For years, the Karoo lived in my imagination, sparked by Eve Palmer’s “The Plains of Camdeboo.” That book painted a vivid picture of wide open spaces and a quiet, powerful strength that made me long to visit.
That pull became a reality last year when my partner Johannes and I visited Graaff-Reinet. I wanted to paint; he wanted to see his father, who lives there. Driving through those endless plains, a long-forgotten part of me stirred – that feeling of being a tiny speck under a giant sky, like childhood days spent in Namibia. And those skies! They stretched endlessly, a wash of incredible blues, fading into the hazy shapes of distant mountains.
Life has its ironies. Just as I settled back into a nice rhythm in the lovely, but increasingly pricey, village of Stanford, the rent climbed steeply, nudging me to seek a new view. As if on cue, the perfect piece of land appeared in Adendorp, near Graaff-Reinet, at just the right price and time. The land seemed to welcome us. We jumped at the opportunity.
This move is more than a change of address; it’s an artistic turning point. For a decade, the lush greens of the Overberg dominated my canvases. Now, the Karoo is calling, offering a new visual language and a chance to stretch my limited palette and tonalist ideas amidst its stunning, if somewhat un-lush, scenery. This is a new artistic journey and I’m excited to see where it leads.
The way I love to play with light and shadow on canvas feels tailor-made for the Karoo. The bold, dramatic light here carves the landscape into striking contrasts, whispering secrets in the subtle shifts that dance across the plains. This landscape resonates deeply with my artistic approach and my love of landscape painting.
My first real taste of this Karoo light was less than a year ago. We were staying at Paddock Cottage on Dalham Farm, just outside Graaff-Reinet on the Murraysburg Road – a true haven of peace and quiet. The sunrise that morning was a full-blown, Technicolor extravaganza, and that scene inspired my first Karoo painting. The Karoo light is something special. We’ve come quite a way since then.
So, here we are, with Phase 1 of our tiny-house build nearing completion, and Phase 2 on the horizon. Life is starting to feel a little more ‘normal,’ and I’m settling back into a regular painting practice, ready to dive headfirst into the unique beauty of the Karoo. Join me on my journey as I explore and paint this captivating landscape.