Art

“I have traversed the continent of Africa visiting many fascinating places over the past 47 years, just as my forefathers did, and with these journeys much time alone was spent in the bush veldt.  There are certain scenes that stayed with me, they stirred my soul, and I was almost compelled to explore this  inner self as there were no phones, no TV, no people to talk to, only the natural scenes, smell, sounds of the wild. 

Art, however good or bad is one such expression, especially when you get back to civilisation and from my studio where my creative thoughts come into play, I can dabble in paint which takes me right back to explore a particular scene that is etched in my mind.  The varied places, life forms, and general landscapes have inspired me to paint them in my own way!  This journey of inspiration and learning has opened my eyes to the incredible variation in colours and tones. Plants, especially trees, are one such  interesting subject matter.”

Mana Pools National Park - Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe’s ‘World Heritage Site’. 
“A wilderness of great beauty and leaves you completely enveloped in the spirit of the place.  One of Africa’s ‘Last Edens’.”  Julie Anne spent alot of her life intimately traversing this area on foot, horseback canoe and 4×4. 
This is the first of her Mana inspirations on canvass. 

 

Mana Magic
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Original by Julie Anne Edwards		 Julie Anne has had no formal art training, however she enrolled with Jerry Yarnell Online School of Fine Art to further her own study. “Jerry has been a real inspiration to me and for those who would like to further their passion and learn the detail in fineart painting technique. Here is a direct link” Jerry Yarnell Online School of FineArt

Indigenous Aloes & Landscape of KwaZulu Natal
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Original by Julie Anne Edwards		 Best time to see them flowering is in the months of June, July and August. Aloes are protected species and may not be collected from the veld.
   
           
 
Country Farm River Bank – Yarnell Study
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
by Julie Anne Edwards		 Old Fence Post, Bird & Plant – Yarnell Study
Medium: Arcrylic on canvas
by Julie Anne Edwards

                     

Black Rhino – Threatened with Extinction!
Medium: Watercolor
Original by Julie Anne Edwards		 Flamingos at Magdigadi Salt Pan - Most of their feeding & breeding sites are specially protected, but the species like most is threatened!
Medium: Arcrylic on canvass
Original by Julie Anne Edwards
Malachite Kingfisher
Medium: Watercolor
Original by Julie Anne Edwards		 Cowboys In The Rain – Yarnell Study
Medium: Acrylic on canvass
by Julie Anne Edwards
Black Rhino
Medium: Acrylic on canvass
Original by Julie Anne Edwards
 
“I once took a party of 8 artists from the USA on safari for an entire month. 4 were vegetarian and 4 were meat eaters, I have never in my life met such a diverse group of individuals.  Nevertheless the safari was a great sucess despite the fact it was tricky to please everyone all at the same time, however, I did manage this and  guided them from one end of Zimbabwe to the other and cooked every single meal for them on the old campfire.  However, watching them paint on the edge of the Zambezi River, allowing themselves this freedom of expression was the most inspiring gift they shared with me, how I envied their individual freedoms of expression.  I finally permitted my own self to further explore this form of expression and to be honest its been and continues to be so much fun! 
 
I believe in the individual freedoms of expression, God provided us with many gifts and its up to us to choose and use as we wish. Its not about being good or bad at something, but about the journey of exploration in our lives, just as I go off on safari on foot, horseback, bicycle or driving the 4×4 discovering new places on the continent of Africa and other parts of the world!  Though the art form is on an even deeper level and possibly more intense.”  Julie Anne Edwards

 More to come…

 

Be Sociable, Share!