The Brothers

This painting was partly inspired by a boy named Godfrey and his brother who live in Newtown, Postmasburg. One day at the park during the Bible Club, I caught them in the perfect pose together with my camera. I thought it may be a good picture for something, some day... I'm so glad I'm able to use it sooner than what I had expected.

The second photo that was responsible for inspiring me was one that I took on an afternoon drive through Newtown with my husband. It was of two little boys playing soccer in the street. The sun was in the right position, casting long shadows. It was just a beautiful composition with dramatic light. I combined both photos to 'make' this painting.

I was taught that painting from photos really does influence the 'life' and energy of the painting. I agree. I do prefer painting live subjects as opposed to subjects from photos. But in the case of painting people and situations from the township, it is just not an option for me right now. Firstly, because I am white and a woman – it's just not safe. Secondly, people crowd around artists when they are out in the open and become an annoying distraction!

"The Brothers" is the second painting in the series "The Forgotten". Many children suffer neglect and troubled family lives in Newtown. Sadly, many of the adults are alcoholics in Newtown and spend their days (if and when they are not working) in a drunken stupor, unable to properly care or nuture their children. This results in the older children looking after the younger ones, even if they are a mere 3-4 years older than their siblings. They must entertain themselves and fend for themselves. They are the forgotten.

The Brothers
The Forgotten Series

700mm x 500mm x 50mm (Acrylic on Canvas)

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2017. All rights reserved.

Grou Yster

A new painting! I must confess, it has been too long since I last painted. Now that I have completed and launched my own website (check out http://www.christytempies.co.za), my mind is clear to start painting again. HTML coding and paint do not mix.

Grou Yster...

There is a story behind this title. My husband, Jon, and I had the privilege of spending a weekend with some good friends of ours who live in the township area called Newtown in Postmasburg. We learnt a lot that weekend! Our friends love music and dancing. Along with learning some new dance moves (that we can't pull off quite yet), we learnt the names for them too. I'm not sure if the following slang is only limited to the Northern Cape or not: 'Grou Yster' and 'Stof Pad' are terms used to describe their type of dancing which is a combination of tribal / pantsula dancing. 'Grou Yster' literally means: mining / digging iron ore... so in dancing the moves are compared to someone using a pick to hack the iron ore out of the ground. 'Stof Pad' basically means that when you dance, you move so well that you kick up the dust, thus making dust clouds which look just like the clouds a car makes when it drives down a dirt road. These vivid descriptions really appealed to Jon and I... and even inspired me so far as to paint it.

We have been exposed to Ikasi (Township) life. It's so different for me, being a white middle-class person who was never really in a township until a year ago. It fascinates me to no end. And thus, the need grows in me to record it. This painting marks the beginning of a new series called 'The Forgotten'. For me, this series is going to represent the lives of those who live in the Township, which many people outside of the township do not know and/or are forgotten about by society. But I also want to illustrate that there is hope in the midst of poverty. So the journey begins:

Grou Yster
The Forgotten Series

800mm x 600mm x 25mm (Acrylic on Canvas)

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2017. All rights reserved.