www.MartinErasmusArt.blogspot.com

The heART of ME

Martin Erasmus

ARTIST, WRITER and MISSIONARY

I have been practising art in some form or other since 1991, as the owner of a bathroom and kitchen renovations company in Johannesburg, South Africa and in 1996 in Cape Town, SA as partner in a construction company, with innovative building technologies. As a result of my experience in Architectural themes, decorative paint techniques and the use of sand cement plasters in the decorative construction industry, I became a self taught artist through various courses with mixed mediums, oils, water colours, acrylics, pastels, paint techniques, spray-gun, airbrush and decorative sand cement plasters.

I developed “Artistic Rock Theming” or 3 dimensional lightweight “Rock Art” that can be utilised in architectural designs/themes, exterior and interior decorating options with rock pubs/bars, San rock art/cave art paintings, landscaping, water features etc. I continue to use sand cement plaster on canvas in some of my “Rock Art” oil paintings.

Relocating to Cape Town from Johannesburg in 1996 paved the way for ME to become a fulltime Artist and up to 2007 I had my home studio at the family holiday home in Grotto Bay Private Residential Estate and Coastal Nature Reserve on the Cape West Coat, SA. Grotto Bay Coastal Nature Reserve forms part of the Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve and it is the West Coast, Namaqualand and Namibia, with its exceptional character, diverse and breathtaking natural beauty, that inspired most of my art. 

As a resident in Grotto Bay Nature Reserve I became involved with nature conservation on the Reserve, managed the Honey Bee Management program, working together with the University of Cape Town and formed part of the African Black Oystercatcher Conservation and Breeding Program. I also completed a course as Tour Guide at the Cape West Coast National Park. This link with Nature was the catalyst that inspired ME to continue with art on a full time basis. 

In 2006 I started training San (Bushmen) students in art at the !Khwattu San Cultural Training Centre on the South African Cape West Coast. While giving art lessons to the Kalahari San I heard the stories of years of oppression and learned that over 100 000 hurting and needy Kalahari San still live in utmost poverty in isolated villages in the Kalahari desert of SA, Namibia and Botswana. The Bushmen invited me to visit them and I began making plans to investigate the possibilities to assist these forgotten hurting and needy communities.

However, within a period of two years (2009/2010) things changed dramatically in my life when our family suffered the tragic loss of six family members within a very short space in time. During this time I also sketched and painted various paintings and this led ME to be called to Mission work among the Kalahari San and other African communities. Using my God given talents and together with various NPO’s, Religious organisations and the Jesus Film Project we proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to all nations. Read about the “Reach Out Africa Mission” on www.paintingangles.blogspot.com; www.deolaudes.blogspot.com; and www.roamafrica.blogspot.com 

 

In 2011 I visited family in Ireland painting various Irish landscapes and thereafter on my return to SA my mission started among the Kalahari San of SA, Namibia and Botswana. Today the “Reach Out Africa Mission” continues with humanitarian and empowerment aid work among the San and other African communities. Currently I am writing my testimony “Painting Angels and Facing Giants With David’s Stone” which has also lead to various paintings of the “Reach Out Africa Mission” as well as, related paintings out of the Holy Bible.

During 2018 I visited family in Ireland and UK and did various paintings. Currently I live in the Coastal town of Amanzimtoti, KZN, SA and most of my art can be viewed on

www.MartinErasmusArt.blogspot.com

Martin Erasmus

Email; roamafrica365@gmail.com

Mobile; +27 79 605 1049