I truly believe that life is beautiful and therefore easily find inspiration in everyday life and especially in nature. And as much as I absolutely love the Grand Canyons, Zions, Table Mountains, and Swiss Alps of this world, I enjoy finding inspiration in a field I might have passed a million times before, but today the sun maybe catches it in a different way, and the clouds might carry a purple color, or maybe there are wildflowers that yesterday were buds and tomorrow will wilt.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I was born and raised in breathtaking South Africa. Beyond just its beauty, South Africa has inexplicable creative energy to it that I am so grateful to have spent the first 37 years of my life surrounded by. It is difficult to quantify the impact one’s “village” has on you but the impact is undeniable, and much of who I am, how I live, how I view life, and, of course, how I paint, is influenced by the privilege of growing up at the southern tip of Africa.
My “village” was filled with wonderful people from various cultural backgrounds, but mostly with people from the Afrikaans speaking South African community — generally referred to as Afrikaners. There is a traditional Afrikaans song that chants “Afrikaners is plastering”. This can be broadly translated to mean that Afrikaners are fun, happy, good-natured, easy-going people with a passion for life — and this cannot be more true.
The belief that life is inherently beautiful was instilled in me long before I picked up a paintbrush in any professional capacity. I truly believe life is beautiful. I’m not saying it’s without struggles, but I am saying that we can find incredible beauty even in the midst of our greatest struggles. I’m grateful to my parents, family, friends, and the greater South African community for their investment made in me.
These days my journey of growth is impacted by a broader, international “village,” which is extremely exciting. About six years ago the U.S.A. granted my family permanent residency, and we are humbled by how welcoming the American community has been. The U.S.A. obviously has no need for us, but saw some potential in us, and gave us the opportunity to explore a future in this wonderful country.
We have a deep appreciation for the giving nature of the American people. The quality of American galleries, festivals, and art is exceptional. By implication, the artists are truly inspiring, and they tend to be the most wonderful and welcoming people as well. The artistic mastery I’m surrounded by is certainly cultivating a personal desire to continually learn and grow in my own abilities. So the journey continues.
My father was a pharmacist by profession but an artist by heart, and he exposed my sister and me to the world of fine arts from a very young age. By the time I graduated from college I had a fair bit of painting experience and was familiar with quite a few well-recognized professional artists who had managed to build meaningful art careers.
I attended one of these artists’ solo exhibitions and immediately knew this was what I wanted to do. I realized, however, that I would have to be financially successful in order to build a sustainable career — something that is extremely difficult to accomplish as an artist. I knew this well, but I had my heart set. I remember sharing this dream with a few friends and asking them to pray with me about it. The rest, as they say, is history.
3. What kind of theme inspires you and how would you describe your aesthetics?
As I mentioned before, I truly believe that life is beautiful and therefore easily find inspiration in everyday life and especially in nature. And as much as I absolutely love the Grand Canyons, Zions, Table Mountains, and Swiss Alps of this world, I enjoy finding inspiration in a field I might have passed a million times before, but today the sun maybe catches it in a different way, and the clouds might carry a purple color, or maybe there are wildflowers that yesterday were buds and tomorrow will wilt.
Those unexpected scenes. I take so many pictures of the beauty around me that my phone can’t hold it all. I’m grateful for cloud storage. If the cloud breaks, it’s me, sorry! Inspiration is fed by an awareness of the stimulant. Think for a moment about what those potential stimuli might be and how you become aware of them. When you see a beautiful landscape, do you perceive it with your eyes only?
I don’t think so. It’s not purely visual. It’s not merely rocks, trees, and flowers. What about the smell, touch, sounds, history, and personal experience all working together to create emotion that makes an impression upon you? Ultimately you see the landscape with more than your eyes. I try to communicate this context through a bold impressionistic style. My aim is to bring you into the experience, I want you to feel the emotion of a beautiful landscape and celebrate the beauty of life.
4. What are the challenges of being an artist and how do you overcome them?
At first, it was dealing with rejection. When we create and show our work to the world we bravely choose to be vulnerable. Facing rejection can be tough. I remember the very first gallery owner I had dealings with. She had my work in storage for months before giving it some exposure. I almost gave up, and actually wanted to fetch my dust-collecting paintings from her.
But I chose to be persistent and not to make it personal. This same gallery owner eventually became hugely instrumental in my initial success. Another challenge was dealing with the business side of things. I know some artists don’t mind the admin but I do and the 1,400 unread emails in my personal mailbox are testament to the fact.
I was introduced to a fantastic agent who saw potential in my work and decided to take me on as his sole artist for many years. He did a great job on the business and marketing side so that I could focus on my art. One must acknowledge and address one’s weaknesses. You don’t have to do this alone, nor should you.
I had to pay the agent a large share of my sales, but it was absolutely worth it. It’s much better to have 50% of something than 100% of nothing. My husband became more involved in later years, and he now takes care of most business-related issues while making sure that I at least reply to the business-related emails and inquiries.
5. Which is your favorite art movement and why?
Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. I love how both these impressionistic movements knew the rules of the day well enough to also know how to break them, and thereby creating the energetic masterpieces we remember today.
6. What message would you give to budding artists?
Learn from others but create from within. The world doesn’t need and won’t celebrate another Monet or van Gogh, but the world is ready to receive and celebrate your authentic creation. Be fearless. Paint like no one is watching!
7. Which is your favorite book and why?
The Me I Want to Be by John Ortberg. It is such a practical book speaking into every part of your life and you can refer back to it over and over again.
Carla’s life of color started in 1976 in Pretoria, South Africa. Although she graduated from the Tshwane University of Technology with an Interior Design diploma, her love for painting soon took over. Well-recognized South African art galleries requested her work and it quickly became evident that her bold impressionistic style was destined for an international audience. Based on her artistic achievements and talents, Carla was awarded an EB-1 Extraordinary Ability, Green Card, by the USCIS in January 2015. Some achievements:
Best of Acrylics 2014 international competition winner.
Juried into the 2015 LPAPA Best of Plein Air Show.
First Place Award - 2015 Paint San Clemente Quick Draw.
Three honorable mentions - 2016 Paint San Clemente.
Juried into La Quinta Arts Festival 2017.
Featured in the internationally distributed Encyclopedia of Acrylic Techniques by
Hazel Harrison (2017).
Juried into 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 Festival of Arts, Laguna Beach, CA.
Award of Distinction - En Plein Air Texas 2019.
Museum Purchase Award - En Plein Air Texas 2020.
Best Body of Work Award - En Plein Air Texas 2020.
Participating artist - Door County Plein Air Festival 2020 - An Invitational
Participating artist - Artlife Fest 2020, Moscow, Russia - An Invitational
Participating artist - Door County Plein Air Festival 2021 - An Invitational
Interviewed By - Anshika Maurya
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