I'm finding myself at an interesting time, caught between the desire for different mediums and styles and as always the inner conflict about what idea to give birth to first (-and the fear of not getting to do them all). I often realize that the more I paint, the more I leave unpainted… because while working on one piece often the inspiration and ideas for several more come to me.

When I first started targeting galleries about nine years ago, I clearly remember the first reactions I got 'you have to focus one style so that your work becomes easily recognizable' My answer to that was 'well, then I'll just have to become known as the most diverse artist...' But said between us, I often find myself wondering if I should not suppress my diverse desires... and then comes the need for something totally extraordinary and off I go. 'The Falling' was one of those pieces that simply came over me and refused to let me go 'till it was done. This piece was also the first abstract that flowed out of my brushes in over a year.

The Falling

In 1999 I did the very first three pieces of a 'bodyprint' series. This was inspired by watching a child create the most beautiful images with his hands dipped in paint. I would never forget his fascination with the textures...

My first 'bodyprints' was displayed at a solo exhibit in my (rather conservative) hometown and caused quite an extreme variety of reactions. I looked at it as reflecting on the most amazingly beautiful creation; our bodies in a way with very little human intervention almost like a photograph, just more.. more direct? I've never felt that I left the series quite complete, until recently four more pieces came to life.

Recently I've also started working in cement. Correction: rather 'playing' with cement (while renovating the basement) and got the intense desire to sculpt with it… At school we studied the South African artist, Helen Martins whose 'owl house' and cement sculptures are world-renowned. Since that time I've had a fascination with the medium and always dreamt of big garden sculptures in cement. And hope to put my hands to that in the not to distant future.

That brings me to another subject; TJ and I decided to spent some time in our land of birth and take an inspirational tour. We'll be getting underway in the Cape, travel via the Garden Route and Drakensberg to New Bethesda (to visit the owl house of course!). From there we'll move northwards to Sodwana, do some diving in Mozambique until we return to Johannesburg. Therefore I will be (mostly) unavailable from 4 April to 3 May, however my assistant, Celeste () will be handling everything from here (while I'll be sitting under a palm tree somewhere on a white African beach).

Before I go, I have to mention that my piece 'The Ring' was specially selected for an exhibition in London's OXO Tower Warf that took place in February this year. More works that was selected for this event. This is a very special and particularly personal piece that sort of marks a new stage in my life that I'll never give up for anything in the world...

Soon.
Antoine