From the Sketchbook

A few sketches from my sketchbook. Hope you enjoy looking at them!

Dry Point Etching and Sketching

I have been hibernating this Winter. After a few months of not doing much art and taking a break, I was invited to a friend's house where he teaches his Mom, daughters and friends art on a Saturday afternoons. He just recently purchased a printing press on which he can print his dry point etchings. He was gracious enough to let me make my own etching. Choosing the subject wasn't too hard, I felt like sketching a tree - it's a lot less complicated than a person's face in my opinion. And, trees are good to use in this sort of medium. 

The etching above is the final one we printed in a burnt sienna ink. The first three etchings we printed in black. The one below is the first print which always is a test run because the ink has to react with the plate and to cut a long story short, the first is always not very good at all. Most times, one will have to go back to the drawing board to etch some more detail. I had to do this. I kept the first print anyway, and thought I would add some more detail to it with some ink. This is the one in black below. 

 

Monday came, and I was still feeling inspired. I thought, "Even though it's cold, and I don't feel like painting much, I can still be productive!" I found this image of fishermen in Sierra Leone and decided to sketch it.

To view more artwork please visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za

All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2012. All rights reserved.

Wash Day

Wash Day

1400mm x 600mm x 50mm (Acrylic on canvas)
Click on image for larger version 

Who would've thought that wash day could be so fun? The sun is out and it's time to play. The clothes and blankets hold new adventures waiting to be discovered by the imagination. Let it run, let it play, let it seek and let it find a whole new world. Ahhh, the simplicity of life when you are a child. There is no need for the latest technology or gadgets to be entertained.

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

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

One Saturday Afternoon

One Saturday Afternoon

700mm x 900mm x 50mm (Acrylic on canvas)
Click on image for larger version 

One Saturday afternoon, I managed to capture these two girls walking through Blikkiesdorp (one of the townships in Postmasburg, which is in the Northern Cape). The little girl was happily singing or talking behind the older one who seemed to be on her own mission. I enjoyed the movement and the simplicity of the photo and so I decided to paint it.

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

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

Ben Saulas

Portrait of Ben Saulas

600mm x 700mm x 50mm (Acrylic on canvas)
Click on image for larger version 

Meet Ben Saulas, he is married to Chrissy Saulas. He also lives in "Blikkiesdorp" (translated: shiny-tin town) which is a small suburb in the township called Newtown which is in Postmasburg, the Northern Cape. Ben works at the local Toyota dealer. It's really good that he has a job in a small town where jobs are hard to come by. Even though he is working, he is absent as a father and husband at home. We saw him many times, but only engaged with him in  real conversation a handful of times. The reason for this was because most of the times we saw him, he was drunk. I wonder what caused him to drink so much? Why did he feel the need to escape the reality of life. His family needs him to be present, yet he is absent. His family needs him to be provider and yet, I think he fails to do that even though he earns a salary.

As with Chrissy, we shared the Gospel of Christ with him many times. It is only by Jesus' work on the cross that we can be set free from sin – free from guilt, anger and addictions. We pray that Ben would see Christ for Who He is, what He did and why He died. I believe there is no other answer to Ben's enslaved life than Christ.

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

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

Chrissy Saulas

Portrait of Chrissy Saulas

700mm x 600mm x 50mm (Acrylic on canvas)
Click on image for larger version 

This is Chrissy Saulas. She lives in "Blikkiesdorp" (translated: shiny-tin town) which is a small suburb in the township called Newtown which is in Postmasburg, the Northern Cape. We first met in 2010 when she and her late sister, Sophie, asked us if we had any spare food. They pleaded "Ons is so verlee!" which means, "We are desperate!" My husband and I unfortunately did not have any extra to give. But we promised to return. And return we did! We got to know Chrissy, her husband Ben and their daughter Tina over the next year. I'm not sure the details of her life before we met them, but I do know that it was a hard one. Her eyes tell of pain and a deep sadness. Her life at present is not an easy one: living in poverty, struggling with hunger and the need to be kept warm in winter and being held captive to clutches of alcohol. I can understand why she does it, she needs to escape.

We shared the Gospel of Christ with her and others many times. We are not sure if she accepted what Jesus Christ did for her on the cross–freeing her from her sin. We can only pray that she will know the love Jesus has for her, the freedom and hope that she can find in Him before it's too late.

Please note that this artwork is for sale.
Please contact the artist if you are interested at: artist@christytempies.co.za.

Please note that 30% of the sale of this artwork will go to Realstart.
Please visit their website to see the positive impact they are having on the youth of South Africa at http://realstart.org/ 
 
Visit my website: http://www.christytempies.co.za
All content and images copyright © Christy Tempies, 2012. All rights reserved.

Looking Out

This is currently my studio. Our balcony. With the essential suitcase of paints on the right, the inspirational windmill from Postmasburg on the left and the chair for moral support, I am ready to create!

Looking Out

1000mm x 700mm x 50mm (Mixed media)
Click on image for larger version 

I really enjoyed painting this one. It's once again, quite different to the previous Northern Cape style that I have been painting for the last year or so. I decided to only use the palette knife as my instrument (no brushes allowed) as I smeared the thick white paint onto the canvas. I'm trying to be more suggestive in the marks that I make. This is a good start because palette knives do not allow you to make small, precise and detailed marks. I feel like I'm onto something good here... watch this space!

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

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

Happiness

 

Happiness

1000mm x 600mm x 50mm (Mixed media)
Click on image for larger version 

I must admit, it took a while to get back into living the city life. I have struggled to find a place to paint. The options in my mind seemed so adventurous, but in the end the most practical and convenient place was on our small balcony... much to my creative mind's disgust. A small balcony, with no place to really let go. But, I shall learn to be content because it is of great gain. This is my first painting in a long while (it seems). It's pretty evident that my heart is still set on Postmasburg. This painting was inspired by a little girl who I photographed in one of our many trips into the township called Newtown. Her excitement about being photographed resonated with me. 

Children are more free to express themselves, free to play and still enjoy the simple pleasures in life because most of them have not been disappointed and hardened by their circumstances. One can really find true joy and fulfillment in Christ, no matter what the circumstances may be. God's children find security and eternal joy in their relationship with Him.

Please note that this artwork has been sold.

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