Art, religion are in her blood

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An abiding love of the nature which surrounds her Cannon Rocks home, as well as a deeply embedded spirituality, inspire artist and gallery owner Tess Lovemore’s large canvasses.

For Lovemore, who matriculated at Graaff-Reinet’s Union High School before studying art at the then Port Elizabeth Technicon, art has always been a life force.

“My childhood years were filled with various creative expressions due to my mum’s artistic nature,” she said.

“I have fond memories of modelling horses and dancers in clay while she did her pottery.

“This subject matter became quite prophetic of the areas into which I later poured my time, effort and competition.”

Lovemore, who, along with husband Niall Cameron, splits her time between Gqeberha where their son attends school and their seaside home between Cannon Rocks and Kenton, runs Sky Gallery off the R72 on the northwest corner of the Bushman’s River bridge.

Q: What prompted you to become an artist?

A: After school, with a passion for horses and having competed through my school years, I took a gap year as a trial period to test the viability as a career.

I soon discovered that one needs extremely deep pockets in the horse business and decided to go in a different direction.

Some aptitude tests proved helpful confirming a list of my passions — architecture, veterinary [science] or art.

After some consideration, the choice was made. It would be art with bronze sculpture as a major subject. 

Despite my gaining a university pass, my parents and I opted for study at then PE Technicon since it had a bronze foundry while Rhodes University did not.

My heart is still warmed by my parents’ generosity in allowing that decision as so many good things occurred due to that.

One was meeting my Irish-born husband, and another was finding the vibrant Harvest Christian Church. Growing up on a farm, between Addo and Paterson, my worship up until then had been only personal.

Q: What led to your switch from sculpture to painting and was it an easy transition?

A: After completing a thesis in sculpture and leaving the shelter of campus life, art had to begin to pay the bills and I soon realised that painting, which had been one of my minor subjects, was an easier on-ramp with time constraints, cost of materials and marketability. All more accessible for a fledgling artist than bronze sculpture.

Q: You also had a physical reaction to oil paint and moved to acrylics.

A: About six years ago I switched from oil to acrylic painting after finding that my chest was strongly objecting to the oil medium. The transition took some getting used to as one’s blending time is greatly reduced with the quick-drying acrylic paints. 

Q: How does your environment inform the subject matter of your paintings? What else inspires you?

A: I have always tried to paint things which inspire wonder or touch my heart in some way, hopefully remaining excited and honest in the moment and ensuring longevity.

Nature, whether fauna — wild or farm animals — and flora and, since moving to Cannon Rocks, ocean and rivers, remains my predominant source of reference.

More recently I have also been painting Christian themes.

I experienced the Michelangelo sculptures in Florence many years ago.

During a visit to Magdala in Israel in 2017, I was thrilled to tears by a massive mural done by Daniel Cariola of the encounter in the Bible of a woman desperate for healing touching the hem of Jesus’s garment.

The story, my relationship with the hero of that ancient story and the sheer size of the painting compelled me to paint even bigger than I had done.

There are times when a piece of art or music — Bach, Dvorak, Sting, or more recently the wonder of Jacob Collier and the supernatural “One True Almighty God” by Nikos Politis, awakens one to another realm.

For all the hundreds — perhaps thousands of paintings I’ve done — the occasions when folk have teared up while viewing a painting — that is my goal!

Q: You took a break from art for a few years to do missionary work. Where did you go?

A: In 2000 my husband and I left for seven years of missionary work with another couple, David and Carol Cape, to work into the Caribbean islands from a base in the US.

Our experiences in the ghettos of the Caribbean were dangerous, heart-wrenching and miraculous. They will always be heart treasures that have cemented my faith.

Q: What led to the opening of your gallery and does it represent other artists in the region?

A: Soon after returning to SA, we opened the Sky Gallery, first with other artists, but for the last seven years on my own.

The gallery houses my paintings and the work of four potters — Meshack Masuku, Coral Tree, Kobus Kruger and Mud studio. We also stock beautiful rustic furniture.

I have given local art classes over all the years that the gallery has been open.

This year, we have a new project for the art classes called “Let’s Paint Ndlambe” where once a month we paint a different local scene. We hope to culminate in an exhibition in December.

We are in the throes of an exciting revamp of the entire building which houses the gallery. We are hoping to create a space to exhibit the work of some of the Eastern Cape’s best artists. 

Q: Can your work can be found in collections abroad and do you exhibit widely?

A: When I first started selling my work, the bulk went to a permanently travelling gallery called Ashtons.

They would go around the country, hire the town hall and hold exhibitions.

It was good for me as I had an outlet which required a permanent supply and this forged a work ethic which stays with me.

After this, two Cape Town galleries stocked my work — the Cape Gallery and the Atlantic Gallery with the late doyenne of Cape Town art, Riva Cohen.

I have exhibited many times at Gqeberha galleries and at the Grahamstown and Oudtshoorn festivals.

Tourists and friends from the US, Australia, England, Spain, Switzerland, France and Namibia have bought work over the years.

The Bitou Vineyards restaurant in Plett is displaying a black-and-white wildlife range which I have had printed on both linen and canvas. 

• For more details, visit the artist’s website at: tesslovemoreart.com