Many people believe that, once placed in the perfect frame, a great painting can become an extraordinary feature. At the Showroom, Woodhill Estate’s new art gallery, all of the paintings have beautiful frames but that is not what makes this place so amazing. When referring to the best way to frame a painting, the showroom itself is what makes these works look fantastic. The atmosphere, the positioning of the works and the dynamic exhibitor, Ilze du Preez, are what turn these stunning works into something really special. The Showroom has become the perfect ‘frame’ for any collection.
The grand opening of the Showroom took place on 23 April and the collection that Ilze has assembled is nothing short of remarkable. On this special occasion she celebrated 12 years in the art industry. When she opened the evening’s festivities and welcomed the guests, her passion and fascination for art was almost tangible as it shone through her warm words on what this industry has meant to her.
The showroom is now open for business with an art collection that includes work by; Michael Heyns, André de Beer, Liesel Brune, Salomi Prinsloo, Derric van Rensburg, Cornelius Bosch, Liezel le Roux, Munro, Portchie, Ignatius Marx, Stefan de Beer, Corné Weideman. Ilze also deals in pewter ware, Nguni Cattle skins, Persian rugs and much more.
Ilze and her husband, Karel, have been residents of Woodhill for 7 years now and saw the need for something like the Showroom on the Estate. “We opened the gallery especially for the residents and those from outside the estate are free to visit us as well,” said Karel, he elaborated by saying, “We would like people to come through and relax and sit for a cup of coffee while they take in the art works on display. We are close by enough for the residents to stop here if they need to buy a last minute gift or if they want to purchase something with which to decorate their homes.”
The guest speaker for the occasion was renowned artist, Andre de Beer. He has been involved in the art industry for 40 years as both an artist and tutor. These together with his art degree have made him a candidate for the title of Grand Master. Should he be dubbed a Master, he will enter the league of some of the world’s most amazing and famed artists. On the gallery, he said, during his talk, “I think that when you walk through the doors of this place, you immediately feel and see how extraordinary this place is.” He went on to say’ “I think it is great that Woodhill now has its own gallery. I wish Ilze the best of luck with the collection that she has assembled and all the best for this fantastic prestige that the Showroom has bought to Woodhill.” ( Editorial done by Anke Rautenbach from Media24) |
