Carving out hope with Lazarus

Lazarus is the guy that creates the beautiful wooden objects I paint on. 

I use his hand-crafted crosses and here and there, the odd wooden bird, as “canvasses” for my creations.

A few years ago, Lazarus turned up at the Kotze Art gallery in Bloemfontein with hands full of the most beautiful wooden crosses, since then, Floris, my brother and owner of the gallery, buys almost everything Lazarus creates.

Olienhout

Most of these crosses are carved out of Olienhout

Collecting Wood

Every now and then, my brother picks up Lazarus with a truck and takes him to the Krugersdrift dam outside Bloemfontein where they collect his materials from the dam.

Whether it be the wood that washed up on shore or the dry pieces of wood laying around in the area, they carefully handpick wood that will work for the crosses and every piece of wood that might represent the form of a bird or some or other animal.

They load the truck and take the journey back to Lazarus’s home.

Primitive Tools

When Lazarus gets home, he starts working on his art pieces. He creates these beautiful sculptures from pieces of wood that did not serve a purpose before he collected them.

The most admirable thing about Lazarus is that he makes these art pieces with the most primitive tools.

Once he is finished with a few of his artworks, he makes the journey to the gallery in General Dan Pienaar by taxi.

Delivery at the Gallery

Here he sells his creations to my brother.

Even when Lazarus shows up at the gallery empty handed, he receives his cup of warm coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar and some biscuits and never leaves without an envelope with money.

I am always excited when I visit the gallery and there are new crosses which are “canvasses” for my creations.

Good Energy is locked up in these Crosses of Hope

I feel that the beautiful energy of Lazarus and nature are already locked up in these pieces of wood and that I only need to add a few elements to round these natural artworks off and turn the already magic objects into Mariaan creations.

When you buy one of these collaboration artworks you help to support Lazarus who supports his family with his creations.

He is such a talented, hardworking, and creative artist who will go to great lengths to not only provide for his family but also to follow his passion for art.

There is a big selection of crosses and carved birds by Lazarus available at the Kotze Art Gallery.

Kotze Art Gallery: https://kotzekuns.co.za/