Artist displays call of Cape Town

Woy Woy artist Ms Yvette Pritchard will showcase more than 50 paintings and drawings featuring her travels to South Africa in an upcoming Sydney exhibition.

The exhibition entitled Cape Town Calling will run from October 14 to 25, at the Bondi Pavilion Cultural Centre Gallery in Bondi Beach.

"The works in this show relate to my last few visits to the place of my birth, Cape Town, between 2004 and 2006, during which period my mother and father died," Ms Pritchard said.

"These times spent in Cape Town were very emotionally charged, my parents relinquishing the family home in the leafy suburb of Newlands, to move to a nursing home.

"During these visits, I spent a great deal of time on foot and on public transport, engaging directly with local people, sketching, photographing and taking notes, some of which I transcribed as texts to accompany some of the works.

"Most of my subjects are workers, for example, domestic workers, petrol station attendants, garden labourers, fishermen and women, craftspeople, flower sellers.

"I always asked permission to photograph my subjects and recorded contact numbers and addresses, sending them prints of the photos, and later photographs of the resulting artworks.

"From some of these encounters continuing friendships arose, and I still keep in touch with some of these friends by email and telephone."

Born in South Africa, Ms Pritchard studied a fine arts degree at Cape Town University that saw her travel to the UK, New Zealand and Australia.

She eventually returned to Australia after 10 years in the UK and settled down on the Peninsula in the 1980s working with fabric design and dying processes, mural commissions and book illustrations.

In 1997, Ms Pritchard completed an advanced diploma in fine arts at Hornsby College TAFE majoring in painting.

Ms Pritchard said her connection to Cape Town was "deep and heartfelt" and could be seen in her artwork that pays homage to each of the people portrayed.

"They represent the many people who work hard and usually suffer very difficult lives," Ms Pritchard said.

"The places portrayed are the places of my youth, fondly recalled in the landscapes.

"Most landscapes have a story to tell, for example The Church of the Good Shepherd tells the interesting tale of the splitting and reuniting of a community after the end of the Apartheid regime, and the beautiful Kistenbosch Botanical Gardens, where all races are now allowed to visit, unlike the days when I spent time there in my youth.

"Most importantly there is a series of works set in the township of Gugulethu, where I visited the Thembalabantwana (Hope For Our Children) Project.

"My connection to this project, supported by Cape Town Child Welfare, dates back a few years when I had donated a painting to be auctioned at a fund raising event in Sydney, Kidsaid, organized by the Aids Trust of Australia.

"On my visit to Cape Town in 2004, I was invited to visit the centre and was allowed to photograph and film there to provide material for this series of works.

"I was very warmly received and treated to a wonderful impromptu singing performance by a group of children and women to thank me for my visit.

"Some of the video footage will be included in the show as background material.

"Fifty per cent of the net proceeds of the exhibition will be donated to the Thembalabantwana Project and information about the centre will be on hand at the exhibition."

The exhibition is free and will be available for viewing seven days a week from 10am to 5pm.

Letter, 28 Sep 2009 Yvette Pritchard, Woy Woy