2023 Grad Show

Lizanne du Preez

Painting

www.lizpoetryandart.ca

I find inspiration in nature, Africa, figures, the medical world, travelling, biomorphic shapes, intuitive movements, painting, music, and words. My life and work have also been touched by grief and loss. Recently, I've been working on process rather than outcome, challenging myself to work with only one type of material for several months. This has forced me to make deliberate choices and focus on growth.

For my current body of work, I start by having a conversation with the fabric in my hands and following where it guides me. My process involves taking articles of clothing that carry memories; and transforming them into soft biomorphic sculptures. I work with ripped bedsheets, cut articles of clothing, and one-meter cuts of crochet yarn, reassembling them into a singular unit that represents the continuum of my fractured life.

This ongoing spiral reminds me that events and seasons overlap, and our lives cannot be defined by a linear timeline from birth to death. When I die, I will be remembered by the things and people I leave behind, not a range of years. The goal of my work is to challenge traditional notions of linearity.

Soft 1 Slow unraveling - representative of my young life until now: It starts all organized, following rules. By the end of the piece, there is more freedom; and it is not complete.

Soft 1 Slow unraveling - representative of my young life until now: It starts all organized, following rules. By the end of the piece, there is more freedom; and it is not complete

Soft 1 Slow unraveling - representative of my young life until now: It starts all organized, following rules. By the end of the piece, there is more freedom; and it is not complete

Soft 2 Soft sculpture, biomorphic

Soft 2 Biomorphic sculpture, installed

Soft and hard Soft sculpture with wire skeleton

Becoming soft: Grief series

These pieces are the product of my process involving the reworking of articles of clothing that carry
memories; and transforming them into soft biomorphic sculptures.

AUArts Grad Show Women all over the world

Women of the world Mixed media on canvas

Can't we all just get along? Mixed media on drywall, 8x4'

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Another day in paradise Acrylic and fabric on canvas

In the beginning Charcoal, ink, inktense and pencil on paper

Body on this earth Acrylic on canvas

Man and the moon Charcoal, ink, inktense and pencil on paper

Bodies

I have always been attracted to the experience of the human figure, and humanity it its rawest form. In my twenties I completed a degree in nursing, midwifery and psychiatry, which influenced my thought process about the body. In my practice I find myself swerving towards the human body and biological, biomorphic shapes.
Working in oils remind me of blood, of fat, brains, skin, the operating theatre and emergency room. I think about the juicy texture of flesh being translated onto hard, unforgiving surfaces. I am drawn to distortion and death, fluidity of motion, the skyward motion of the soul towards heaven, tears running out of every orifice. Intuitive mark making leads to biomorphic shapes, some of them more human than others.

Earth Mom and her horse Mixed media on canvas

Unkhulunkulu and Eve Acrylic on canvas

Earth mom One Mixed media on canvas

Earth Mom Two Mixed media on canvas

Earth Mom

Exploration of our relationship to the earth and other celestial beings. Earth Mom loves us and care for us -but we disappoint and anger her. She shows herself in many forms, we just need to take the time to stop and listen.
This series also explores creation stories.

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Sad, in happy colors Acrylic, charcoal, alcohol ink and pastels on canvas.

I surrender to my sadness Acrylic on canvas

Succumb to the sadness Acrylic on canvas.

Bawl me a waterfall Charcoal, pencil, ink, pastel on paper

Original sad Oil and acrylic on canvas

When I nearly died Acrylic on canvas board

Sad, in Happy colors

Grieving the loss of my father, my home, my marriage. I express my feelings using tears, angels, figurative gestures while disguising them using vivid splashes of colour. For the casual viewer the paintings seem happy, but those that spend time will see the undercurrent of sadness.