South African Artists

South African artists Bongi Bengu was born in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal, grew up in exile, in Geneva, Switzerland and studied in High School in Switzerland and later Waterford Kamhlaba in Swaziland.

As a student in Swaziland, Bongi Bengu received a distinction for a research project, which included interviewing established and major artists who are now her colleagues at The Bag Factory Studios in Newtown, Johannesburg.
Bongi Bengu enrolled and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree Mount Vernon College, in Washington DC, and an Masters Degree in Fine Arts from The University of Cape Town. She has since participated in numerous international residencies and workshops.

More information on this South African artist

South African Artists

Today we are featuring South African artist Regi Bar David. She is one of South Africa’s few painters who has stuck with the genre of abstraction for many years and the inspiration and passion that she manifests in her work demonstrates her sincerity in her conviction, which offers the work integrity and justifies the critical and commercial successes it has garnered through the years.

Regi is inspired by the challenge of creating something out of nothing, the unpredictability of the medium and the thrill of pushing and pulling her medium to make this happen.
“My work offers me the freedom to be myself without social conditioning,” she says. “In it, I search for something bigger and more meaningful than myself.” In grappling with colour, line, tone, textures and the complex sensations they evoke for her, Regi is always surprised as images begin to appear out of the pouring, scratching, drawing, a methodology she uses based on gut instinct and passion. The layering of thought and possibility in Regi’s work blend a deep realization of spiritual evocations and physical existence, much of which is not on an articulate level, but operates with intuitive response.

She refers to the experience of one-ness with her colour as symphonic, and understands the thrill of blending possibilities and thus creating new, kaleidoscopic ones, as overwhelmingly exciting and addictive. “It’s the ultimate experience”, she says, referring to the ineffable which can be attained only occasionally and fleetingly in music or scent, in food or memories. The realization that a work is complete is beyond verbal explanation, but the sense of closure and beauty calms an inner sensibility within her. More info on this South African artist.

South African Artists at Arcy Art Original Oil Paintings

Today we are featuring South African artist Alan Ainslie from our directory of South African artists. Alan Ainslie's career as a wildlife artist commenced in 1984 when he was commissioned to produce wildlife paintings for a calendar. Alan Ainslie has had several solo exhibitions and has participated in numerous international wildlife exhibitions where his paintings were exhibited with the works of world-renowned artists such as Raymond Harris-Ching (New Zealand), Keith Joubert (South Africa), Kim Donaldson (South Africa), and Paul Bosman (USA). His first solo exhibition in 1987 was opened by well-known South African conservationist Clive Walker.
Committed to the conservation of wildlife in South Africa and elsewhere in the world, Alan Ainslie has donated part of the proceeds from his work to various wildlife organisations such as the Rhino & Elephant Foundation, Endangered Wildlife Trust, World Wide Fund for Nature and the Wildlife Group of the South African Veterinary Association.

In addition to his wildlife art, Alan Ainslie is also a successful graphic designer and illustrator. He has illustrated numerous stamp series, miniature sheets and first-day covers for India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. His stamp designs not only cover wildlife, but also portraits of international figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Nobel laureates including Nelson Mandela, Nadine Gordimer, Albert Luthuli and Desmond Tutu. In addition subjects that the artist has illustrated for stamps emcompass architecture, culture, transport and tourism. In 1996 Ainslie was commissioned by the South African government to create the inside front cover and watermark design for the country's new passport.

More information on South African artist Alan Ainslie

South African Artists at Arcy Art Original Oil Paintings

Todays featured South African artist listed on the South African artist directory of Arcy Art Original Oil Paintings is Joan Abrahams. She works in a variety of media including oil painting, ink, acrylic, gouache and watercolours. Joan Abrahams has paintings in private collections in countries around the world including UK, Canada, Israel, Australia and South Africa and has had several art exhibitions, both locally and in the UK.