Local Drummond artist Tony de Freitas enjoys the public arena with his first showing at the glitzy Crouse Art Gallery simply titled Exhibition on November 26.De Freitas works quickly and methodically. He makes a paint sketch on board and then gets going with his palette knives. He prefers acrylics because they dry rapidly, meaning he can apply layer on layer. As is often the case in jazz music, his process is impromptu and he ad-libs in a very impressionistic manner. As he goes, he changes and modifies, little bits creep through, the painting evolves and the end result is never predictable. He can repeat an identical scene and it won’t ever turn out the same. He finds using a palette knife “forces one to be precise yet loose and it also gives rise to the unexpected as I work.”
“I don’t like a photographic style,” de Freitas continues.” What I like is the eye finishing the picture.” He quotes another artist, Marilyn Simandle. “Painting should be like a conversation and the artist shouldn’t do all the talking”. For de Freitas, adding too much detail results in the artist boringly dominating the conversation. “One has to know when to stop”.
De Freitas is now keen to take his work in new directions, explore new themes and subject matter. “I love capturing the effect of light on things and would like to explore the KZN Midlands more, and become more contemporary in approach and feel”.
Exhibition opens at Crouse Art Gallery on November 26. Gallery hours are 09h00 to 16h00 weekdays (Saturdays 09h00 to 12h00) – however, the gallery will be open on November 28 from 09h00 to 12h00. Crouse Art Gallery is situated at 254 Lillian Ngoyi / Windermere Road. More information on 031 312 2315 or visit www.crouseartkzn.co.za
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