Nieu-Bethesda gets even artier

Nieu-Bethesda from the bridge - Stephen le Roux Parsons



In September this year, I went to Nieu-Bethesda

to see what was happening

at the town's 3rd Fugard Festival.

Situated in the Sneeuberg, this charming village

is famous primarily for two people: Athol Fugard,

the Tony Award-winning playwright,

and Helen Martins, the eccentric creator 

of the disturbing Owl House.

                   Picking up the twin threads of the Visual Arts and Drama, there were several plays on offer, as well as a variety of exhibitions, the best of which I’ve sampled below.




The interior of The Contessa's Gallery

  

The biggest display of creative talent was an entire house (The Contessa's) filled with a varied collection of works, amongst them my own, curated by Raymond Westraadt, (0823079332)owner of  Chocolat Gallery, Graaff-Reinet. 




Raymond with his own works.

 



Me with some of my pieces

Etienne van Zyl's endearing animals



Daffodils by Allen Kidson




 



Lillies by Allen Kidson





Charmaine and a small selection of her work

Somewhere else in town, at “Ware on Earth,” the gallery and workshop owned by Charmaine and Martin Haines, some of Charmaine’s hugely popular ceramic items were on view.

Thea van Staden

 

And at another venue  Thea van Staden and Susan Neethling displayed their interesting and sometimes quirky portraits.

Susan Neethling