An inner artist

looks right, you’re good.

The third and fourth classes were dedicated to a full colour oil painting of a still life. An orange, a giant chilli and an avocado are probably not my first choice for something sexy I might eventually hang on the wall, but I took a deep breath and accepted I was still learning.

And herein lies perhaps the biggest lesson of all, especially for me: patience. None of this is rushed. It’s called a work of art for a reason.

“Not so wild,” commented De Klerk at one point, as I dramatically swooshed the brush across the canvas with a bold flourish. I looked at him quizzically (how could he be reining in my drama like this?), and then I got it. Be gentle. Also, the painting doesn’t have to be finished in one go. Oils take days to dry and time between sessions can give you mental breathing room too.

Something I discovered all by myself was that taking a few steps back from your painting can make all the difference as it suddenly looks so much better when you’re not so close.

Besides the tangible result of my paintings and all the additional enlightenment which can be applied to other areas of life too, I found the weekly threehour sessions incredibly good for my soul.

● Bright is at 354 Albert Road (opposite the Old Biscuit Mill) in Salt River. For more information, call 083 886 8167, e-mail info@brightday.co.za, or go to http://brightday.co.za.

A STROKE AT A TIME: Left, Anthony de Klerk teaches by showing, every step of the way and, above, the finished paintings by Bianca and Anthony.