Featured Artist - Owen Claassen

Owen is a metal sculptor. One of Oudtshoorn’s own, developed and supported through local artists in Oudtshoorn. His work has a colloquial emphasis, beautifully depicting life inspired by the Karoo platteland.
From an early age Owen worked well with his hands. He enjoyed woodwork at High School. As a young man living on the Cape Flats, Owen started his career working with metal by welding burglar bars. He moved on to crafting candle sticks then figurines, which he sold in Cape Town’s Green Market Square.

His work captures the humanity, that gesture, that fold in the dress, leaving one with a sense of familiarity.

Lisl Barry - Winter's Blanket

Featured Artist - Helen Pfeil

Helen has returned to painting after 25 years and her work is being shown in galleries all over the Western Cape, South Africa. Helen says that she has always loved drawing, painting and making things. The desire to create led her to pursue her passion in the form of fashion design.

She paints in acrylics and absolutely any subject matter that excites her. She is very influenced by impressionism and says that it creates freedom and space in her work.

"awareness of light, colour and shape in the world is a constant source of inspiration"

Featured Wine: Freedom Hill Cape Blend 2006

Freedom Hill Wines opened its cellar doors in November 2004.  Situated on the slopes of the Wemmershoek Mountain, the historical Klompzicht  estate lies between Franschhoek and Paarl.
The colourful story of the estate dates back to 1699, when it was part of the farm La Paris, which had been obtained by the French Huguenot, Francois Retief, in 1699.  The original farm measured 414 hectares and was subsequently subdivided into 11 portions.
It was in 1997 that Francois Klomp, an engineer by profession, and his wife, Adila, fell in love with this beautiful 82-hectare farm.  They named it Klompzicht and, combining their talents with those of a small, inspired team, set out to develop it into what has become a model boutique estate.
Their prestigious boutique range derives its name from the fact that the vineyards overlook the legendary Victor Verster prison (now the Drakenstein correctional services facility), where Nelson Mandela took his first steps to freedom.

My favourite wine for the day: Freedom Hill Cape Blend 2006

A ruby red, fruity, easy-drinking wine with a touch of cinnamon on the nose. A delicious blend, with silky tannins on the palate and a smooth complex aftertaste. 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Pinotage 31% Shiraz.
 (2006 Bronze Veritas, Best Value award - Wine Magazine 2011)

p/c R294 (1x6 750ml)

London City W6 OBQ

Ek het lankal terug ‘n gedeelte van my hart in Spaanse Passie
In hierdie Rooinek land gelos
‘n Plek waar ‘n mens maklik iets kan verloor – Dit misplaas
Tussen 1 minuut “stops” en “mind the gap”
Die gemaklike gedans van die Trafalgar
Of in die Piccadilly Circus
Soek ek ‘n bekende gesig
Tussen die hordes se gejaag
Na die Underground
Rustigheid
Corner Pubs
Hitte
Geliefdes
Vind ek net die emosielose
Geluidlose
Uitdruklose
Gestaar na niks



Nathan Meyers

I get very inspired by people who takes their passion for something and then turning it into a successful concept. And that is something London based South African entrepreneur Nathan Meyers does well. Founder and director of a roaming art gallery and wine store, who has no permanent home!

I was introduced to Nathan’s Art Shop through a friend who knows about my love for Art and when I found out about Nathan’s Wine Shop I just had to know a little more about this determined young South African who has build a sustainable gallery and wine business in London even in a economic downturn.

As one of the newest additions to London’s famous art scene, Nathan’s Art Shop was launched in 2010 producing temporary exhibitions within different spaces across London.  Brilliant concept! Low overhead cost, adaptable to different markets and bringing the art to the people. Nathan says that exhibiting in a pop up way means that each new location means the business can attract new audiences. 

Nathan is also passionate about wine and once he started combining art exhibitions with wine tastings, a winning combination was born – Nathan’s Wine Shop, The New Corker. Retailing wines on the internet and showcasing the wines in a new way.

www.nathansartshop.co.uk

Nathan’s Art Shop's latest pop up was hosted in Nathan’s own house in Wandsworth Common as part of Wandsworth Artists’ Open House 2011, where Nathan showcased his very own photography art images, Nathan’s Earth. 

 A selection of images showing his understanding of the daily life of insects, bringing a very special essence to his subjects that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Featured Artist - Janet Dixon

Through the years Janet has been a great inspiration to me, as an Artist but also as a friend. Janet grew up in the Karoo. She loves painting aloes and uses them as a metaphor to allude to the resilience of the natural world as well as the inner world of the human psyche. Janet captures the stark essence of the Karoo landscape in her paintings. A visit to Oudthoorn is never complete without a stop at Janet’s art gallery, ArtKaroo in Baron van Reede Road.