#knowyourbenoni – Next on artist Nan Spurway’s list is her master’s degree
Nanette Spurway, better known as Nan, has lived in Benoni for 54 years.
The artist only started studying at the age of 60.
She plans to do her master’s degree in the near future.
BCT: Tell us about your family.
NS: I have four children: Shaun and Perry, who both live in Benoni; Darren lives in Bedfordview and my daughter, Arabella Woods, lives in the United States of America.
BCT: Tell us about your childhood.
NS: I was born in Durban.
We then moved to the Free State, then Rhodesia and Swaziland.
When I moved to the East Rand I first lived in Brakpan for two years but moved to Benoni in 1963.
I have been here ever since.
BCT: Tell us about your education.
NS: I began studying at the age of 60 at Unisa.
I have an honours degree in visual arts and I really want to do my master’s degree in the near future.
I also have two diplomas, one in painting and one in advanced painting.
I also studied English at Unisa, have written nine books, three of which were published.
BCT: What kind of art do you do?
NS: I focus on oil painting but I have done sculptures and pottery.
In 2008 I won the Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Award for a sculpture I had made.
Unisa bought the sculpture for their collection.
I used the prize money from the competition to buy a pottery wheel, but normal clay pottery isn’t for me.
I do like porcelain pottery, though.
For my oil paintings I get inspiration from Old Dutch paintings.
Some of my favourite artists are Willem van Aelst and Jan van Huysum, both Dutch painters from the 16th and 17th century.
BCT: Do you think the quality of modern art is deteriorating?
NS: It is a difficult question because art has changed so much.
To create a genre you have to do what you want to do.
I also want to add that art requires an immense amount of discipline.
Copying others’ work is also a problem; if you want to do it for your own skills development, go ahead, but it must be for your personal use and must not be displayed or sold.
BCT: What are your plans?
NS: I would love to open a gallery of my own and next year I am going to give extra classes for higher grades.
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