POLOKWANE – Here she gets lost in her thoughts.
“Art is my way to relax. I spend every free minute in my studio,” she explains.
Ellaine finished her school career in Polokwane and after getting married in 1968, she and her late husband moved to several towns before ending up in Mokopane in 1982.
Later she moved to Polokwane where she designed her own home as well as the garden, which is now a paradise for an assortment of birds.
“I love gardening, my garden has been featured in a gardening magazine and I’ve won several prizes. Gardening is another of my great passions,” she adds.
Apart from her gardening, Ellaine also loves her artwork, working with oil paint is her favourite medium. She shares her knowledge and experience by giving art classes since last year.
“I started out with water paint as my medium and attended many workshops to improve my skills. Currently I only give class to adults, although I had some requests to teach children too. I might consider incorporating a class for children next year if there is enough interest,” she continues.
She explains that although she loves to do landscapes and flowers, she often paints other objects as her students enjoy a variety of art pieces.
“I’m beginning to paint portraits as well, something I find quite enjoyable. We usually trace a picture but recently started to do freehand painting which is a lot more satisfying.”
Along with all her pastimes, Ellaine also enjoys textile crafting and ribbon embroidery. Apart from her art classes she is also a water aerobics instructor and has been giving classes for the past 12 years.
“Many physiotherapists send their patients to my classes, usually with outstanding results and improvements. The water buoyancy and resistance ensure that the patient does not experience the same amount of pain they would while doing normal exercises, leaving them free to do the necessary exercises to strengthen their muscles and improve their ailments.”
maretha@nmgroup.co.za
