Art Blog

Exploring Anthea Delmotte

Born in Windhoek, Namibia in 1970, where the environment, nature, people and culture made strong impressions on her, Anthea Delmotte has always been interested in all forms of art, and especially in painting.

Her inspirations are changing all the time and she sees herself as an eternal student of the arts. She sees herself an art scientist who experiments; an art psychologist who analyse herself and the outer world; an art preacher that express her experiences and an art politician that speaks about whats happening in her enviroment. Art.co.za asked Anthea about how she sees the world and what creatively inspires her.

ARTCOZA [A]: What's your favourite place in the world?

ANTHEA DELMOTTE [AD]: I enjoy variety and exploring. There is more to see, more to learn in being open to all that is new than favouring one thing. I always say that I live in the world. That's how I think too.

[A]: What's one thing you know you do differently to most people?

[AD]: I am very different to most people. I think different, do different, live different.

[A]: Summer or winter.

[AD]: I love summer! Love everything about it. The warmth, opportunities like going to the sea, the fruit, the smells, the vibe, and the little washing!

[A]: Do you have a creative muse?

[AD]: Creativity is a living happening. Constantly changing. I'm constantly checking out what creativity has to offer. Open to seeing the beauty in all.

[A]: What would you save from your burning house?

[AD]: My kids, of course.

Green: Johan Louw with portrait of Willem Bouwer

Oil on canvas on board (900 x 600mm)

[A]: What is the purpose of making art?

[AD]: This is something that facinates and inspires me. This is the basis for my portals series where I depict creative individuals in their spaces. It facinates me that writers speak to the mind of millions, musicians do that with tunes and words and visual artists with a million words in one image. It's another form of communication....the image. Because of it being in image rather than word, it speaks more on a subconscious level, much purer.

Words can be used to manipulation. And thus carry little value in truth. Words stay the same, but the intentions differ. Images are less subject to manipulation. Speak more in truth. You have to seek originality though, not commercialism.

[A]: Do you have any habits you do while you're creating your work?

[AD]: Music and dancing. Sometimes I do silence.

[A]If you could have lived in any decade, which would it be and why?

[AD]: If I have to choose, it would be early midieval, but I would want to be a trader, traveller or farmer. I love the period on a visual level: the designs, the rawness and naturalness of the time.

[A]: What is your most treasured possession?

[AD]: I know this is uncomfortable for people around me, but in honesty..my deceased son's stuff.

[A]: How do you know when an artwork is complete?

[AD]: It just tells me. It just feels right at that point.

View her portfolio: www.art.co.za/antheadelmotte

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