For art students
Over the years Kobus has often been approached by students who have been challenged by their art teachers to study a contemporary artist. He considers it such an honor to share his insights into the concept of creative thinking with these students. For this purpose this portion of the website is dedicated to students of art.
"My life as an artist" an essay by Kobus Möller
Cold sweat ran down my hot neck and slowly made it’s way between my shoulder blades. A dead leaf dangled infront of my eyes on an invisible strand of spider web, slowly spinning in the still dry atmosphere. My eyes were drawn to it, and I noticed the way the light changed on the turning leaf, accentuating the subtle textures. Unconsciously I thought how I could implement that incredible surface in a next painting.
A soft snort brought me back to the reality of my situation. Mere yards away from me, on the other side of a huge flattened termite mound was a small herd of cape buffalo. I had been driving through a private game farm in the Mapumalanga Province of South Africa, when I saw these nyati a little distance from the raod. Amongst them was a bull with a sizable boss and wide low hanging horns. I was alone, armed only with my camera and a 400mm lense , but the moment was just too big a challenge, and I approached the herd from behind the termite mound. This action could have resulted in tragedy, but, thank God, it did not. I eventually crawled away with incredible pictures, but more importantly, the heightened awareness brought on by a tsunami of adrenalin in my blood stream, allowed me to experience buffalo in a way even seasoned hunters never do.
What drives an artist? What is it that impels only some to explore from a very young age the first boundaries of artistic expression, even when they have no idea of what they are doing? The answer, I believe lies in the fact that all of us have been endowed with the ability to create. For a small percentage of us, that creative capacity lies on a visual level. Because we as humans are spirit beings, we are able to enjoy and create beauty. We are enthralled by the incredible variety of visual potential we experience all the time, all around us. This potential is so great, us as artists often have a creative block, not because we have nothing to create, but rather because the subject matter is so overwhelming, we don’t know what to leave out.
Over the years of feasting my eyes on the sensual adventure that is Africa, I have found that my passion is aroused by the simplicity of texture. No wonder that, at the very time I was approaching one of the most dangerous animals in Africa, alone, anarmed and flat on my tense guts, my eyes were drawn to the subtle color changes in the textures of the dangling leaf.
Yes, I love the big 5 of Africa. I crave the adrenalin rush that comes from trying to get closer to these splendid animals, and stay longer than I should, all mostly alone and without any backup. I want to get the beast to react to me, so I can study his fearless attitude. I enjoy taking literally thousands of pictures, so I can return to my studio and study in comfort with a coffee mug in my hand. Developing a theme on the canvas, is the toughest part, but as the painting grows - what pure bliss to see the animal slowly become part of his environment and eventually start to breath.
But, from the perspective of the talent which was given to me as a free gift by the Master Artist, God who created the beauty we love and the creative spirit and ability, there is more, much more. I refer you again to the leaf. Pick up, if you will, a leaf, or a piece of bark off a tree, or a rock. Hold it in your hand in the sunlight and slowly turn it so the angle of the rays change. Focus for a moment on nothing more than the texture of this humble object. Ask yourself: is this beautiful? - Isolated and enlarged, it would outrank the most expensive abstract painting in any contemporary art museum!! Just a common piece of bark.... Now that is what captures my imagination! I am enthralled by the shere magnificence of simple things in God’s creation. And this effects the very way I paint and create.
Every painting I do, starts off with no pre conceived idea of the end product. I start off trying in a small way to recreate the magnificent variety of textures I see in nature, on the blank canvas. Only after the abstract, consisting of textures, colors and tonal values, has reached a point of balance to which I can react, that is when the theme is allowed to start developing.
I am often asked if I paint for myself, or if I paint for an audience, or a market. There was a time when I was approached by the owner of one of the prominent art galleries in Johannesburg, with the ‘unbelievable offer’ that he would pay me an unheard of salary, but he would tell me what to paint, because ‘he knew the market’. I was still a young man, but declined the offer, and made the choice to rather stimulate the raw talent given to me. My theory was that if I was passionate about what I was doing, and if I thoroughly enjoyed the process, others would enjoy looking at the final result, and perhaps even part with some hard earned cash so as to own my experience. Here’s hoping that my art will inspire you to look more carefully at your surroundings. May it cause you to stand in awe of not only the monumental but also the microscopic; not only the grandiose but also the ordinary simple things that constantly confront your eyes.
The textures so overwhelmingly found in nature
Kobus' inspiration
Textures, created on canvas
Form the basis for the start of a new composition
Art Videos
Quotes
The following are quotes from talks and workshops presented during Kobus' illustrious career.
They may be used with the acknowledgement of the source.
From the palette
of the
artist
Defining Art
Our passionate, yet totally inadequate efforts to protray, on our medium of choice, minute bits of God's creation, the only true artistic masterpiece.
Texture
Texture is the first priority.
A pleasing texture composition gives the foundation for a successful painting.
Interacting compositions
Texture, color, tonal value, line and form. These 5 interacting compositions, all in balance,
form the basis for the final composition.
Unlimited potential
Our wildest dreams
are nothing compared to the potential that God has deposited in each one of us.
Art
The symbiosis of the two "unlimiteds" -
The unlimited visual potential of creation, and the unlimited creative potential of the artistic mind.
Art is unique to humankind, being one of the many factors that distinguish us from the rest of creation.
We have a tendency, an inborn need to want to surround ourselves with beauty that is man made.
Investing a huge sum of money is the only means to acquire the very best art.
But all along we are surrounded by masterpieces of ever-changing art -
artwork created by the Master Artist from an endless variety of media of a beauty and balance that transcends the singing of it.
Art - a product of the human condition
Object
Through my art I want to entice an awareness of the pleasure derived from studying an artistic masterpiece. Through this experience
I strive to train and open your eyes to the shear beauty of the most magnificent masterpieces of art in creation.
Here's hoping that my art will inspire you to look more carefully at your surroundings.
May it cause you to stand in awe of, not only the monumental, but also the microscopic;
not only the grandiose but also the ordinary simple things that constantly confront your eyes.
May you pause to carefully observe the rock on which you stubbed your toe,
the thorns that scratched you and the dry grass that caused your skin to itch.
May you develope an appreciation for the beauty of the simple things, and may your life be enriched by the rediscovery of the gift of sight.
The hoped for reaction
Texture drives my work. Without texture I find it almost impossible to create.
In every new piece my challenge is to discover a different way to create a new and unique texture on the canvas.
The more artwork I produce, the more difficult it is to find something new.
The exploration stimulates interest; excitement; passion and creativity.This is maintained throughout the process, even to the production of the frame.
Stimulating passion
The object of my art is to point the viewer towards art objects of infinite beauty and complexity.
God's creation is so complex that the corporate intelligence of all humankind cannot fathom the depths and beauty of even the simplest objects.
Directing the viewers perception
I am fascinated by the concept of creativity and how it works. I am astounded by these processes within my own life.
There are times when I struggle with a painitng, pouring all my energy into it, yet with unsatisfactory results.
At other times I hardly think about what I am doing, yet incredible things happen right before my eyes.
In times like these I am humbled and acknowledge the role of the Master Artist, the Creator of the universe,
in my life and in the lives of each one of us.
Spiritual roots
People who enjoy my art and who purchase my work invariably want to get to know the artist. My enjoyment is stimulated by this appreciation, and it is a privilege to call many of my collectors 'friend'. The Creator, Jesus Christ, artistically formed beauty for our enjoyment, and He longs for us, not only to enjoy these masterpieces, but for us to get to know Him personally and to be able and privileged to call Him "FRIEND".
Spiritual goal
Next time you see a beautyful tree, don't just ignore it, say:
"Lord, if someone has not yet acknowledged the beauty of Your creation, Lord, that tree is BEAUTIFUL. Thank you."
Acknowledgement