Bo Kaap Bargee

I completed this painting today...... 'Bo Kaap Bargee ' (Cape Malay Sailor). This gentleman was just a site walking around with his 'gummy' smile in the streets of Cape Town.

I was fascinate with his facial features. The Cape Coloureds of the Western Cape have their front teeth surgically removed, and the real reason has long been forgotten. Coloured people have been doing it so long that they forgot the real reason why thay do it. "You know when you do something that your parents and your grandparents where doing and you ask why are you doing it, they answer, I don't know, because my brothers did it! " Was a quote from a Coloured Man! Some say its a sexual myth or fashion victomhood! It portrays their identity and is called the 'Passion Gap' or Cape Flats Smile'. I certainly don't think it's attractive at all!


The "Bo Kaap" or "Cape Malay Quarter" belongs to the culturally and historically most interesting parts of Cape Town. Many of the inhabitants are decendants of the people from Indonesia (Batavia), Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia, who were captured in the 17th and 18th century and enslaved by the Dutch-East Indian Trading Company. Many were Mulims and others were converted to Islam by the Cape Muslim community.
The Cape Malays and their religious leaders played an important role in the development of the language and culture of the Cape colony. The Afrikaans language evolved as a language of its own through a simplification of Dutch in order for the slaves to be able to communicate with the Dutch and amongst each others, since they all came from different countries and cultures. Educated Muslims were the first to write texts in Afrikaans.~ southafrica-travel.net

Hope you enjoyed this little bit of fascinating information and the reason I find them an interesting race!

xx  

Making up for Lost time.

Oh my Word! Has it been 3 months since I posted here on my Blog? I sit here and wonder if any of my wonderful blog friends will forgive my absence!

I have been been online but doing things for another blog which has kept me away from painting. A few months ago I was elected a National Committee member for the Watercolour Society of South Africa. With it came my task of keeping the website, blog and facebook pages updated. This has been a time consuming process but have loved being involved. The website was outdated and needed updating with the new committee members. Our blogs were asleep and have slowly got one running to schedule now with the latest news and happenings.

Last week I decided that I WAS going to paint no matter what, and started this painting "Morning Nap'.

 Morning Nap

I thoroughly loved the subject but I was a bit disappointed with the paper I used. It was a piece of a full sheet of Fabriano 300gsm I cut up. I bought a couple of sheets a while back which I was saving to do a large painting at a later stage. It didn't allow me to be loose and wet as I'd wished and I ended up overworking some parts to get rid of the lines made by the first wash.

I'd love to hear your feelings on using this paper as I don't think I am enjoying it at all!!

I also managed to complete a commission for someone whilst I was busy with the WSSA. Something I am embarrassed to say took a bit longer than intended. But the owner is thrilled!


These are a few sketch studies I did for her. Silly me, I forgot to take pics of the final two I painted for her! Will have to ask her to take some for me!

A few of you might have seen the next painting on my FB page. I played around and had fun with the idea of little goats. This and the painting above were photos I took at a wonderful farm I visited last year in the Swartland near Darling called Lelieblom, English translation - 'lily flower'. This farm is a restaurant farm which is run by a friendly warm lovely lady, Karen and her husband Michael. The oldie worldie shabby chick style old barn is the setting for this wonderful restaurant.

Boerbokkies

Hope to post here again soon and not neglect my painting so much.

Till then....