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.