with extra cheese please

It's a new year. I'm no longer living in the sticks and that is a cause for me to celebrate. It also got me to thinking what I want this next year of my life to be about, and yup you guessed it I want extra cheese please. I want to enjoy all the lovely things that life in my beautiful Good Hope Town (as the Kongo's would say) has to offer. Food. Yoga. Art. Photography. Friends. Wine. Dinner parties. Clubs. Gigs. Music. Nature. I want to explore it all. With extra cheese please is all about not being bland and boring and settling for some mediocre pizza (come life). It's about deciding to be happy, to create something different, to take a different path, to try a different flavour and yes, to ask for extra cheese please with my pizza. because I can.

Paintings

Human in the sticks

  I present a selection of my paintings. They vary in terms of style, design and size. The majority of the paintings are from my matric portfolio and follow the theme of shattered glass/shattered people; nature vs human nature; The questions running through my head at the time spoke of how different are we really from our earth at present? Aren't we all just a shattered people, trying to find beauty within our broken selves? Can the beauty within our physiological selves be reflected in our nature? and is nature reflected in  our physiological self?   These paintings are for sale, price on request and one can email me (allyschwartz.a@gmail.com) for any further queries. All rights reserved. Alison Schwartz

Mirror Image

Of body and sea

Alcoholism

Part 1 of  Creation

Part 2 of  Creation

Creation 

Tsunami

Reflections 

Seaweed

Distortions - are these shells distorted by water or faces distorted by our twisted essence?

Reeds - what floats on the surface masks the story beneath.

Autumn

Blossoms 

Mothers love

buttons and sewing lessons

I was recently in Cape Town for my birthday and I decided my mum needed to teach me (or rather remind me) how to sew. Needless to say it turned into what my mum and I like to call an "art moment" and we ended up photographing the lovely buttons instead. thanks mum, good lesson!

pretty yellow trees

Taken on Marula street

Taken on Marula Street

Taken on Milkwood Street

Sabie Hospital Open Day

The kiddies being taught how to wash their hands properly

The sangomas doing a traditional ceremony

The Hospital that I work at recently had an open day. They were trying to create awareness of the services we offer and also to provide an educational experience regarding HIV/AIDS, TB and general hygiene. The hospital was open for "walk throughs" and school children were given the opportunity to go into the theatre and our x-ray department. They organised a fun walk and arranged a colouring in competition for the little kids. All the "gogos" dressed up in their traditional clothes and even sangomas were there to give us a demonstration. It was a very warmly received event and I think the community really benefitted from the experience!