Synchronicity - life in the balance

Some days, you just get your socks blown right off. When it happens on a dark day, so much the better. Because that’s just synchronicity and universal grace at work.

I woke up this morning in a thorough state of gloom, stressed out and despairing. The current socio-political climate in South Africa is enough to drive anyone to drink and/or distraction.

The murder, purportedly over a wage dispute, of Afrikaner rightwing extremist leader, Eugene Terre’blanche has created a pivotal and dangerous moment in modern South African history. Murder is bad and common enough in South Africa, especially farm murders (it is estimated that between 1000 and 3000 white farmers have been killed since the ANC came to power), but the situation is inflamed by the constant singing of an anti-apartheid struggle song, which includes the lyrics “kill the boer”, by the leader of the ANC Youth League, Julius Malema. ("Boer" is the Afrikaans word for "farmer", but is also used as a derogatory term for any white person.) It’s not like this benighted country needs people stirring up racial disharmony and animosity and picking on ethnic minorities – there’s quite enough of that as it is (remember the xenophobia I wrote about a couple of years ago). While a court order banned Malema from singing the song, citing it as “hate speech”, it didn’t stop him, and moreover, the ANC sided with him when they vowed to fight the ban. As you can imagine, racial tensions are running high and it would seem like all the good work done in the very early years of democracy by real leaders like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu are being rapidly undone – and by the ANC itself. I was going to write a lengthy post on the subject, but instead let me refer you to the press release from the South African Institute of Race Relations – a liberal and respected think tank – which pretty much sums it up.
(Thank goodness the ANC have today told Malema to stop singing the song - though whether he listens will be another matter.)

Now let me give you the flip side. Having been out, I came home to find a receipt from the post office and duly trotted off to collect my parcel.

Oh what joy! What generosity of spirit! And it couldn’t have happened on a more apt day.

You will recall that a few posts ago I blogged about artist Sara-J, whose work is just so rich, so vivid and, despite the humour, so profound. Since I commissioned my gorgeous painting from her, Sara-J has had several sales.

My totally delicious Sara-J oil painting

She’s wanting to leave the Netherlands and move to France where she’s found herself the perfect studio. But she’s needed to raise additional funds after one of her principal backers let her down. Because I love her work and because I wanted to help, I decided, despite the mutterings of my piggy bank, to buy two small prints.

Craig's Lillies

Summer Lillies

Nice, aren’t they!?

But imagine my delight and surprise when I opened the parcel and discovered not just the two etchings I’d ordered, but three more – a proof of “St Joseph’s”, 1/75 (i.e. a first print) of “St Joseph’s 2” and, joy of joys a wonderfully colourful etching of “Nasturtiums” which I’d considered buying but in the interests of the grizzling piggy bank had refrained from doing.

St Josephs

St Josephs 2

Nasturtiums

I am blown away by Sara-J’s generosity and kindness – and the pictures and her thoughtfulness could not have come on a better day!

Here is someone who not only creates the most stunning art, but who also has a big and wonderful heart. She said, in the note she sent with the pictures, that she wanted to thank me for doing a blog post about her work and for the advice I’d sent her, courtesy of the wonderful Tessa Edwards of Aerial Armadillo, about online galleries where she might promote her work. For me, helping Sara-J was pure pleasure, and her art, which already adorns my walls, was thanks enough, so I am, on one of the rare occasions in my life, left speechless.

All I can say is, “Sara-J – thank you! You are very special and totally wonderful!”

For those of you reading this, do me a favour, and please take another look at Sara-J’s website if you’ve not already done so – and consider buying yourself a little treat! You won’t regret it!

Discovering artist, Sara-J

It must have been in about 1997 that I first discovered artist, Sara-J.

I was working at the time as marketing manager for a newly formed firm of consulting actuaries and our offices were in the popular V&A Waterfront and directly opposite the Red Shed, a vast warehouse space housing a variety of crafters and artists.

I trundled off one lunch time, on the hunt for lunch, and found a small stall in the Red Shed selling the most vivid, witty and wildly delicious etchings I’d ever seen. They were created by Sara-J - and I came home with two.

Indulgence

Tropical Adventure

I was at an interesting crossroad in my life and Sara-J's work really spoke to me - and since that time I’ve acquired several more etchings...

Decadent Duck

Lemon Drops

Last year, I finally commissioned Sara-J, to do an oil painting for me. At the same time I asked her a little more about herself and why she paints what she does.

“I paint because I am an artist. I'm inspired by where my life takes me every day and the people I meet and care about. I see the world differently, and feel passionately about aspects of the human condition. I hope that my paintings bring courage and humour to women seeking to express themselves freely, without censorship or oppression. I tend to use humour and colour as tools to mask inhibition and painful experiences, and to reflect pleasure, the joy of life, sexuality, relationships, and family life. My commissioned work often does the same for my collectors. The actual core of my work hinges on the human form. Drawing live models and reflecting real people, and myself, in the images of my work. Of course, if I could express myself in words as I can on canvas, I'd be a writer.”

Favourite Reflection

Hat Box

“Each of my paintings, like the one I've done for you, can be broken down into different elements including the characters, objects, events, etc., depicted.”

Of Madames De Die, a painting I quietly covet, Sara-J says, “Madames de Die – like your commission - can be broken down into different elements including the characters, objects, events, etc., depicted. The two ladies on the left - the jewellery shop owner and the notary. Me, the artist, on the right, admiring the scorpion we caught on the way to Xmas dinner, the glasses noted and enjoyed by all. The wine, local and delicious. The rest speaks for itself. But that's the idea. You may also notice other emotional elements. The artist still something of a glamorous outsider, the Madames vaguely unimpressed but nonetheless comfortable, reflecting my own sense of exclusion rather than their warmness, for example.”

Madames De Die

An exhibition of Sara-J's work in Die, France

I observed that over the years her work has changed as she’s moved from etchings to working in rich and vibrant oils.

Sara-J says, “Since coming to the Netherlands to be reunited with my childhood sweetheart, my career has taken on a very different form. I've moved away from mass producing etchings with master printers to focus on working with oils and more intimate viewings and solo exhibitions.”

I noted that one seldom sees her work in galleries to which she responded, “Apart from contacts with a limited number of galleries, my main outlet has been my website.”

To all my female blog readers, I urge you to hurry over there and take a look around. You will be delighted, amused and inspired because Sara-J knows how to touch the core of a woman, she knows and understands the full experience of being a woman - from the pain and sadness, to the vibrancy and the bodacious, succulent wildness. And oh go on, buy a picture – you know you want to!

My newly commissioned painting...