‘Hit man’ Taylor ready to rock the Guild stage
EVER-POPULAR muso,
Garth Taylor, will grace the Guild Theatre stage on July 20 and 22.
The talented SA Music
Awards (Sama) nominated artist is celebrating 20 years in the music industry.
Taylor said that he was very grateful to his family, friends, and fans for their support.
“I want to take my fans on a journey from the very first song I wrote and the influences I had at the time of each song,” Taylor said.
Taylor started playing the guitar at the tender age of seven – and was tutored by his mother.
His talent shone in 1998 with his debut single, Why, being played on radio. He will perform a variety of music from his many albums over the years. His publicist, Monica Steyn said it was his attention to detail and passion for what he did, that were always evident in his career.
“Garth had a start in life that would have broken many. It was his guitar, a pen, and paper that have been the only constants throughout his life,” said Steyn. Campaigns against abuse and bullying of children are causes close to Taylor's heart, having grown up in several children's homes.
“I used to be the orphan dreaming of being a pop-star and having my photo taken with a famous musician. I then got to become the musician who brought joy and laughter to orphans and have them look at me with the same hopes and dreams that I had as a child,” Taylor said.
East London Childhood Cancer Foundation (CHOC) regional manager, Debbie Kleinenberg is delighted that Taylor will sing for their cause.
All proceeds from the Sunday concert will go to assist CHOC East London with their fundraising. Tickets are available on Computicket at R120 and the concert will start at 3pm. NTOBEKO Mjijwa will be exhibiting his African-inspired artwork at the Ann Bryant Art Gallery in East London from tomorrow until Wednesday.
Mjijwa is a lecturer in fine art at the African Christian University in Zambia. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art from Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and a Certificate in Theology from George Whitefield Bible College.
He makes use of a few modern art movements when creating his work, drawing inspiration from his musical and biblical background.
“I looked at a few movements such as avant garde, expressionism and fauvism. I then tried to combine them, started experimenting, and it worked out well,” Mjijwa said.
Mjijwa said what he did had more impact and value because he received a lot of encouragement from his father.
Exhibition organiser, Claude Qongwana, said the exhibition theme aimed to take you through times past, bring you to the present, and have you gaze into the future.
“One will be able to see a journey in each individual painting yet also link paintings from different times and how they relate to each other,” Qongwana said. He said there would be 18 exhibits on display which portrayed “township life, depicting South Africa and Zambia”.
Gallery curator Leon du Preez said it was good to see emerging young artists coming through to showcase their work.
“His work shows promise and the few portraits I’ve seen have beautiful colour,” he said.
“The art is expressive yet has realism with a distinct African feeling,” Du Preez said. Mjijwa's work aims to resonate with art lovers, depicting how we live in our societies and ignite ongoing conversations.
There are two artworks set aside for sale and proceeds will go towards two chosen charities.