Exhibition in Cape Town

Two of Shirley’s works are featured in the following exhibition in Cape Town for the next few weeks.

 

Please see below and come and visit.

 

Photography by Ben Black

 

Spotlighting of an Artwork

 

Every week, we introduce an explanation on one of Shirley’s works. In these brief descriptors, the ideas behind the work are explored:

Calendar Girls Collage – this is a collage titled Calendar Girls . . .But on reflection ‘Calendar Girls Mingle Belles‘ because the word mingle suggests blending, a mix, a fusing, interwoven, yet whilst still each retains a fundamental and unique identity. These female figures are depicted as being blended together, fused, belonging into a togetherness within this super-structure – forming a supportive pillar – having amalgamated to become a column of support. Synchronized and dovetailing to become joined fitting, meshed into a close co-existence. Depicted as being sheltered within this whole, secure and safe, both protective and protected snugly fitted atop one another. All equal in value irrespective of position – whether over, under, above or below. Their arms clasped around each other, positioned with their legs astride each other, interlocked within this brightly collaged narrative, bound together in unity.  Integrated, leaning both on, and into, each other – the collage depicts these two girl-towers side by side facing inwards towards each other. Created side by side.

The whole expressing their interconnectedness. Their alignment of spirit, embodying empathy and trust. A transformation into wholeness. A community of interwovenness and an interlinking underscoring message of bonding in togetherness. Fostering a feeling of trusting and believing in our shared human connectedness, thus creating a healing of Woundedness . . . forming a solidarity in our becoming woven-together in our support of each other. Literally becoming a tower of strength in each other, through empathy and trust into a close co-existence. Depicted as being sheltered within this whole, secure and safe both protective and protected – snugly fitted atop one another. A balance achieved through harmony in our inclusion of each other. In solidarity, held together in union. Achieving a vital life-enriching support for each other. Through our interrelated empathy through which we heal each other in our steadfast unity and resulting solidarity, reflecting our merging, fusing together. A trusting healing from painful division-inflicted betrayal, and or, resulting woundedness, consciously reaching out to become an integral part of each other.

 

 

Click on the following link to find out about art available for sale click here.

 

 

 

Update – October 2024

It is with much sadness that we share the passing of Barry McDaniel, my husband, in July 2023. I have moved from Trafalgar in Kwa-Zulu Natal, to Cape Town, in the Western Cape to be closer to my family.

I have been working on a book about my art with South Africa Art, and Jason le Grange, to help document my various styles of art. We have been spending many months working through my paintings, collages, mixed media and digital art. More information about this work will be shared in the coming weeks.

Jason and I are putting together various information sharing videos to explain a work of art every week. This will help to unpack some of the stories behind the works.

We will also be updating the website and continue to share new works developed.

Our final work in progress, is the sales page that will share current works available for purchase, as well as postcards and prints, which have been developed.

I can be contacted through the following email address jason@southafricawriting.com for information about the book or about sales of works.

Shirl

 

“Picture Narratives and Figure-scapes.”

 

My works involve scrutinising and digging through surfaces, delving through my thoughts and their roots and thus stirring up images. What I depict is highly personal and my imagery is accessed from many sources, both from within and around me. I work towards creating an overall harmony within my paintings, collages and mixed media and do not have any entirely preconceived ideas for my pieces, but allow them to evolve. An example of this evolution is illustrated in a series of found object (objet trouvé) face and figure assemblages I created. Images of these constructions, plus narratives, appear on my Mixed Media 3 page and in my Speak Eezy blog, titled “Marching To The Beat Of Your Own Drum” and “I Like Me … I Like You.” I have also created mirror frames, using recycled materials.

Much of my work is representative of human communication and my depictions largely incorporate the female form. My stimulus mostly comprises various aspects of womanhood, represented singly and interacting with others. I portray maternity and motherhood in terms of universal nurturing. My work frequently depicts bounteously pregnant women, as an expression of life energy. My images of women symbolise a connectedness, incorporating inclusiveness and tenderness. The subject of womankind flows from me and has become a recurring theme for my work.

I am inspired by generous womanly contours and tend to simplify the curved female shape into softly-rounded forms, seeking rhythmic lines within these female figure-scapes. My imagery frequently includes angels and various animals, reptiles and birds, as symbols of nature and freedom. I instinctively work towards connecting and linking elements of colour and line into an overall unity, the varied and distinct parts comprising a whole.

Incorporating and embracing elements that evolve, yields spontaneity. I might salvage an entirely unplanned area, or fragments of colour which emerge whilst over-painting. Embracing these unexpected elements may heighten an image, adding subtlety, or depth. Certain limitations may aid and sharpen my creativity in seeking alternatives, experimenting with limited palettes and searching out alternate routes. I might alter an image in order to “tighten” it up, perhaps rendering it bolder, shaping a piece into a more concentrated form, conjuring up chance-elements within the changing picture surface e.g. an area of paint left glimmering through, or an interesting texture which may then consciously become incorporated into a work in progress. Utilising these unexpected gifts and collaborating with chance, is stimulating … weaving the planned together with the unplanned.

I am inspired by collage, combining a myriad of juxtaposed facets, building up the imagery, areas of darks, lights, textures, colour and/or patterned surfaces. I overlap elements, creating a cohesive whole from many-layered, or superimposed fragments. My work is largely a blending of various distinct parts, combining and arranging elements into an integrated whole.

Thank you for visiting my website.

Shirley Mc Daniel