SPI National Portrait Award Results

Last Friday evening I opened my emails to discover that the results of the SPI National Portrait Award were send to me.

I scanned through the 40 names of the people whose paintings were chosen for exhibition, but I didn't see my name. Then I read it through word for word, because maybe I missed my name - no luck! Just to make sure, I went through the names two more times, still no luck!

Then I had to talk to myself. I told myself, just remember you were one of over 1200 people who entered. And remember some of those people are already well established artists. And remember, you were probably no 41. And on and on I went.

Yes I was very disappointed, but I know my day will come. The winner of the R100 000 will be announced tonight. Obviously I will not be there, which is a good thing, my clothes are not fitting well after this cold winter!

Tomorrow I will visit Rust-en-Vrede Gallery to have a look at the 40 chosen ones.

I am posting my three paintings here. I would love your comments. Remember I did the last painting because I know many times the judges like to choose some weird stuff.

My first painting is of Susan, the woman who cleans my house every week. The second is of a fisherman in Velddrift. It is from a photo my sister took of him when we were on holiday there.

I am planning to give these paintings to Susan and the fisherman. I will tell you one thing, I cannot wait to see the man's smile when he receives the painting. That will be a greater reward than the R100 000 (although that would have come in very handy!). But to bring happiness to someone's heart brings in much better blessings at the end.

That can only happen in October, when I can collect my paintings from the gallery. I will do another post about that later.

Remember, although I am not winner of the competition, I can still do portrait on commission, and now luckily for you I am not going to increase my prices! So if you want to commission a portrait please visit my website:
Painted Canvas.

Who is the artist? MS du Toit

This is actually very interesting and something artists do not think about. The number 1 question any viewer of art will ask when they stand in front of a painting is: Who is the artist?

Even though they would not know anything about the person, they still want to know the name. Many people will buy a piece of art because they like it and it will look nice in their house. But many people will buy a piece of art because of the name - they might not even really like the art but they value the name.

The trick for any artist is therefore to increase the value of their name and thus increasing the value of their art. And that is no easy task. Some artists do it by creating a painting of a naked public figure and their names are immediately all over the news and on everybody's lips, but they might soon be forgotten again.

Others do it by creating one painting after the other, all looking the same, almost creating a fashion. But fashions come and go and you begin to wonder whether those artists can do anything else.

I do not know the answer, or whether there is a right or wrong, all I know is that I would like my own work to stand the test of time like that of names like Van Gogh and Renoir. And then maybe, one day, my name will also be known.

This painting is from a photo I took when visiting some family. I was so caught up with sun coming in though the window and brightening up the room and the beautiful colours that I knew that I just had paint it.

Remember to visit my website for more paintings to view: Painted Canvas

SPI National Portrait Award 2013

Two years ago I would never have dreamed that I would enter a portrait competition! I have always said to myself that is something I cannot do. 

Today I am so exited because I have just finished my 3rd portrait that I will enter for this year's Sanlam Private Investments Portrait Competition. Sometime next week I will go to Rust-en-Vrede Gallery to deliver my three portraits. Unfortunately I cannot post any pictures of it at this stage. All the portraits are going to be unsigned so the judges will have no idea who the artists are. I think that is awesome, it gives everybody an equal chance. So you will have to wait until the 27th of August. That is when they will announce the winner.

What I can tell you, is that the portrait I have finished today is something totally different from all my other work. I just love it!

The portrait that I post here is actually my very second portrait that I have done (I promise) and I think it is great, maybe just because it is my mother when she was young.

Hello Again,

It's been a long time I know and I must apologize. I have been busy with those elephants that must be send to the USA next week. I am donating this painting to the International Elephant Foundation and it is going to be auctioned at a fundraising dinner. The funds will go towards the conservation of African elephants.
The painting is 1.5 x 1.2m in size. That was quite something to paint, but Ienjoyed it very much and just hope that they will get a very good price for that.

August is portrait month. I am entering two portraits for the SPI National Portrait Award 2013 competition which is sponsored by Sanlam and VISI and held at the Rust en Vrede Gallery in Durbanville. I hope I win the R100 000 first prize!!! Hey, I must be optimistic! Unfortunately I may not show my paintings to you yet, but I promise I will show you soon. At this stage I can just say: I surprised myself!

Get Ready...
The next big thing in my life is our annual Caleidoscope of Colour Art Exhibition which will be held again in October. This is the place to on 19 October - don't be anywhere else. We will again be exhibiting various artists' work at very affordable prices. There will again be a Lucky Draw as well as a Raffle where you can win two of ...wait for it.... yes you guessed right, MY paintings. So keep coming back tothisblog for more information.

See you real soon!