Hoedies artist Johan Botha’s exhibition starts in October
Drawing his inspiration from the philosopher, Steven Fry, artist Johan Botha converts what he observes around him into art.
As a self-taught professional artist, his art reflects his interpretation of life and nature. “I was born in Potchefstroom and completed two years at art school. I only became a professional artist in my thirties. In my twenties, I worked as an educational illustrator, but I am mainly self-taught,” Botha told the Herald.
“I believe if you stay true to yourself and are open to the world around you, you learn things when you should. Although, I wish I knew earlier in life not to take myself or the world too seriously,” Botha says. He works from home where he takes care of his beloved cat, Mila.
“On a good day, I work for twelve hours, otherwise it’s usually 10 hours.” He is greatly influenced by the work of the philosopher, Stephen Fry.
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“He is a great thinker, poet, and humanist,” said Botha. During the Covid-19 lockdown, he took time to further hone his skills. “It gave me time to think about what I really wanted to paint and subsequently came up with a series of paintings that depict my inner thoughts. It also gave me a chance to experiment with different styles and techniques in a single painting,” he says.
Botha concluded by saying that it is his dream for his work to be recognised internationally. His paintings will be exhibited at Studio 527 in
Hoedspruit in October. For enquiries, contact 082 852 5925. Botha is available for commission pieces for lodges or private orders as well as his forest paintings.
