The artist's statement: For me, to paint is a spiritual experience. I get deeply moved by the beauty and grandeur of creation. The core of my painting practice is to immerse myself in nature and paint 'en plein air'/ on location. The intensity of oil paint, loose brush marks and palette knife work give me a way to respond in a direct and honest way to what I witness and what I see. I am trying to capture the essence of what is in front of me in that moment, and hope to stir those elusive emotions that I feel, in the viewer. May our eyes behold the beauty around us.
Plein air studies:
About the artist: Johanneke is a South African landscape oil painter, living on a farm near the little town Molteno, Eastern Cape, with her husband and 3 homeschooled children.
Her story began on the banks of the Zambezi River in 1974, where she grew up in the wild outdoors of the Caprivi strip, Namibia, as the daughter of a Zoologist. Nature had a huge impact on her soul since she could remember. It was the raw wildness that brought her in close connection with the Creator, and urged her to capture something of the beauty on canvas.
Johanneke loves to travel and explore secluded landscapes for inspiration. She is especially drawn to desolate scenes, void of any people.
Her work can be seen in exhibitions and galleries across South Africa, and she sells and ships her work world wide.
Follow her adventures on Instagram: johannekestrydom.