Let's Talk Art: Ref 4 Art Lingo and Tequila

Art Lingo and Tequila

If you are, like me, under the impression that “fine art” is an activity necessitating excessive talent or achievement like in "the fine art of drinking tequila", you are welcome to join me in my attempt to improve my own Art vocabulary.

Introduction

I have a compelling notion that I am not a complete exception and that there are perhaps more friends of artists out there - and maybe even artists themselves - that are equally confused by the Art lingo that are spontaneously vocalised by our learned friends and colleagues at the galleries, exhibitions, arty gatherings, social events and even more liberally in the media. 

I never had any art education for the past five decades and what I had before was either inadequate or I am not able to recollect anything that could save me from public humiliation. This was then the motivation do some very superficial, non-exhausting! research to at best get a vague comprehension of what those people are talking about.

Disclaimer: I hope that this article will at least have some value to myself and therefore I would like to state that it is not intended as an academic paper on art or for entering for a prize for literature. Neither would I like to defend a lawsuit for plagiarism or find myself being accused of misrepresentation or distortion of published material. But I will do my very best to make sense of the overwhelming amount of perplexing and inconsistent information on the web and to summarise it in a way that even I can more or less comprehend. I will, therefore, except for one or two quotations, not cite any references. Please feel free to leave any comments at the bottom of this article.

Well, let us now look at my understanding of some of the most frequently used art terminology. 

Aesthetics

It was a huge surprise to me to learn that aesthetics is actually a branch of philosophy! Aesthetics apparently explores the nature of art and art-associated concepts and there is an array of principles with regard to the appreciation of beauty and artistic taste.

How to use the term in practice (I traced a few but please also check for yourself):

1) “Aesthetics is important because it helps us understand and judge the various qualities one will find in art. Aesthetics helps painters judge their paintings by themselves”

2) “Most of the sculptures on display were not made to become subject to aesthetic contemplation in western art museums”

3) “It was spectacularly built and was very aesthetically pleasing to the eye.”

4) “The dog has aesthetic appeal", "The dog adheres to its breed's aesthetic", are both correct, but "The dog is aesthetic", it is not idiomatically correct”

Note: I believe it will it be acceptable for me to say: “I find your painting aesthetically pleasing” and I should never say: “Your painting is very aesthetic”. I should work on this one!

Art

It was extremely difficult to find a generic definition for Art as people all have unique ideas of what it constitutes. If we delve deep there are many age-old descriptions as well as countless contemporary deliberations mentioning art. 

The most concise description I could find was that “art refers to creativity found in humans to produce objects, environments and experiences through skills and imagination”.

Some other ideas to ponder are: 

"Art is a diverse range of human activities creating visual, auditory or performing artworks"

"Art is expressing the creator’s imaginative, conceptual ideas or technical skill"

"Art is intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power"

It seems somewhat clear how the concept of Art should be understood, but I believe the following breakdown of Art into elements, segments and fundamental fragments is slightly more than challenging.

Art Elements (or Art Forms)

According to my research material, the major elements of the Arts are:

• Visual Arts (architecture, ceramics, drawing, filmmaking, painting, photography and sculpting)

Note: Some sources also mention that it is believed that Applied Arts such as industrial design, graphic design, fashion design, interior design and decorative art should also be acknowledged as Visual Arts.

• Literature (fiction, drama, poetry, and prose)
• Performing arts (dance, music, and theatre)
• Culinary arts (cooking, chocolate making and winemaking).

The above art elements may also be combined as in the following examples:

• Visual Art and Performance Art (e.g. cinematography)
• Visual Art and Literature (e.g. comics).

Note: 

I still have a few concerns:

• Food was not mentioned in the Visual Art category – what is more lovely and visually appealing than a chocolate bonbon outside its wrapper or some wine in a glass?
• What shall we call Culinary Arts combined with Visual Arts?
• I have a friend “painting” with food, is that then Visual Art combined with Culinary Art or is it plainly Visual Art using mixed media?
• Are food stylists Visual Artists?
• I am getting hungry now.

Before we leave this subject, I need to report that there was lately yet another addition to the existing Art Elements or Art Forms and this is, believe it or not, Social Sculpting! It took a lot of my time to understand this new Element and I will try to summarise it as clearly as possible.

Social Sculpting was invented around 1980 by the artist Joseph Beuys who believed that art has the potential to transform society. These Social Sculptures can be created by applying anything - language, thoughts, actions and objects by anyone - artist or non-artist. (Just my own thoughts – “anything” sounds like mixed media, but “anyone” troubles me - can it then still be defined as Art as such?) According to Beuys however, the only prerequisite for the “sculpture” to be classified as Art, is that it has to be the result of a deliberate act (full stop).

To demonstrate his concept, he orchestrated the creation of a Social Sculpture. Firstly, he initiated the arranging of a huge pile of stones in the form of a large arrow in an open field. The arrow pointed in the direction of a tree that he had planted. He then specified that the stones may not be moved unless a tree was planted in the place of each stone - at the end, 7000 trees were planted. 

This venture confirmed (to Beuys, at least?) that a Social Sculpture can deliberately be created by involving a mixture of artistic, academic or scientific disciplines (not only art) and that anyone, not only artists, can participate in creating it. 

Note: The explanation of the concept goes much further and deeper into how social transformation can be achieved through creating a Social Sculpture, but I am confident that I now have a fairly good idea of what it represents, so please add it to your list of Art Elements.

Visual Art

As reported above, I found that Visual Art is one of the Elements of Art and learned that it constitutes drawing, painting, sculpting, ceramics, architecture, photography and filmmaking.

For the rest of this article, I am going to explore Visual Art only.

Note: Lately it has been acknowledged that artistic disciplines like conceptual art, textile art and performing arts also “involve aspects of visual arts” as well as “arts of other types”. Sorry for my ignorance, but seeing that filmmaking is included as a proper form of Visual Art, I am questioning why theatre is then excluded? If one films a theatre production, does the film then qualify as Visual Art?

Fine art

Fine Art is a term that is extensively used and I questioned what it actually encompasses and where it should fit into the intricate maze of art terminology. Lazy by nature, I have a nasty habit of taking extremely brief shortcuts and this time was no exception. This is what I found around the first corner of this "alternate route":

“Fine art is:

1. creative art, especially visual art whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic or intellectual content.
2. an activity requiring great skill or accomplishment: ‘the fine art of drinking tequila’”   https://www.lexico.com/definition/fine_art

Yes, you are correct, the second definition suits me better. But I guess I should rather focus on the first one and that one is the one that really bothers me. Are we now sitting with fine art being creative art and then visual art as an apparent subdivision of creative art? 

• What is creative art then?
• An even more baffling implication of the term “creative art” is that there is “art” that is not creative?

I had to dig much deeper into cyberspace this time and found another definition that sort of presented a tiny measure of comfort: “Arts is a general term for any craft that requires a level of creativity to master. Fine Arts refer specifically to crafts, generally visual, that focus on aesthetic appeal rather than practical use.” 

Note: 

Is this then stating that:

• Artisans generally falls into the first part of the definition where they create primarily for practical use while Artists may apply the same creativity and skills to, at all times, create for aesthetic appeal?
• A distinction between creative art and non-creative art cannot be made, as artisans also create, and the term creative art is therefore meaningless?

We started off exploring the concept of Fine Art, but only found confirmation that things are rarely straightforward in art. I was thus immensely comforted when I found that someone remarked that: “In my opinion, the distinction between fine art and visual art is an artificial one, and there is no hard line between the two”.

Note: In my own belief, Fine Art is synonymous to Visual Art and Visual Art is created solely for aesthetic and intellectual purposes and is judged for its imaginativeness, meaningfulness, beauty, aesthetic value and intellectual content.

Genre

As far as I understand, the term “Genre” is used to group together, understand and appreciate art. Traditionally, until the early 1800s, paintings were divided into five categories or Genres. The genres were ordered in sequence from most important to least significant. This ranking was based on the display value of the paintings in the genre. Artworks in the history genre were most appropriate for public display, followed by portraits, genre paintings (a confusing category name) and landscapes. Still life paintings, the lowest genre, were produced for home use only. 

1. History paintings deal with historical, symbolic, mythical, and religious events and communicated stories about people.
2. Portraits include paintings of heroes, private people and self-portraits.
3. Genre paintings are scenes that depict everyday life and include one or more people doing things
4. Landscapes did not traditionally involve people and sub-types are cityscapes, seascapes, and waterscapes.
5.  Animal painting - horse paintings were popular traditionally
6. Still life paintings depict flowers, fruits, food, drinks, cutlery and eating, drinking and cooking utensils.

Since their initiation, the main genres have regularly been reorganized and the latest change is the addition of a Genre named Progressive Concepts / Abstraction. The art term “progressive” means that the artist is free and that everything and anything can be admitted into the world of art. Abstract art is about form, colour, line, texture, pattern, composition and process and the artworks do not attempt to depict actual things or objects.

Style

Note: “Style” to me was one of the most difficult terms to understand and clearly describe as there are so many different views of what style actually is. Secondly, the words “style”, “genre” and “movement” are used extremely interchangeably and undifferentiated by people putting their hand on computer keyboard. I am, however, by nature very “boxy” as far as language is concerned and tried my best to clearly distinguish between the terms and to their original meaning. 

Style can be divided into general style and individual style. 

Individual Style

“Individual style” refers to the work of a specific artist. Artists have individual “ways of doing” as there are certain elements that each artist constantly applies in a distinctive way throughout when creating. Individual styles are developed throughout artists’ lifetime and an artist's style can adapt as the artist grows as an artist and as a person. An artist's personal style usually progresses as the artist gains more confidence through experience, expands their knowledge and acquires more skill. 

In critic’s terms, an artist’s style is manifested in the way in which the artist’s subject matter is represented and how the artist’s vision is expressed. The style is then described by characteristics or stylistic elements such as 1) the way form, colour and composition, etcetera is applied, 2) the way the artist handles the medium, 3) the method or technique that the artist uses as well as 4) the philosophy or driving force behind the artwork. Individual styles are understood as characteristic expressions of the mind and personality of the artist.

“Interpretation is the revenge of the intellectual upon art” Susan Sontag

Artists can also work in many different styles, but, according to the academics, it is better for an artist to focus on one specific style that allows them to express their inner vision as well as to fully develop potential within that style so that they can flourish as an artist.

General Style

Artworks that have certain features in common are considered to have the same style and can then be grouped in terms of a “general” style. 

General style can be subdivided into: 

• Universal style (common  styles that may change over time as a result of technological innovation and transformation in the art world),
• Historical or period style (art with characteristics of a specific historical period) and
• School style (art by artists who shared the same teachers and followed the style they were taught)

Art Movements

A number of artists in the same timeframe who share the same artistic ideals, style, technical approach, etcetera is usually classified together in an “art movement”. Art movements are generally titled after they already started. As many of their names use an -ism suffix, such movements are also referred to as “isms”. 

Artworks that have the same style may sometimes be part of the same art movement, but there are also artists today who paint in a style that was defined as a movement some time ago. They are however contemporary artists who are inspired by the particular movements and they are not part of the relevant movements.

General art movements:

1. Abstract Expressionism: Vigorous, sweeping brushstrokes, dripping and spilling paint.
2. Art Nouveau: Sinuous, asymmetrical lines based on organic forms.
3. Avant-garde: Innovative, experimental. (“Avant-garde is French for bullshit” John Lennon)
4. Baroque: Dramatic motion and detail for drama, tension, exuberance, opulence.
5. Classicism: Traditional forms, focus on elegance and symmetry.
6. Conceptual Art: Ideas, theoretical practices, no need for finished product
7. Constructivism: Abstract, mathematical, not attempting to be art, for social purposes.
8. Cubism: Geometric planes, fragmented compositions, Picasso.
9. Dadaism: Negative response on traditions, shocking people into self-awareness.
10. Expressionism: Distortion, exaggeration, fantasy, violent colour, inner feelings.
11. Fauvism: Strong, vibrant colour, bold brushstrokes, realistic.
12. Futurism: Dynamism, speed and energy of modern mechanical world.
13. Impressionism: Visual ‘impressions’, emphasize movement and changing light qualities.
14. Installation art: Large-scale, mixed-media constructions
15. Land Art: Directly in the landscape, sculpting land with rocks or twigs.
16. Minimalism: Simple, geometric shapes no representational content.
17. Neo-Impressionism: Measured, systematic technique, based on science and optics.
18. Neoclassicism: Subsequent take on classical Greek and Italian art.
19. Performance art: Created through live or recorded performances, spontaneous or scripted.
20. Pointillism: Countless tiny dots of pure colour in patterns to form an image.
21. Pop Art: Popular imagery emphasizing banal or kitschy elements of everyday life.
22. Post-Impressionism: Emotional responses, bold colour, expressive or symbolic images.
23. Rococo: Elaborate ornamentation, light and sensuous style.
24. Surrealism: Liberating, promoting the irrational, the poetic and the revolutionary.
25. Suprematism: Abstract, expressed in simplest geometric forms and dynamic compositions.

New Art Movements:

1. Kitsch: Cheap, vulgar, and mass-produced, low-brow.
2. Neo-Futurism: Characteristically post-post modern
3. Thinkism: Questions environment change, influence of geo-political and man-made forces.
4. Mass-Surrealism: Uses mass media, video, graphic production to make artistic statements.
5. Altermodern: Against cultural standardization, massification, nationalisms, cultural relativism.
6. Abject Art: Transgressive, offensive, focuses on crap. 

“Modern paintings are like women; you'll never enjoy them if you try to understand them.” Freddie Mercury

Conclusion

Well, dear readers, I have attempted to explore some of the key art terms to get a better understanding of them and to allow me to use them with a fair measure of confidence. My initial realisation at take-off was, being confronted by the tons of information before me, that I really knew very little about the subject. Then, even more scary, it came to mind that I first had to be very careful not to make a fool of myself, but secondly, and more importantly, not to misinform readers of this forum. 

In my own view, my exercise to provide an overview of vital art terminology to myself was successful. I can now confidently mention terms like Art Elements, Visual Art, Style, Genre and Movement and even make (very) small talk about Art Movements!

I, however, realise that, although it was most enjoyable and valuable, I have only scraped the tip of the “artberg” and need to read much more on the subject of art.

Lastly, I leave you with a remark delivering a sound and clear motive for my quest for art knowledge: 

“Whenever I listen to an artist or an art historian, I'm struck by how much they see and how much they know--and how much I don't. Good art writing should therefore do at least two things. It should teach us how to look at art, architecture, sculpture, photography and all the other visual components of our daily landscape. And it should give us the information we need to understand what we're looking at.” William Knowlton Zinsser

Great New Artist: Ref 6 Adriaan Lotter

If you add a few additional astonishing attributes to “Immensely Gifted Artist”, what do you get? Well then please add: Well-educated Businessman, Successful Entrepreneur, World Champion Sportsman, Compassionate Citizen, Arresting Personality, Spiritual Being? The outcome: You get Adriaan Lotter, a creator and a gentleman who the world is about to take notice of!

“With every piece one creates, you put your energy as well as your spirit into it and I believe that this energy and emotion connects with the viewer’s soul, and not so much the visible image of the painting only. It is my mission to connect with my audience on this psychic level and to share the enjoyment and love of art”.

Background

· Education

Adriaan was born 29 July 1972 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He went to school at Hoërskool Die Fakkel and matriculated in 1990. The next year he enrolled at Booysens Technical College and graduated there with a technical Diploma in Telecommunications and Transmission.

· Business

He worked for Telkom as technician for 7 years before moving to the UK in 1999 where he served as a fibreoptic and network engineer for Cable & Wireless for four years upgrading their telecommunications network all over Britain. Adriaan returned home in 2003 where he started his own electronic security company, Netel Security, and continued managing the company until 2018.

During that time, he was continuously creating art on a part time bases but then decided that the stress of corporate life was affecting his health. He therefore took a bold step to go into art full time.

· Sport

Sport has also been a huge part of Adriaan’s life:

o  Started In 1987 with martial arts and achieved a Nidan (second Dan) in karate

o  Changed styles and started competing in Muay Thai and MMA on a professional level

o Represented South Africa in the 2008 WTKA World Championships and won the WTKA Muay Thai world title in Italy

o Won Silver and Bronze (also at the World Championships in Italy) in K1 (a form of kickboxing) in his weight division as well as in a weight division above his own.

o Played club rugby after school for Diggers and Union rugby clubs

o  Played for the first team of the Melbourne, England rugby club as left wing

  · Personal

Adriaan has a 22-year-old daughter and is currently in a stable relationship.

Hi Adriaan, what is the story of your art?

I am a self-taught artist. Art is integral to my existence. I was born an artist and creating art has been a passion since I can remember. I won my first art prize in Grade 3 when I was nine years old, but only started taking it seriously about ten years ago.

Throughout my business careers, art and woodworking has been passions of mine and it was a constant dream to eventually make a profession of art. Fear was however a major factor – I was scared that I would never be able to survive on just art. It was therefore a bold step for me to follow my dream and to become a full-time artist.

Since I took that terrifying step, my time is my own and creating art is equivalent to being in a permanent state of meditation. I can easily devote ten hours a day to painting and it feels like only a fraction of the time that has passed. I sometimes loose days, thinking that it is Wednesday and finding out it is Saturday already. This sense of freedom brings a lot of peacefulness and relaxation into my life. I cannot think of a better way of making a living.

How do you experience your art?

I am my own biggest critic - my work hardly ever seems good enough for myself and I guess it’s the downside of trying to be perfect. Craving perfection, I am always in doubt if my art is good enough. But when I exhibit my work and I see people admire what I have created, it gives me a sincere sense of accomplishment as I am interpreting it that I am improving as an artist. There is no better stimulus for me to find people being so much attracted to my art that they purchase something that I have created.

What is your art life mission?

With every piece one creates, you put your energy as well as your spirit into it and I believe that this energy and emotion connects with the viewer’s soul, and not so much the visible image of the painting only. It is my mission to connect with my audience on this psychic level and to share the enjoyment and love of art.

How do you cultivate inspiration?

The life of an artist is not always an easy one. Sometimes life pushes one into a state of depression and you get discouraged and then it is not so easy to create. But the wonderful thing about art is that it is all about emotion. Even if you are feeling down and out, you can overcome the negativity by channeling those emotions and feelings into the object you are creating, then the magic transpires.

Other times it is better to not force the subject – I know myself. If I am absolutely not in the mood, then I do something else that makes me happy – I listen to my favourite music or watch a movie. It then does not take much for me to feel inspired and to pick up the brush again.

Inspiration to me means trying to better myself and my skill with every piece I do. If I can improve on the previous piece that I have done and I look back from where I started to where I am then, it totally encourages me to take on another challenge.

Which topics and styles give you most joy?

Portraits gives me pleasure as I love capturing emotions. I get captivated by the painting when I am creating and I can sense the mood in my veins.

Animals such as wildlife and horses are some of my favourite subjects as it is both a challenge and a delight to capture and portray powerfulness, grace, playfulness and watchful alertness

.

         

I am also an adrenalin junky and fast motorbikes and cars get me very excited, especially if I get to paint the driver’s concentration and the amazing vehicles they drive. Of course, I also like riding and driving fast and furious cars and bikes.

Something else that fascinates me and that I love painting is comic book characters and superheroes. I have a passion for Marvel and DC characters and is a regular at Comic Con Africa, a 4-day event showcasing comic books and science fiction- and fantasy related film, television, and similar popular arts. 

I love working with wood and spend a lot of time in my workshop, creating and restoring furniture, building miniatures and combining wood with fine art. I have been fitting out my workshop now for the past 20 years through collecting and improving. One can never have enough tools. My shop is approximately seven garages in size and still there are a lot more machines I would love to add to my arsenal. I guess is should introduce myself as: “ Hi I am Adriaan and I am a Toolaholic “

Are there other artists who inspire you?

I especially admire the work of Jimmy Law, a very successful artist from Cape Town. The key aspects that appeal to me to about him as person is that he started off in the comic book industry and that he, at one stage, painted Harley Davidson motor cycles.  As mentioned, I also have a passion for comic book characters and fast bikes.  But it is Jimmy’s current work that really inspires me. He now does energetic and expressive portraits by using only large brushes and by performing bold, strong strokes and colours. His paintings are expressive and nearly rugged, but still very realistic - he is very successful in giving the viewer just enough information to fill in the detail themselves.

Painting by Jimmy Law

What art mediums do you prefer?  

I like working in different mediums as each different one has its own characteristics. It however depends on what I am planning to achieve in every specific artwork. I mostly work in acrylics and oil and I prefer the latter. The colours are more vibrant and if I am doing a realistic style painting, oil is my medium of choice.

Can you tell us more about these specific paintings?

I named this painting “Blue Monday”. It is Oil on Canvas 1.5m x 90 cm. It is one of my favourite paintings – a combination of brush and palette knife, using only three colours. The piece just flowed off the brush with no effort at all.

The title of the painting above is “The Coming” (Oil on Canvas 200x100 cm). This is one of my prophetic art pieces. In 2017 I was given a prophecy by a complete stranger at that time. He introduced himself as a prophet and started prophesising over me. Although he did not know me from a bar of soap, he started by saying “Adriaan, the Lord said you will pick up a new mantle and it will become your legacy. You will be a prophetic artist and your art will change nations.”

As you can imagine, I was very sceptical at the time. Me altering nations with my art was a little bit out of my comprehension. However, something amazing started happening with some of my art works. Hidden pictures appeared inside the painting images. I did not even notice it, until it was pointed out to me by a pastor I knew. For instance, if you zoom into the picture of “The Coming” you will notice that instead of six horses, there are actually 13!

After that day I went back to some of my previous work and started noticing all these images inside my paintings. In the painting above, “Running Free” (Oil on Canvas 85x45cm), I noticed the city inside the neck of the horse on the left, the dolphin over the eye of the horse on the right and the silhouette of the elephant at the bottom of the head of the horse on the right. This was totally unintentional and I believe it was not my hand that created the images.

Although I have not transformed nations yet - who knows, maybe one day - a lot of the prophecies I was given happened exactly word for word as the prophet said it would. We have since become very good friends.

Can you share some of your secret techniques please?

I always start my paintings with a thin water-based layer as complementary colour of the pallet I will be using for the piece. I then build the painting layer by layer, starting with a thin application and gradually going thicker. In my final layers, I will switch from brush to pallet knife and then finish it off by adding the final detail.

Technically it is important to get proportions and perspectives correct, but to me the look and feel of the painting is even more important. I create emotion by the use of brush strokes, the way the colours work together and the way the paint is applied to the canvas. I believe that without emotion a painting is a nice picture, but lifeless as a piece of art. Art needs to be able to awake something inside of the viewer. I guess that is the real meaning of the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.

Preserving my art is very important and I try to make sure I am as professional as can be. I therefore cover all my paintings with a layer of good quality varnish to protect the piece and prevent yellowing. To care for it, it is then only necessary to wipe it off with a damp cloth.

When do you know that a painting is finished?

To me it is an awareness - once I am happy with how I am feeling about the artwork and I cannot spot any serious technical mistakes, I will call it a day. A painting should never be totally finished, I think a good painting should always leave something for the mind to complete.

                                                                                      

What is your approach towards titles?

Depending on the items, I suppose titles can be very important. Titles add value to art, and should a piece of art become famous, people will always refer to the title thereof. My prophetic art has to have titles, but they hardly ever get named by myself. These artworks always seem to inspire someone and the title just immediately become apparent - it is amazing!

King of Time

Please tell us about your typical work day?

When I am creating art, I am so oblivious to my surroundings that the world can fall apart around me and I would not even know. Days feels like hours and hours like mere seconds. I am at my happiest when I am in my studio.

My best time for painting is between 6 and 10 am. I spend most of my day behind the easel, sometimes 12 hours at a time. Other days I will spend time promoting my art and working on improving my website and intranet.

The amount of time I am spending on one painting depends on how the piece flows, and how I am feeling. Some days the picture just flows off the brush and I can complete a painting in as little as two hours Other days things just don’t want to happen for me and then it can take me days to complete a piece. On average I would say a completed painting takes about 16 to 20 hours.

Does music create the mood for painting?

Music and Art for me goes hand in hand, whether it is 80’s or very spiritual music – it depends on my mood what I choose, but always it brings out the best in me.

I frequently do research and get up-to-date with the latest techniques and trends by listening to podcasts and YouTube videos while I am painting.

How would you describe your style?

If one has found their own painting style it will become their signature style. This usually is a life changing achievement, because it makes one stand out as an artist and people can recognise your work. The real trick for the artist is to turn bad habits into good ones and apply them continuously.

As far as my own art is concerned, I am still trying to find my signature style and I am experimenting to get that same look and feel in all my work. It can take years to find one’s own signature style and I am now 10 years into my journey. I am painting every day, working on developing my skills and my style and to establish myself as a recognised artist, but I think one should just be patient, give your best every day and enjoy the journey.

What is success to you?

Success is the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment I get when completing a piece of art that I am proud of. And then, if someone is willing to part with their hard-earned cash to invest in my art, it gives a sense of value in what I do. It is a wonderful awareness of success and I like it very much!

How should art be marketed?

Every artist should register his own Domain name and at least have a personal website. Social media is a good way of getting your name out there and an online store is always an advantage.

I have my own website www.adriaanlotter.co.za . There is also an online art gallery http://netel.in-tranet.co.za/system/dashboard/ on internet where I invite other artists who would like to sell their own art and also to get the opportunity to make more money along the way, to join and assist me. I have already done a great deal of work and the plan is to provide an international networking platform for artists to advertise, sell and deliver art globally, but also to access, sell and present online art classes worldwide. It also provides the opportunity to connect with other artists and to link up with art suppliers offering special discounts to members. The over-encompassing motive is to provide a platform for artists and the public to join hands and support each other.

There is also a BlogSpot at https://saartexplosion.blogspot.com/ (the one you are reading now) where new artists are introduced and interesting art-related information is shared and discussed.  It also provides the opportunity for all artists to, without cost, showcase their “Corona Art” in the free Visions of a Virus gallery – art objects in this gallery is showcased worldwide, but they are however not linked to the online shop on the website. The online shop is only available to all signed-on members. People who are interest becoming members can message me at WhatsApp 084 342 1791 or send me an email at adriaan@adriaanlotter.co.za.

Do you exhibit your art at other venues also?

My art is always available on my website and I recently had live exhibitions at the Art Farm in Irene and at the Mall@Reds Art Gallery in Centurion.

Planning for exhibitions are very important. The size and the location of the space allocated to the artist at the venue is the starting point. First of all, the exhibitor needs to decide what would look best inside the allocated space. Secondly, a decision must be made on the number of artworks and the sizes that will fit without overcrowding the areas. Thirdly, presentation, pricing and advertising in the form of business cards and banners should be attended to.

Do you sell prints of your art?

Prints are available on canvas, posters, metal, glass and even mugs. I am currently working on my Marvel and DC wallpaper range.

From time to time there are paintings that I get attached to. If that happens, I tend to rather keep the original and to make limited edition prints available.

Outreach Beatifying

What is your personal viewpoint about art in the world today?

First of all, today full-time artists should be able to look after themselves and those they love financially. If they can achieve that, then they have made it as an artist. Secondly, the day an artist does not sign a work of art and everyone know who the artist is just by looking at the art, then the artist can truly take their place as a successful and accomplished artist of our time.

Art plays a very important role in society. Without art we would be a nation of emotionless zombies. It is important to preserve art for future generations and to pass along the culture. Every era had its own style and in years from now we will be known as the 21^st Century Artists and if all goes well maybe professors will teach our history one day.

I think much like the music and entertainment, the art industry is very cut-throat.  Instead of working together, supporting and helping each other, everyone is in competition and sometimes the focus on why we started doing art in the first place gets lost.

Technology-wise I think the World Wide Web plays a huge part in the life of an artist today. Everything from marketing, tutorials, references, social media etc. is available to everyone.

As far as workplace is concerned, every artist only needs a comfortable place to work, anywhere in the world. A studio needs to be an inspirational place, a place where you can just be yourself and let go. Location and an awesome view from one’s studio always help, but I spend most of my time inside my studio, so location is not a major issue. I set any mood I like inside my studio to make it a splendid place to work.

Do you have any regrets so far and what are your dreams?  

My only regret is that I did not start my art career sooner. I was born to be an artist and have I not allowed fear to get the better of me, I think I would be a lot further along on my journey. Everything however happens for a reason, and I am slowly starting to find my way. I am sure my breakthrough will come soon, but until then I will happily focus on improving my skills and finding myself as an artist.

John Lennon

During this journey my mission is to touch lives, to make a positive difference and to bring joy to everyone crossing paths with me. A dream project for me would be to open a string of Adriaan Lotter Arts and Craft galleries to exhibit and share my passion.

Besides art, I am also a very spiritual being and I am always trying to grow spiritually. To better myself, I do a lot of research on this topic as well.

Any advice to younger artists?

Always follow your gut! Don’t live your life based on fear and follow your dreams no matter how many people tell you it is a bad idea and you won’t succeed. Never give up.

I try to live my own life by a few rules:

·   Be truthful to yourself and others

·   Always give your best

·  Be yourself, don’t try to impress others or try to fit in. You will always attract the wrong people in your life that way.

·  Never do onto others that you don’t want done to yourself - the “Law of Cause and Effect” is very much alive.

·  Always try to stay positive. Your thoughts control what happens to you - the “Law of Attraction”

·  Never give up. It’s not about how many times you fall, it’s about how many times you get up and try again.

Thanks Adriaan

We wish you all the best for the future!

Regards,

Steph