Author: Keagon Borchards

With the #KnysnaArtProject well underway, the winds of rejuvenation are sweeping through greater Knysna, including Sedgefield. The interactive art project is coming to life just as South Africans are exploring more of their own country due to Covid-19’s impact on international travel.

Pleasure seekers will now have more reasons than ever to stop along the N2 and spend some time in areas such as Sedgefield, Buffalo Bay, Brenton-on-Sea, Knysna and Concordia. In a world where selfies and that perfect Instagram moment is now the most popular way of sharing photos and experiences worldwide, the #KnysnaArtProject is encouraging visitors to greater Knysna to branch out, explore and discover everything the area has to offer by creating a series of unique selfie opportunities. The initiative is an ambitious and exciting collaboration between Visit Knysna (the greater Knysna area’s destination marketing organisation), the Knysna Municipality and the Knysna Art Society.

A world-class outdoor mosaic capital
The small town of Sedgefield, a self-proclaimed “slow town” is a fusion of nature and a laidback lifestyle. The picturesque combination of five unspoiled beaches, towering dunes, meandering rivers and lakes makes the town a haven for water sports, hiking, and birdwatching. It is also a favourite spot for paragliding.

Whatever you do and wherever you go in Sedgefield, one thing is for certain – you will be enchanted by the vibrant mosaic work that has become such an integral and attractive part of the visual fabric of this town. What started as a project by artist and architect Squire Vickers at the beginning of the 1900s has grown to include more than sixty wonderous mosaic works.

Today Masithandane, a local NPO, is the creative force behind the ongoing mosaic project and the unveiling of their latest work will reveal their most impressive feat to date – the complete mosaic-ing of a full-size classic VW Beetle. Parked proudly alongside the estuary, this piece will be a drawcard to Sedgefield in its own right – with its open top, visitors will be able to climb into the Love Bug for an impressive Instagram pic.

Masithandane has been gifting the town with mosaics since 2008. What began as a skills training and income generation initiative for unemployed men spearheaded by local artists Linda Southey and Petricia Pieterse has multiplied into a collection of mosaics worthy of the 90-minutes it takes to complete the self-drive mosaic tour. Start at the Slow Papa Tortoise on the Main Street before moving on to the Tree of Life in front of the library, The Family at the entrance to the municipal offices, the MOTH Memorial, and the Ball of Hope. Then venture off down Kingfisher Drive where a series of mosaiced benches line the estuary before arriving at the car park where the Love Bug will be parked. Further along the route you’ll come upon the famous Marinara sculpture. The tour ends at the wonderful Octopus Garden at the Scarab Village, often the backdrop for staged events. Throughout the town home owners have shown their support for the project with their mosaiced house numbers and names.

The team at Masithandane is creating their new masterpiece under the direction of Hyla Hartlief who has been mentoring and teaching the craft of mosaic at Masithandane since 2018. A graphic designer by trade, Hyla moved to Sedgefield twenty years ago and fell in love with the craft of mosaic. She’s been on a roll ever since. “I fell in love with it. I mosaic everything [her own home features mosaiced planters and murals including a fully mosaiced garden wall],” says Hartlief who describes the process as addictive, requiring lots of patience, but still very relaxing. The new seahorse-mosaiced Knysna in Bloom pots outside Visit Knysna on Knysna’s Main Road are a testament to the talent and passion of Hartlief.

Ricardo Baadjies who has been working at Masithandane for eight years says he is hooked on mosaic for life. Sophia Nguma has been part of the Masithandane mosaic team from the beginning and explains that the art of mosaic is now a part of her. Petrus Kiewiets is a born artist and passionate about his mosaic work which he does full time. His pride in their #KnysnaArtProject piece is clear: “I would never have believed when I started here four years ago that I would ever be working on a project like this. It’s my life now!”

The day of the big reveal is drawing closer. Originally planned for the Knysna Oyster Festival, the team at Masithandane intended to launch the Love Bug with a full day of Beatlemania themed “Beetle around Sedgefield all day long and end the day in song”. When it happens, the celebrations will include a display of classic VW Beetles, an Amazing Race along the mosaic route and a Love Bug selfie competition. The day will culminate in ‘Beatlemania’, a festive fundraiser for Masithandane. Postponed due to Covid restrictions Masithandane will announce a new date for the launch as soon as those related to gatherings are lifted.

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Enquiries : Knysna Art Society
KnysnaArtsSociety@gmail.com
KnysnaArtRoute@gmail.com
Media@VisitKnysna.co.za

#knysnaartproject
The Sedgefield estuary is one of six iconic sites in Greater Knysna identified for public art placements in phase one of the project. A 2.2m statue of a Rastafari priest is about to take centre stage at Judah Square in Concordia. A giant nautilus sculpted from stainless steel and indigenous wood will grace the SANParks waterfront on Thesen Island, a contemporary steel impression of the Brenton Blue butterfly will be mounted at the viewpoint at Brenton on Sea, and in Buffalo Bay a “boardwalk” of surfboards painted by local artists is building the town’s reputation as a prime surfing destination. Knysna’s central business district will be cheered with the 70+ Knysna in Bloom flowerpots being turned into creative canvases for contributing artists.

Masithandane – the makers behind the mosaic route
Headed by Jacky Weaver, Masithandane provides vital services to the poorer community in Sedgefield. The vision was to provide community care for disadvantaged communities, care for the sick or terminally ill with the HUG Care and Respite Centre (House under Grace) and support for families and mothers and children.

A non-profit organisation (NPO), Masithandane has provided food security for thousands, catered for early childhood development and literacy, taught life skills to the members of the community and offered income based opportunities over the years. During the hard Covid lockdown they delivered 1700 weekly food parcels for several months.

Masithandane is the conduit for 25 community kitchens and feeding schemes in Sedgefield, Karatara, Rheenendal, Knysna, Hornlee and Plettenberg Bay. Some 2500 meals are provided each week, while 160 people get healthy meals every day.

In another section of the Centre, the laughter of children leads to the classroom or outdoor playground of principal of Ikhaya Lentliziyo. She came to Masithandane many years ago to follow her passion of looking after children, was unqualified, but now has formal qualifications and 38 children under her watchful eye.

Weaver points at a map in the Wellness Centre, of the area of the communities served and explains: “These are not just dots. Every single one represents a family. There are 1700 households in Smutsville, Slangepark and Sizamile with as many as eight people per household, many being helped by Masithandane,” says Weaver.

Masithandane derives its income from donations, fund-raising proposals and events and from mosaic interactive groups and tours.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/masithandane.org
or phone Tertia on 082 0460463

There is no better way to describe the magic that will soon brighten up Buffalo Bay than with the lingo of the surfers who come to ride the waves here. The #knysnaartproject “rips,” and the (surf)board-walk planned for the beachfront will be nothing short of “kiff”. “Totally stoked” is how those involved in the project describe the plans that are busy unfolding here.

Just a short drive from Knysna, Buffalo Bay is part of the Goukamma Marine Reserve and has long been a favourite weekend hangout for locals and sun-seeking holidaymakers in season. With its pristine pilot Blue Flag beach and spectacular, sprawling coastline scenery, Buffs, as it is affectionately known, is also reputed to have some of the best waves along the Garden Route and surfers can be seen speckling the sea all year round.

Now the #KnysnaArtProject will give pleasure-seekers yet another great reason to turn off the N2 and spend some time here. An ambitious and exciting collaboration between Visit Knysna (the greater Knysna area’s Destination Marketing Organisation), the Knysna Municipality and the Knysna Art Society, #knysnaartproject has been in the planning stages for over a year. The end results will be well worth the wait though and will no doubt stake Buffalo Bay as an iconic surfing destination.

“For Buffs, the concept for the #knysnaartproject was inspired by the surfers who come here – a series of six artworks on surfboards, staged as a permanent exhibition of sorts near the main swimming beach, the sprawling bay providing a picture-perfect backdrop for that been-there-done-that selfie,” explains Colleen Durant of Visit Knysna.

“First we needed the surfboards,” says Helena Gerber, Knysna Art Society chair, “so we put a call out on social media for second-hand ones. We ended up with twelve boards being donated – twice what we’d been looking for”. Each surfboard was refurbished and primed before being handed over to an artist.

“But at the same time, word was getting out about the project and more and more artists started approaching us with requests to participate. We found ourselves in a position where we didn’t have enough surfboards to go around but we also didn’t want to say “no” to anyone. So we’ve made a plan and negotiated a bulk purchase from a supplier.” This means that the Buffs Boardwalk will now showcase the contributions of more than thirty local artists. And others can be added in future.

At the forefront of the Buffalo Bay component of the #knysnaartproject is the passionate force of Waldermar van Wyk, “Wildy” to his friends. Wildy has been a Knysna local since 1995. “I came to do a music gig with PJ Powers and just never left,” is how he explains it.

Since then, Wildy has shared his love of music with hundreds of students from far afield through his music academy, The Garden Route Music Collective. His mother Barbara van Wyk is a household name in the world of teaching music while both his sisters are music professors. Wildy himself has been offered overseas scholarships in the fields of music and arts and is the founder of The Knysna Jazz Quartet.

Wildy is the resident champion for the Buffalo Bay “Boardwalk” and creative director for the project. “Wildy is not only a brilliant musician but he is also an award-winning surfer and a highly accomplished artist. He lives, works and surfs in Buffs – we couldn’t have found a better face and voice for the project,“ explains Helena.

Wildy is the consummate surf-rat, never missing the gap to head for that perfect wave. Feathers in his cap are provincial colours for surfing and Springbok judging colours. “Surfing is at the core of everything I do,” he says. According to Wildy, Buff’s Bay has waves that can compete with any in the world because of the nature of the surf. “Here we get good consistent waves, a short window for excellent waves, but conditions which are perfect for beginners and experienced surfers, for all levels of proficiency,” says Wildy who has been teaching people to surf since he was a child.

Along with his own board-work for the Boardwalk, Wildy is working on a large sign for the beachfront. A glimpse at his sketches reveals that it is less a sign and more of an artwork in its own right – a beautifully illustrated map of the surf along with some pointers on surf etiquette and guidelines on safety.

However, his most notable contribution to the project will be a mural on the railway bridge that you pass through just as you turn off the N2 towards Buffalo Bay. Wildy is about to start painting a giant wave over the arch.

Waves have been a primary source of inspiration in his paintings. He describes his work as drawing and painting at the same time since he has a novel way of dripping paint which he says is a way of combining both talents. During the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 Wildy created thirty paintings in anticipation of an exhibition later this year. In the meantime, he has a few on display at his new living and working premises alongside the RiverDeck farm stall (opposite the popular RiverDeck restaurant), where he is bringing all his passions together in one place.

Wildy has set up a surf shop here offering top-of-the-range gear – the first of its kind in Knysna. Premium quality but reasonably priced, the quirky #kiffsurfboards is already attracting surfers from up and down the Garden Route. With its painted surfboard signs and bright wave mural, the shop perfectly complements the spirit and style of the #knysnaartproject. “I want local surfers to be excited, to buy-in and take ownership of our beautiful beach and waves, our Buffalo Bay area,” says Wildy.

In the not-too-distant future, this will also be where Wildy paints, teaches music and performs. A laid-back jazz bar is on the cards and he’s moving his surfboard repair workshop and custom-board manufacturing business here. Wildy has made more than sixty custom-made surfboards to date and has recently started offering customised artworks on them too.

Chairman of the Buffalo Bay Ratepayers’ Association, Jacques Malan, summed up the response to the project in the area. “We love it, we absolutely love it,” he said praising organisers of the #knysnaartproject, Visit Knysna and the Knysna Art Society.

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#knysnaartproject

The Buffalo Bay beachfront is one of six iconic sites in Greater Knysna identified for public art placements in phase one of the project. A 2.2m statue of a Rastafari priest is about to take centre stage at Judah Square in Concordia. A giant nautilus sculpted from stainless steel and indigenous wood will grace the SANParks waterfront on Thesen Island, contemporary steel and mosaic impressions of indigenous Knysna fynbos and Brenton Blue butterfly will be mounted at viewpoints in Belvidere and Brenton on Sea respectively, and in Sedgefield a full-size, fully-mosaiced classic VW beetle will be parked alongside the estuary as the latest addition to the town’s celebrated Mosaic Route. Knysna’s central business district will be cheered with the 70+ Knysna in Bloom flowerpots being turned into creative canvases for contributing artists.

Historically Knysna had a reputation as the place to find and indulge in art. Now the Knysna Art Project is set to reclaim the town’s position as a “must go” destination on the art map.

The Knysna Art Project has been a year in the planning but will soon be rolled out with the installation of a show-stopping 2.2m sculpture of a Rastafarian priest at the iconic Judah Square in Concordia, home to South Africa’s biggest Rastafarian community. Local ceramicist Eugene Lewis is working on the final touches under the mentorship of well-known sculptor and artist Suzanne du Toit.

So far six iconic Knysna sites have been earmarked as spots for unique art installations: the impressive sculpture at Judah Square, a giant nautilus made from stainless steel and indigenous wood at Thesen Harbour Town on Thesen Island, in front of SANParks offices; stainless steel impressions of Knysna fynbos and butterflies at Belvidere and Brenton on Sea; a series of surfboards painted by local artists will create a “boardwalk” at Buffalo Bay, and in Sedgefield a mosaic VW beetle by NPO Masithandane will be the latest addition to the town’s Mosaic Route. In time, Knysna’s CBD will also be cheered with existing “Knysna in Bloom” pots along the Main Road being turned into creative canvases; the initial installations of the latter being outside the Visit Knysna information office.

The goal of the Knysna Art Project is to encourage locals, domestic and foreign tourists to explore more of the greater Knysna area, discover all it has to offer, Instagram it and share with the rest of the world.
The project is a collaboration between the Knysna Art Society, Visit Knysna (Destination Marketing Organisation), Knysna Municipality (local economic development) and The Western Cape Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Wesgro).

The Knysna Art Society (KAS) is overseeing the project, their aim being to revive the culture of art in the town – at a time that could not be more opportune. KAS is involved in the actual art installations and is playing an instrumental role in encouraging local artists to contribute. The KAS is also playing a pivotal role in the general art resurgence in Knysna by becoming a magnet for artists, a place to encourage and grow their presence in the town. The number of KAS members has seen a phenomenal increase, driven by artists wanting to participate in the exciting art initiatives underway.

Another significant project that the KAS is busy with is an art route/map which will be finalised in time for the 2021 Knysna Oyster Festival. Once completed, the Art Route will guide visitors on a meander of art, sculpture and working studios in the greater Knysna area.

Art Society chairperson Helena Gerber says this is the perfect time for the art renaissance in Knysna and that there has been a silver lining that has come from Covid-19 with artists finding time to enjoy and explore their creativity. “During Covid-19 and the 2020 lockdown periods artists took to their palettes and homeowners began moving furniture, renovating and doing DIY projects – with many seeking that perfect piece of art to complement their home improvements,” says Helena.

Taking advantage of this, the KAS is now on a mission “to inspire, to create vision and a platform for all artists in the community in a way that is authentic, creative and supportive,” says Helena.

Helena explains that during 2020 when galleries were closed artists were compelled to take to digital platforms with the result being that the KAS website www.knysnaarts.com has become a busy and vibrant platform connecting artists with one another, but also a place where those looking for art can explore and connect with talented artists.

A Facebook group, Artists Unite set up by the Knysna Art Society has also become a place where artists are empowered and encouraged to brainstorm.

“The energy of art in greater Knysna is very special. The area is densely populated with talented artists, attracted by the natural beauty and the lifestyle. Art generated here ends up all over the world,” says Helena.

Visit Knysna and the Knysna Art Society are working hand in hand to expand and grow the art route. “The listings on the Knysna Art Route are growing weekly. There is still a lot of work to be done on getting all of the art experiences available to the public mapped out. Greater Knysna has a treasure chest of uncelebrated gems that are yet to be added as we create the art route,” says Colleen Durant, GM of Visit Knysna.

Knysna executive mayor Ricky van Aswegen says of the Knysna Art Society, “It is a community linking artists, galleries, studios and crafters and an integral and notable contributor to the visitor appeal, but also the economy of the town. Greater Knysna boasts a creative history but over the years the area has become a destination for leisure activities with the focus on art and culture dwindling.”

Check out www.knysnaarts.com and get lost in a virtual tour of the talent that abounds in greater Knysna. This website gives a peek into the world of local artists, details an art-crawl of the various galleries, and is also the place to look for art-related news and relevant events in the area.

At www.knysnaarts.com you will also find several local artists whose work has winged its way to the far corners of South Africa and the globe. Explore the world of Artwell Musungate whose African art rocks, check out iconic Guy Thesen’s work. See Veronica de Voogt’s passion for wildlife which she explores through bronze metal statues. Richard Henley was a boat builder so see what he can do when it comes to making amazing furniture from indigenous wood. Browse the talent of Knysna: Nanna Joubert, Julie Tugwell, Gavin Foster, Jan Raats and others – some household names and some emerging artists.

Explore the Knysna Art Route at www.knysnaarts.com which introduces galleries, studios and other art venues, giving visitors the opportunity to engage with local artists and encouraging them to get out and experience art first-hand. Included on the map are a wide range of arty places from the newly established Art on Queen, Jandreart Studio on Thesen Island to the latest happening at Entabeni Farm which hosts international artists a few times a year. Visit the bohemian Faithfully Yours, Blaze Jewellery Art or find hundred percent unique South African and local design at Iphupho Creative Designs.

The aim is to have the first edition of the Knysna Art Route map ready for this year’s Knysna Oyster Festival in July but it will be updated regularly with new artists and art spaces. The Art Route will also feature the installations currently being created as part of Visit Knysna’s Interactive Art Project.

In the rundown to the Knysna Art Project being rolled out, keep your eye on www.knysnaarts.com to see ways you too can become part of this revival. Whether you are an accomplished artist or an aspiring artist, there is place for everybody living in the greater Knysna area to contribute to the beauty of this town in many different arty and creative ways.

Contact Helena Gerber from the Knysna Art Society on email knysnaartssociety@gmail.com for more information, or call 082 657 4122.