There's just some things that Time cannot erase...

"Still Haunting me"
Annemie Odendaal - Charcoal

Once while visiting in Washington, I saw a park with statues for unknown fallen soldiers. It stirred something inside of me, not specifically because it was for soldiers, just because of the intense pain I felt when I saw it. It somehow echoed my own pain and loss. I came back home and immediately drew this sketch, to remind me of how moved I was by this incident.

What do you see?

"Metanoia"
Charcoal, 40cmx40cm - Annemie Odendaal

As an artist, you are required to look at things a little differently, a little deeper. Paint that emotion behind the eyes, capture the magic that isn't visible on the surface. You have to look at an object and see how things really are. You can not draw from memory, you have to really look investigatively. We have to examine every angle, it is the only way to develop or grow in your style.

Years ago the Impressionists tried this for the first time, followed by the post-impressionists, expressionists and cubists. Until then, everybody painted just what they saw on surface and from memory. Everything was picture perfect and pretty. Almost documentary, which make sense, since there wasn't any cameras.

Beauty and Ugliness

Welcome to my artist page. Here I would like to share my art as I learn, experiment and develop it.

After obtaining my BA(BK) Information Design degree, I worked as a graphic designer for a few years. I then took a break exploring other businesses and travelling extensive, but always had this gnawing urge to express myself through my art. So I soon returned to art, but exploring it through fine art and different mediums.

I am inspired and fascinated by the human spirit and the balance between beauty and ugliness in everything I encounter in my everyday life, love and travels. Through my pain and explorations I encounter growth and miracles which leaves me speechless and in awe.

Even though life can be fragile and fleeting, still I'd like to stand still for a moment and reflect on those things that make this journey worth while, and hopefully inspire you too.

"Sometimes I feel that I can never be enough; other times that I am way too much. The truth is, I am more than I ever imagined I could be."

Annemie