Rust in Peace: The Journey Behind the Painting
I love every part of my painting process. Whether it's working through composition, finding the right lighting, or adding those tiny details that bring everything to life, each phase has its unique appeal. But if I’m being honest, some parts are just more fun and motivating than others. For me, right at the top of the fun scale is when I get to hit the open road, gathering reference material. It’s a thrill that starts at the very beginning of my creative process, and it’s as exciting as putting on the final touches of a painting.
The Open Road: My Endless Source of Inspiration
I JUST LUUUVE THE OPEN ROAD!
There’s something so exhilarating about venturing out into the vast, often remote South African landscape, with no rigid agenda other than the simple desire to explore and capture its essence. It’s an essential part of my creative process. I’ve lost count of how many tens of thousands of kilometers I’ve driven over the last 40 years in my endless quest for inspiration. I’m constantly scouting for reference material – the landscapes, the textures, the colors that will eventually make their way onto my canvas.
I wish I had kept a logbook of all the places I’ve traveled through. From the dry heat of the Karoo to the rugged mountain ranges of the Eastern Cape, every journey offers something new. Each road trip I embark on isn't just about searching for a scene to paint—it's a journey that rejuvenates my artistic soul. These trips fuel my creativity, filling me with ideas for paintings, often inspired by the quiet beauty that can only be found in the most remote corners of our country.
One of my more recent works, "Rust In Peace," is the direct result of one of these road trips. Well, to be more accurate, it's the culmination of many such trips, each adding a different piece to the puzzle that eventually became this painting.
The Birth of "Rust In Peace"
"Rust In Peace" is a prime example of how my paintings come together—slowly, and through multiple layers of inspiration, and reference. This painting, like many of my works, isn't a slavish replica of any one specific place. Instead, it’s a composite—a visual story pieced together from several different real-life elements.
The focal point of the painting, the old Morris car, is a real feature I encountered at the gate of Erin Guest Farm, just outside Middleberg in the Eastern Cape. I remember the moment I first saw it—sitting there in quiet defiance, its rusted bodywork a testament to both time and the harsh elements of the Karoo. To me, it wasn’t just an abandoned vehicle; it was a symbol of forgotten stories, a relic with its own history, left to weather away.
The car, on its own, was a striking image, but I knew I wanted more for this painting. I wanted to capture not just the car, but the feeling of isolation, of being alone on a forgotten stretch of road in the heart of the Karoo. The backdrop came from another one of my journeys, this time through the mountains around a remote district road off the R63 near Victoria West, in the Western Cape. The typical enigmatic Karoo mountains, set against an atmospheric late afternoon sky, gave me the perfect backdrop to contrast the rusted, decaying metal of the car.
Building a Story Through Composition
Every painting I create ends with a story in my head. I’m not interested in just replicating what I see in front of me—I want to evoke a mood, an atmosphere, something that resonates emotionally with the viewer. In the case of Rust In Peace, the story revolves around the passage of time and the concept of abandonment, yet with a certain dignity that remains intact. The old Morris may be rusting away, but it rests peacefully in the landscape, almost as if it belongs there, blending into its surroundings as time slowly swallows it.
I love to compose a scene that is more than just a realistic depiction. My goal is to transport the viewer into the moment, to make them feel the dry heat of the Karoo sun and the stillness of the air, broken only by the whisper of wind brushing the mountains in the distance. In Rust In Peace, the rusting Morris is juxtaposed against the timelessness of the mountains, symbolizing nature’s endurance while man-made creations fade away.
The Morris: A Character in Itself
The Morris Minor in this painting, as mentioned, was found near Middleberg, Eastern Cape. But it’s more than just a car; it’s a character in its own right. I’ve always had a fascination with abandoned objects—cars, buildings, fences—that seem to tell their own stories, as if they were once vibrant with life but are now relics left to face the elements. This old decaying Morris, lying forlorn at the gate of Erin Cottage, is nothing more than exactly that:
This old Morris was lying at the gate of Erin Guest Farm near Middleberg in the Eastern Cape. The backdrop is the mountains around a remote district road off the R63 in the Victoria West area of the Western Cape.
See HERE what you can find on the R63 ... "Road Less Travelled!". Its truly a worthwhile detour on the hard road of life!
My rendition of our remote, far away, central Karoo area of the Eastern and Western Cape.
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