Adele Jansen van Rensburg’s artistic approach to life
The local artist invited the paper into her home so we could find out more about her.
Found constantly perfecting her craft, is local Adele Jansen van Rensburg.
The businesswoman and artist has hopes of one day making art accessible to all. In the meantime, she puts her paint brushes down to sit with the paper as a way to share more about herself.
Adele describes herself as someone who is always working on herself to be a better person. That work is not limited to personal growth though, as it is also something she does through her artwork. Though she never studied art, her passion for it is something she also had from when she was a little girl.
When she took over the running of the Lillian Gray Fine Art School she, at first, questioned if she was up for the challenge, “I thought who am I to fill these shoes, but then I also asked myself, who am I not to?”, highlighting this position as one that needed her to be courageous.
Another aspect of her life she had to meet with courage was the exhibition of her art in Barcelona.The art she exhibited there was an effort to raise awareness of the sexual abuse of children, a topic close to the artist’s heart. Adele said in some cases, parents do not know how to properly empower their child on the topic of sexual education as they are either too scared or fearful. For her, it is important to arm children with the knowledge they need regarding the topic so they can differentiate between what the appropriate behaviour of an adult should be, and the power a child has to say ‘no’ should they feel violated.
To create powerful messages like this one and her many other pieces, the Fairland resident uses oil paint to produce bold, colourful portraits. On days she is not seated in front of an easel and canvas, she is doing cartwheels in the garden with her daughter.
Family is important to the wife and mother, and taking the time to be with her husband and little girl, is something she couldn’t do without – whether it is going to the local park, or just taking a stroll through the neighbourhood.
Within her community, she has come to love the fact that she knows most of her neighbours, which to her is something to appreciate, as it means she not only gets to know the people around her but it adds to a sense of safety. “Fairland is a stunning area and I love that you always see people running or taking their dogs for a walk.”
In her lifetime, she hopes to make art more accessible to all, a hope she and her company hope to make a reality. She believes anyone can learn art, no matter their age or who you may be. “My favourite people are those who haven’t picked up a paintbrush in their life, because they surprise themselves, and it is awesome to be a witness to that process.”
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