Joanne Reen is a Port Elizabeth based artist, who travels frequently to the village of Nieu Bethesda in the Eastern Cape and is inspired by the landscapes she experiences.
In this short video we explore the serene streets of Nieu Bethesda and visit her in her studio, to gain insight into her latest body of work focusing on her observations of water.
'While water and the lack of it remains a contemporary issue, the artist has chosen to portray and acknowledge the precious resource by celebrating its beauty. This body of work explores the nuances of water as it passes through the Karoo town of Nieu Bethesda, which has one of the last working furrow systems that still operates daily.
Joanne observes its shape-shifting properties to include reservoirs, lei-water furrows and decorative garden ponds and explores how various weather conditions and light at different times of the day influence its jewel-like qualities.
Symbolic use of blue often associated with spiritual essence and expressive, gestural brushwork, sometimes leaning towards abstraction, highlight the artist's reaction to her observations and inform her stylistic approach towards the water studies.'
Browse Joanne's works for sale online HERE
