Daily Dispatch

Port Alfred steps out in full colour

- SIBULELE MTONGANA

Port Alfred has seen a welcome brightenin­g up of public spaces through eye-catching street art.

First there were the lively contributi­ons of Artship’s Helen Averbuch at the Kelly’s Beach lifesavers platform and hut.

Then came Mook Lion’s whale tail on the roof of the Port Alfred River & Ski Boat Club.

The latest in the colourful revival is a series of paintings on public buildings which were completed just in time for the Port Alfred Easter Festival.

A surfing seagull at the East Beach showers, a beautiful beach theme on the Oriole Road substation and the nowfamous Whale on Wharf Street were completed by recent arrival in Port Alfred, Carmen Kemp.

“Lindsay [Luppnow, Port Alfred Ratepayers & Residents Associatio­n chair] and I met a few times, drank lots of good coffee and discussed our ideas for beautifyin­g Port Alfred,” Kemp said.

“I shared my passion for community art projects and the value in getting local people involved.

“Lindsay had identified buildings in need of a facelift.

“She got permission and called for proposals.

“The brief was to keep to a nature theme, nature that relates to our local surroundin­gs.”

“The idea of a whale on Wharf Street appealed to me and we were really happy when we got the go-ahead,” added Kemp, who moved to Port Alfred a little over two years ago.

“With help from the Port Alfred Ratepayers and Residents Associatio­n (PARRA), we got the wall prepped.

“ihire got scaffoldin­g for us

and CDR arrived with their cherry-picker. Buco advised us on paints and a few volunteers were available to help us to get the whale up before the Easter weekend.”

The surfing seagull at East Beach and the beach theme on the Oriole Road substation followed soon after.

Kemp said the art projects were all about bringing joy to the community.

“Our aim is that passers-by may be delighted by fresh colours and new shapes. That has certainly been the case in Port Alfred,” she said.

“From locals walking by and stopping to thank us, to motorists hooting as they cheer us on, and holidaymak­ers who even added a brushstrok­e or

two, we have received so much encouragem­ent.

“But the most awesome part of these projects is that ordinary people come together to give of their time to paint, create and connect.”

Kemp has worked as a profession­al artist for decades.

“For some years, I painted almost full-time and exhibited in both group and solo exhibition­s.

“Today my work can be found in collection­s both locally and abroad (US, China, Switzerlan­d, Turkey, Spain, Australia, New Zealand).

“As a fine arts student I was always torn between graphic art and painting. Still today, I find myself involved in both.”—

 ?? Picture: SUPPLIED ?? FINISHING TOUCHES: Painter Carmen Kemp puts in the finishing touches to the 'Whale of Wharf Street' painting, giving the street a splash of colour.
Picture: SUPPLIED FINISHING TOUCHES: Painter Carmen Kemp puts in the finishing touches to the 'Whale of Wharf Street' painting, giving the street a splash of colour.

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