Paintings of Wildlife
Marlien’s favorite theme is people, the crown of creation. Passion, loyalty and desires … as a social being or as an individual. She always tries to capture the beautiful – a moment of wonder when a child discovers something new or disappears into his own world among the hustle and bustle of people. Friends who enjoy each other and are connected in a shared moment; unique combinations of gestures and facial expressions.
Her love for people originated in the environment in which she grew up: Marlien was born in 1969 as the youngest of a family of five children. She grew up on the Eastern Transvaal plains in the Carolina district, an area that made a big impression on her. This is also noticed in her color use and background choices.
Initially she paints musicians in cheerful variegated colors, with time her work begins to develop in a new direction, with soft natural colors. She holds a number of solo exhibitions and markets her work through selected galleries. Marlien and Manie with their four children live in Pretoria. Everywhere Marlien goes she has her camera and sketchbook at hand constantly in search for unique moments. Marlien enjoys working from real life scenes.
Characteristic of her portrait studies is that it not only provides enjoyment to the family members but can also consist of its own right as a work of art. It is not enough for her to just give a good version of the appearance, her goal is to symbolize his humanity, to tell the story.
Marlien handles oil painting in a surprising way: soft fluidity reminiscent of watercolor, interspersed with thickly applied paints in which illusions of depth and dynamics play themselves out on canvas. In her paintings, there is always something new that is discovered over time.
It is important to Marlien that her paintings become heirlooms of the soul. That which children remember from their parental home — a bond with the past.