About Me
"Black and white. The one is nothing without the other. The seemingly simple with underlying drama."
My love for deserts, wide open spaces and the simplicity of so-called third world countries comes from being born in Namibia. While attending school in Bellville, South Africa, I realized quite early on that art was something I would like to pursue as a career. My father thought otherwise.
I went to university, quit and ended up doing half of an art course at the Cape Town Technikon where I learned valuable skills, but ran out of funds. I got married, had two kids and worked in libraries for years and travelled the world.
We moved to Kampala, Uganda, and for five years I relished in the colours and smells of the place, fell in love with its people, but fell out of love with myself. After moving back to Cape Town, I made some drastic changes to my life, one of which was to return to painting. I specifically wanted to make big, colourful pictures of the people living in Africa, but soon realized that I needed to up my drawing game first. I did an online charcoal portrait course and was seduced by the black willowy stick!
Black and white. The one is nothing without the other. The seemingly simple with underlying drama.
Everywhere I travel I stop people on the street and ask to photograph them. Probably the hardest part!
I try not to think too much and rather let the process lead me. With a charcoal block, black fingers and lot of erasing, I attempt to make the portrait speak of the joys, hurts and life of the subject. The scale is big and the drama bold.
Slowly colour enters my work as I enjoy creating the negative spaces almost more than the rest. The one is nothing without the other.
I could say all of the above, but the thing is… I love what I do! Really there is nothing more.
I am currently living in Durbanville, South Africa, and find pleasure in talking to my kids, dancing with my husband, drinking wine with my friends and cuddling my dog.
Cornél Botha
Art Exibitions
