Coffee with Cinnamon

It was 8:00 and the two of us are holding on to our coffees for dear life (because nobody functions without coffee this early) at the Hazelwood Food Market at the Greenlyn Village in Pretoria. More details about the market later. The reason we came together was to kick off the first official post for our blog.

Introductions are in order, I think. My name is Clara Jansen and I am clutching coffee with my fellow blogger, Chandré Nortier. The aim of this escapade is to introduce her to our readers. Many other escapades will follow as the two of us will be visiting craft and flea markets, conventions, tradeshows, share some DIY ideas and good restaurants in the ways we understand how. The blog, for me, is all about getting out and enjoying whatever I may find.

Down to brass tacks; this post is not about me. It is to introduce Chandré…

Chandré is a second year Fine Arts student at the Tshwane University of Technology majoring in Painting and Printmaking. She defines printmaking as a traditional form of art capturing an image on a two dimensional surface by not drawing or painting it. Methods of printmaking include Silkscreen printing, etching and lino. She admires British-Nigerian artist Yinko Shonibare and South African artist Desireé Malan. The end goal for this talented lady is to have a career in restoring art or become a lecturer for Art Theory.

In a world where artists are making more and more extreme art statements and try to shock the viewer, she feels that art is allowed to still be beautiful and does not need to make a statement or be extreme. In her art she focuses more on the aesthetic value and technique of the painting or print, rather than the concept. She considers her skill to be stronger than her conceptual development, which links to the fact that she is also a crafter.

Yes, this lady has many talents. Some of her other skills are very much related to craft and textiles. She can knit, crochet, sew, quilt and do fibre art. Ironically she prefers crafting over her majors at university due to the fact that she does not like to have dirty hands.

To conclude our first official post I had to ask if she would rather hug a Grizzly bear or a Honey badger. Her answer was the Honey badger. Good luck with that…

Have a splendid week filled with coffee, good food, beautiful things and good friends.

Peace and Love

Clara