Gallery – Amy Jane vdb

Unsung Art

Posted on July 22, 2020June 18, 2021 by Amy Jane

Click on Unsung’s Logo to listen to my Podcast Episode

During July 2020 I was interviewed by Warren and Inge from Unsung Art Podcast. I’ve worked with Unsung Art for years, and admire their continued efforts to give lesser-recognised artists in SA a platform to show and sell their work.

Unsung Art was launched in 2014 by Jessica Kramer as a means to give local artists an opportunity to sell their work online. Since then, it has been taken over by current owner/operators Inge and Warren, whose vision for the brand has bolstered it into one of the foremost online marketplaces for original South African art.Unsung Art strives to create a fantastic customer experience with each parcel wrapped with our uniquely branded packaging and a personalized note to the client, which can be customized for gifting.

Local artists now have a space to showcase their works and grow their art career in a safe and open environment.

With art for anyone’s taste, great customer service and free national shipping, there is no reason not to support the amazing local art talent in our beautiful country.

I have a selection of artworks available at Unsung Art online gallery.

The Golden Goose Artistry

Posted on July 22, 2020July 22, 2020 by Amy Jane

I am proud to be exhibited at The Golden Goose Artistry in Pretoria. I send new work regularly to the two shop-galleries.

MASSA

Posted on July 22, 2020July 22, 2020 by Amy Jane

One of my guilty pleasures is miniature art, which is why I am a committed member of MASSA (Miniature Art Society of South Africa)

The Miniature Art Society of South Africa was founded in 1992 at the instigation of Charmian Kennealy, who had participated in the Miniature Art Exhibitions throughout America and Canada, and Jeff Sochen whose interest in miniaturism was the catalyst needed to help her. The first meeting was held in February 1992.

With miniature art societies, world-wide, reviving the age old artform, it seemed only right that we, in this part of the world, should have a like-minded band of artists promoting and pursuing it. For many artists the more disciplined and detailed approach of miniature art was a welcome change from the predominantly large and freer paintings in fashion today.

The Society has some 65 members throughout South Africa. It has held successful exhibitions in all the main centres of South Africa. We are affiliated to the World Federation of Miniaturists and have participated successfully in four world exhibitions where our work was highly acclaimed. We keep in touch with the ten other recognised societies in the world through the exchange of newsletters.

Our headquarters are in Johannesburg ,and regular meetings and demonstrations are held in a pleasant little hall in Edenvale.

Beefeater Series

Posted on July 22, 2020December 24, 2020 by Amy Jane

This piece is a work in progress of a beefeater chopping some onions and tearing up (because, onions). My beefeaters series is my way of facing the bizarre traditions and rituals that are part of my British heritage. Beefeaters, to me, have become a tongue-in-cheek symbol of colonialism – they are the guards of all the so-called civilised, enlightened, proper, well-behaved ways of life. But they’re just smoke and mirror and beneath the facade of their ridiculous costumes, they’re just ordinary creatures of everyday habits.

This series is available at Out of the Cube online gallery.

Flights of Fancy

Posted on July 22, 2020July 22, 2020 by Amy Jane

A collaboration in whimsy by Amy Jane van den Bergh and Elizabeth Tristram

Whimsy (n) whim.sy | \ ˈhwim-zē

WHIM, CAPRICE
The quality or state of being whimsical or fanciful
A fanciful or fantastic device, object, or creation especially in writing or art

Both Fine Art graduates from Rhodes University, Elizabeth Tristram and Amy Jane van den Bergh have been working together over the past few years. “Flights of Fancy” is a collaborative exhibition between the two artists.

Each of the artworks began with Elizabeth’s watercolour succulents – a theme she enjoys exploring. Then, Amy Jane, whose art practice is focused on birds, screen printed the whimsical, playful figures over the completed paintings.

Watercolour captivates me, I fell in love with the delicacy and looseness required for watercolour work
Elizabeth Tristram

“I like my work to be playful and imaginatively illustrative”
Amy Jane VDB

What started as an exploration of the artists’ individual themes resulted in a collaborative body of work that celebrates playfulness and whimsy. This exhibition presents a refreshing perspective, to be relished by anyone who recognises that art is not always a serious business. It showcases the light-hearted nature of illustration, and the joy of creating, and of being artists.