May 16, 2012 – Blogs from Betty's Bay

: Riebeek Kasteel

Many artists, culinary, of craft and fine art – have chosen Riebeek Kasteel as their place to work and be, away from the city – Cape Town.

The neighbouring town of Riebeek West has brought forth two sons of the nation: Jan Smuts and David Francois Malan – both Prime Ministers of South Africa: the former a brilliant international statesman, the later, one of the architects of South Africa’s pernicious policy of apartheid.

That aside, the countryside with its vineyards, olive plantations and extensive wheat fields, generously holds your gaze with ever changing aspects of scale in space, of vistas, colours, patterns.

Soccer game on a rugby field adjoining labourer’s cottages.

Exhibiting separately from her home studio, Hannetjie de Clercq has recently established an Art Studio in which she and her son Van Wessels, ceramicist and sculptor, exhibit their works. Daughter Naomi, graphic designer and artist in her own right, is looking after the gallery as well as doing freelance design work from there. One of her projects – a book about Hannetjie – has gone into its final phase, with the launching of the book scheduled for August 2012. The subscriptions have been so overwhelming that the publishers have increased the first print edition threefold.