Noordhoek artist adds a twist to thrift store paintings
While many thrift store shoppers may overlook old unwanted paintings, a Noordhoek artist recognises their potential and transforms them by adding cartoon characters.
Ingrid Altmann left the PR industry after 20 years to pursue other opportunities. She has always loved art and painting and has always been intrigued by recycling and upcycling things to give them a new lease on life.
The concept for her new collection came from something she had seen online.
“I felt I wanted to do something different since there are so many artists who paint horses and flowers. During my search for ideas on Pinterest, I came across an artist who had repurposed an unwanted painting by adding cartoon characters. The concept just appealed to me," she told the Echo.
To find old paintings, Ms Altmann frequents second-hand and thrift stores throughout the Western Cape, with the hope of transforming and repurposing them.
“It has become a bit like a treasure hunt for me, searching around these stores looking for suitable artworks that would work with cartoon characters has been so much fun. I especially love adding characters from my childhood like Tintin, Asterix and Obelix and Garfield.”
Some of the paintings Ms Altmann finds are quite old, so she has to touch up marks and scratches, etc, before adding her characters.
Because she matches the style of the paintings, her additions blend seamlessly.
Adding these comical characters does take some time, Ms Altmann explained. She sometimes spends roughly three to five hours on a painting if she starts and finishes in one go.
“I’ve been looking for something to just enjoy. I have always loved painting and can paint most things, but I have never found my style. But now I think I've found my groove with these pieces. They make me laugh and they breathe life into old unwanted paintings.”
Her works titled This old Painting will be her first exhibition and showcases her first 15 paintings. It’s being held at Noordhoek Art Point Gallery, found along Noordhoek Main Road, for the entire month of October.
So far, according to Ms Altmann, the response to her exhibition has been wonderful.
“The paintings have received some fantastic reactions, and many people have said that they love them. One or two people are absolutely appalled, but that's okay because it's still a reaction. You either love them or hate them - come see for yourself.”
Ms Altmann is also accepting commissions if anyone has an idea of something they want to add to an old unwanted painting.
For more information, contact Ingrid Altmann at 0824450830.
