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 paintingShe’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 
NasturtiumsI 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!
