Yvonne Ankerman talks about painting in lockdown

We've been talking to local artist Yvonne Ankerman - whom many of you will know and have seen at one of our FHAS  meetings - about how she keeps up her enthusiasm and output of work over these difficult lockdown times.

It's fascinating to learn that she tries to put a painting out on media everyday - not necessarily a huge work, but something, even a small drawing, that is representative. The more you do, the more you want to do. And the better you get.

 Here are her comments on life during lockdown and the quest for inspiration.

WHY THIS IS A GREAT TIME FOR ARTISTS

I think now it is the best time ever to learn new things  as there are so many artists online!

They are offering free workshops and classes, and all kinds of things to learn, and there is just so much you can actually gain at the moment. It’s an IDEAL time to because you've got more time, you are staying at home and you've ought to be able to spend extra time on your art.

People feel uninspired because they're not getting together, not having exhibitions  and they think that there is not much chance to sell but you'll be surprised how many people are actually interested in purchasing something even in a crisis. 

Patrons are very aware of the difficulties artists are having in promoting their work.  I've recently put some things up on Facebook and I had a fantastic response! 

People actually want to help and buy a little thing so. There is always an opportunity to sell a small painting or things like greeting cards.

GETTING INSPIRED

A great place to look for inspiration is Pinterest or Instagram. (NOTE Yvonne's work can be found on Instagram at yvonneankerart. Easy to follow her!)

I find Instagram really wonderful. It keeps me painting as I try and to publish something on each day and although some days I might do two or three sketches, I will perhaps keep them back for other days when I am not so prolific. 

Of course you don’t have to post anything. You can look at other people’s pages. There is SO MUCH inspiration out there. It’s fantastic to see what everyone is up to.

TAKE A LEAF OUT OF NATURE

Look at nature, paint from what you see or what inspires you. There is so much in the garden, or park around you. 

Look at leaves, views, trees and the shapes in them. Go abstract. Paint. Draw. Crayon. Cut out. Collage. EXPERIMENT!

If you don’t have a garden, look at Google Earth. Look at photos of landscapes or cities online (or even in books) and you can learn so much from this. Do some urban sketching. You could Google the Louvre Museum in Paris and get to see it from all different angles and look at some of the inspirational works housed in museums worldwide.

This is the time you've got loads and loads of time to do all this. Use it.

Why don’t you challenge yourself to do a painting from start to finish with your brush. Forget a pencil or pen. And don’t just do it once. Do it twice or three times. See if you improve every time you paint it. Sometimes my first is best. Sometimes my last. That works for me. Repetition works at getting it into your head.

As everyone knows with drawing and painting, you have to keep at it. You have to paint and draw. Whenever you can. As I said above, I really try and do something every day. Whenever possible.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

What are the areas of difficulty that challenge you? You could learn something like perspective at this time.

If you are a bit like me, I hate the idea of coping with perspective but this is the best time to tackle it. Sit down and work it all out, vanishing points and sizing, and put it into practice. Get it right. So that when all this is over and we go off sketching in Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town or Muizenberg, you’ll have got to the grips of using perspective and you’ll produce something amazing.

SKETCHBOOKS

These are something you will keep for ever. I love my sketch books. And I treasure them. They are permanent.

You’ll never sell what is in the sketchbook. It is for you.

Perhaps it’s there for the day you can’t paint anymore and you can look back and it will bring rekindle fantastic memories. 

Even this lockdown period is worth recording. It’s part of our life and in five years time you’ll look back and you’ll see all the things you did in this period. (And you’ll note how you have improved subsequently).

I take my sketch book with me everywhere. I’ve always got a sketchbook with me. Here in the Peninsula and everywhere around. So too when I travel with my husband it’s in my bag. And when I head off on my ship journeys. 

It brings back so many memories later on little things, such as the weather, where you were, how the day was… you’ll remember all that.

GET GOING 

Don’t worry about creating a masterpiece at this time. Just get started. Get going. And you will get back into it and you will quickly improve if you do it every day. 

Check out those little things around you. Subjects abound. A coffee cup. A small vase of flowers. Your salt and pepper set. Just try it in whatever medium you like or even in one you haven't used for a while.

If you can’t find a subject straight away, start doodling. Think of Zentangle. Have fun. Try and be creative. It sets your mind at ease and takes you away from the present. At least when you draw and create you forget about all these things as it takes you into a different world. We are so fortunate to have this hobby and career as some people have nothing to fall back on. We are lucky. Be grateful for the gift that we have. 

Follow Yvonne on either Facebook or on Instagram.