Artbeat Profile: Pauline Gutter

Pauline Gutter was recently honoured with the ABSA L’Atelier award for 2013.  A daughter of the Free State, Pauline’s work often combines a passion for the farming community with carefully picked pallet that reflects her unique style.  Described as an ‘agri-porno’, it toys with the question ‘Does a farmer search for a wife in the way he would search for stud animals and breed them?’  

The 2013 ABSA L’Atelier was not, however, Pauline’s first appearance in the competition, having previously featured pieces in the 2002 to 2007 exhibitions and last year’s 2012 event. She has also participated in several other national competitions and had a number of solo exhibitions at the Aardklop National Arts Festival, the University of Stellenbosch Art Gallery, the University of Potchefstroom Art Gallery and the Oliewenhuis Art Museum.  Her artwork is also represented in a number of corporate collections including ABSA’s permanent collection.

To find out more about Pauline and her work visit her website Pauline Gutter – Professional Artist. You can also contact her via her email address art@paulinegutter.com.. 

House & Leisure does it again: Artist's pied-a-terre in Jozi

Don't you love this? I can't decide which I prefer: the striking red wall or breathtaking Jozi skyline. I'll always love Jo'burg's edgy energy and stark contrasts, and our team agree that artist Sam Nhlengethwa has really captured the spark in his funky Newtown apartment. Read the full article on House & Leisure online.

Sam Nhlengethwa On Art

I collect what I like – small or big names – it doesn’t matter. 
Music plays a big role in my life. I always listen to music when I paint. 
When I was growing up art didn’t feature prominently in my family. I was the first to feel its influence. 
I can’t live without colour. All the walls were white when I bought the flat. I painted one wall red to give the space some character and to break up the white. Gerard Sekoto had an amazing sense of colour. 
There’s no way I’m parting with my vinyl records. I have over 4 000 records (and nearly 3 000 CDs). 
I began collecting art when I was at school. My friends and I would exchange works with other school kids. Even as a young artist, I’d exchange works with other artists. 
When we were young we never studied African artists. I admired Matisse, and Henry Moore when it came to sculpture. For me, the American Romare Bearden was the master of collage. 
Every year in about October or November, I start moving things around and rearranging our art collection, so the walls constantly change.

This article was originally featured in the April 2011 issue of House and Leisure.

Elga Rabe: Artistic Genius.

We're delighted to present our newest find: Elga Rabe. Elga grew up on a rural farm in the South African province of Mpumalanga.

After teaching art in Durban for three years, she developed such a desire to paint full-time that she gave up teaching. With very little experience but a great deal of inspiration she threw herself frantically into her artwork. Her very first exhibition was held in a poster store in Durban during 1975 and showcased a variety of mediums. A newspaper write-up gave rise to her immediately selling 75% of the work. This was the beginning of a series of exhibitions in the province of KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga, and it was a clear indication of her success to come.

In 1976 she married Dieter Rabe, a maize Farmer in the Greytown area of KwaZulu Natal where she still lives today.

In 1990, only after their four children were much older, Elga started taking her art more seriously again. Her wildlife paintings of the Big Five were soon sought after in Johannesburg. Then she became well known for the way she could capture the African people in their traditional gear and beauty. Her portraits of people are phenomenal! She has the ability to capture not only the exact likeness but also the very personality on canvas. She has grown in strength, proving that there is no limit to how far her passion for painting will take this world class artist.

Elga Rabe has taken part in numerous exhibitions, both nationally and internationally, including the following: The Brooklyn Academy of Music, Antiquarius Gallery New York, New York Art Expo, Philadelphia International Black Arts Festival, Cardiff/South Africa Trade & Decor Show, and in 2006 an exhibition at the United Nations in Geneva.

One of Elga's paintings "The Zulu", hangs in the City Hall of Cardiff in Wales. Chris Tucker, well-known American actor and comedian, has bought one of her paintings. Collectors of her work also include Malcolm Horton, JP Morgan (SA Bank) and KZN Premier, Spu Ndebele.

Elga now sells her paintings mainly on the internet and her work is found in homes all over the world, including USA, Britain, France, Germany, Australia, and Moscow. A few exclusive galleries in South Africa exhibit her work. These include the Johan Smith Gallery and the Blou Donki in Clarens, Silverline Framing and Art in Ballito, Green with Envy in Durban and the Crouse Art Galleries.


The following are the sizes and prices of oil paintings on canvas:

1009-48-fl	White Marilli	1600 x 1250mm	R30,000
1109-36-wl	Elephant Bull	1600 x 1250mm	R30,000
1105-22-em	Watchful Herdsman	900 x 1200mm	R25,000
1111-48-wm	Playful Wild Dogs	900 x 1200mm	R25,000
1008-41-wm	Graceful Creature	900 x 1200mm	R25,000
1102-10-vs	Reclining	600 x 900mm	R16,000
1111-53-ws	Zebra Chase	600 x 900mm	R16,000
1202-13-es	Brown-and-White Nguni Bull	600 x 900mm	R16,000