Gallery opening paints brighter future

HIGHWAY residents are invited to attend the opening of the Woza Moya Gallery on Thursday, 22 August from 6.30pm at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, 26 Old Main Road in Hillcrest.

Woza Moya, the economic empowerment project of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, is delighted to be opening its gallery that will support local artists and craftsmen.

“We are delighted to have Ben Voss of Benny Bushwhacker fame opening the exhibition,” said Woza Moya’s manager, Paula Thomson.

“We have been struggling to find funding to open the gallery space when we were approached by Ben Voss, who has kindly donated prints and cards painted by his late grandmother, Lucy, and mother, Jane,” said Paula. “This generous donation from the Voss family will allow us to open the gallery space, and start the process of assisting grass-roots artists to get exposure. It is a wonderful legacy that I am sure Lucy and Jane Wiles would approve of.”

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The Wiles family have been artists for several generations and long domiciled in the Knysna region of the Eastern Cape. The style and range of subjects taken up by the artists of this family as a whole, has ranged from landscape to portraiture, which they practised to great public acclaim. It was largely through the success of Walter Gilbert Wiles, that the Wilderness and Knysna coastlines became known as Wiles country. Lucy and Jane ran the successful Wiles Gallery in Bathurst and sold original paintings, prints and cards.

“It is these beautiful prints and cards that we will use as a springboard to help other up-and-coming artists in our community,” said Paula.

On exhibition will be paintings and prints by all four generations of artists. This exhibition will be followed by an exhibition of donated paintings by the well-known local artist, Marjorie Jones, on Thursday, 19 September. Light snacks and refreshments will be served.

To support the gallery, email wozamarketing@hillaids.org.za.

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