very own Pro Mkhize, from Sweetwaters, will show his intricate sketch work.

Jacob reserved special praise for Andrew Line for his unstinting support and his own artistic endeavours.

“Andrew is not only excellent at selling houses, but is not too shabby at putting brush to canvas either, the proverbial hidden talent not known to many.”

SELECTED PROFILES

KATHY JACOB (Pictured here)

Kathy Jacob, the driving force behind Art in the Country, has been painting for more than 20 years. Her favourite medium is oil and she loves nothing more than painting birds in and out of their natural environment.

A popular artist with wide appeal, Jacob routinely featured among the Top 10 earners during the heyday of Art in the Park. Her portfolio of work can be viewed on facebook and Instagram and is on display in the Zulu Lulu Gallery at Piggly Wiggly.

When not painting, Jacob teaches both adults and children at Kathy’s Art Studio at the Rotunda in Hilton.

CAROL COX

Carol Cox has developed a passion for the iconic mistbelt of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. A recent arrival in Hilton, Cox’s art is steeped in a love for nature since her childhood. Nicknamed “nyoni” after her fascination with birds, Cox continues to derive inspiration from feathered creatures and indigenous plants on her hikes through the area’s abundant grasslands and wetlands. While Cox happily explores different mediums, most of her work is either in acrylic or oil.
She hopes her work helps raise awareness about the ecological importance of the natural grassland heritage.

SIMON ADDY

Simon Addy is famous for his turneresque landscapes that are counterbalanced by his small and intricate jesters series. These works speak of Addy’s mischievous nature that is also reflected in his quirky World’s End series.
Addy enjoys working in the autumnal palette. By own admittance not a patient artist, Addy tends to work fast in his favourite medium of acrylics.

Part owner of the Addy Hoyle Gallery, a founder gallery in Clarens, Free State, Addy currently resides in Hilton.

MARION LOWE

Marion Lowe, a member of the growing Hilton community of artists, is largely self-taught and has been painting professionally for more than 30 years. She is a regular exhibitor at both group and solo shows.
A deep love for the natural world, especially flowers and landscapes, is expressed through her paintings in homes and galleries in Europe, America, Australia and Africa.

As a creative being all her life, Lowe’s art is constantly evolving. Renowned for her bold strokes and incisive pallet knife work, Lowe has developed a passion for portraits to complement her broad portfolio of work.
Her work can be viewed on Instagram: marionloweart and facebook: marion lowe fine art.

ANDREW LINE

Andrew Line was born in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands around the time of Nelson Mandela’s capture outside Howick in the 1960s. An enduring interest in art cultivated by years of exposure to some of the country’s finest exponents finally prompted Line to pick up a brush at the turn of this century.

Keen to learn from experts, he sought the guidance of Dale Elliott, Joy Peirce, Issabella Quatrocchi and Karen Davel in his artistic journey Through their mentorship, Line is channelling his colourful impressionistic style through oil on canvas. He paints with primary colours, including black and white, and loves nothing more than to add nuance and depth to his own colours.

PRO MKHIZE

Pro Mkhize is a 30-year-old artist from Sweetwaters. Known for his pain-staking rendering of detail of fauna and flora subjects, Mkhize is developing a reputation for his unique perspective. He has a rare ability to transform humble creatures like dung beetles, tortoises and indigenous plants, into exquisite specimens of sketch art. A talent on the watchlist of collectors.

TIM BAINES

Tim Baines was born in New Zealand and raised in Zimbabwe and South Africa and takes his inspiration from indigenous African animals. With a focus on muscle form and movement, Baines works at bringing life to his unique clay sculptures. He combines conventional kiln firing with more traditional pit firing that allows the smoke and flames from natural firing ingredients to imbue unusual colours and patterns - technique that brings life and energy to the sculptures.

Baines propounds an unusual view on breakage and prefers to mend any broken pieces using the Japanese art of Kintsugi. This means breaking free from the obsession of perfectionism – and the consequent stress – and repairing a broken object by showing off the flaw with gold leaf highlights.