Jaco Coetzee Paintings

Ever since the day I did my first open air painting in the gardens of the PJ Olivier Art Centre in Stellenbosch, the realisation slowly transpired that painting outdoors has an added dimension compared to working indoors. The fleeting nature of the subject, the vibrancy of colour, the ever changing light conditions all contribute to the excitement and unpredictability that goes hand in hand when a studio space is not required anymore....So eventually, the decision was made, and I started producing little open air painting sketches, which led to a very successful solo exhibition at the Liebrecht Art Gallery in 2010. It was just the kind  of push that was needed to propel me into a career of professional painting, with the unexpected addition of being a full time explorer of beautiful scenery! Whether it be the rolling mountain ranges of the Western Cape, the  vast open spaces of the Karoo or the stormy blue seas of our rugged coastline, inspiration will always be provided in abundance when you live in a beautiful country such as South Africa. But when my hunger for landscapes has been satisfied, my attention will always gravitate towards the hustle and bustle of city life. The energy, the hurriedness, the sights, sounds and smells of the concrete jungle will continue to energise and inspire me to delve deeper into its secrets. it was a rather fortunate outcome when one of my Green Market street scene paintings was selected to be featured in The South African Artist magazine, after entering a cover design competition in 2013. Besides that, my work has mainly been exhibited  in the Somerset West  and Stellenbosch region, but  as new opportunities appear along the way, I am delighted to have my first solo exhibition here at the IBIS Gallery in Montagu!