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About The Artist

Alet Swarts is a Pretoria based artist.
Her artworks deal with the moments when one becomes aware or conscious of something, the satisfying moment when incongruous ideas are juxtaposed in one’s mind in order to make sense of an idea. The works are filled with metaphorical images, textures and patterns, sometimes out of context, to suggest ambiguity. They are painted in great detail, with meditative precision and intensity, as a contradiction to the lightness and fleetingness of the moments they represent.
Artist CV
1963: Born on 12th October in Johannesburg.
1981: Matriculate ( Afrikaans Hoër Meisiesskool, Pretoria.)
1982: Study Fine Arts at L’Academie des Beaux Arts de Meuron in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, working and traveling through Europe.
1983-1986: Study BA (Fine Arts) Information Design at the University of Pretoria.
1983: New Signatures Merit Award for Painting.
1985: Award for “Best Third Year Information Design Student”, Department of Visual Arts, University of Pretoria.
1986: Join Graphicor (Design Consultancy in Johannesburg) as Junior Designer.
1987: Promoted to Senior Designer & Art Director at Graphicor.
1988: Finalist for the CNA Book Design Award for the design of Obie Oberholzer’s book: “Ariesfontein to Zuurfontein”.
1989: Start own business: “The Creative Crescent” (a Graphic Design Consultancy) and become involved in lecturing Information Design (part-time) at the University of Pretoria.
1995-1999: Start to focus on illustration and painting, while still lecturing as well as acting as coordinator for the 1st Year Information Design Course at the University of Pretoria.
2000: Designed the “International Year of Peace” stamp and first-day envelope, commissioned by the Philatic Services of the South African Post Office, issued on
19th September 2000.
2000 until today: Painting full time, working towards perfecting various techniques in acrylics as well as studying the oil painting techniques of the Old Masters under the guidance of Elizabeth Riding.
Guest lecturer in Illustration and Information Design at the University of Pretoria, until 2003.
Exhibitions
2010
July 2010: "Decade" (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
2009
July 2009: "Scenario" (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
November 2009: "Feathered Friends" (Group Exhibition), Association of Arts, Pretoria
2008
May 2008: Centenary Exhibition at University of Pretoria (Group exhibition curated by Elfriede Dreyer)
June 2008: Innibos Art Festival, Nelspruit (Group Exhibition), Association of Arts, Pretoria
July 2008: “Still Life” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
November 2008: “Metaphor” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
2007
April 2007: “St Sebastian” (Group Exhibition), Association of Arts, Pretoria
July 2007: “EVIDENCE” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
November 2007: “PROJECT” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
2006
July 2006: “Content” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
November 2006: “ICON” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
2005
May 2005: “Artists from Pretoria” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
November 2005: “Aspect” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
2004
September 2004: “Narrative” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
2003
February 2003: “Era” (Group Exhibition) Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
May 2003: “Sedibeng sa Limpho – Spring of Gifts” (Group Exhibition) curated by Frances Coulter @ the Soan Gallery, London
September 2003: “Fortitude” (Group Exhibition) Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
November 2003: “Femina” (Group Exhibition), Association of Arts, Pretoria
2002
May 2002: “20/20” (Group Exhibition) Association of Arts, Pretoria
July 2002: “All Sorts” (Group Exhibition), Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
October 2002: “Facets” (Group Exhibition) Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg
2001
March 2001: Group Exhibition (Lecturers, Visual Department U.P.), Frieda van Schalkwyk Art Consulting, Pretoria
August 2001: “Femina 2001” (Group Exhibition), Association of Arts, Pretoria
September 2001: Solo Exhibition “Defining Moments”, Brooklyn Art Gallery, Pretoria
1999
November 1999: Group exhibition: The Millenium Gallery, Pretoria
1998
November 1998: Group exhibition: The Millenium Gallery, Pretoria
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