A palette of possibilities unleashed at The Rand Show 2024

In the aftermath of yet another successful Rand Show, which took place at Johannesburg Expo Centre in Johannesburg, between 28 March and 1 April, talented South African artist, Guinevére Thomas, handed over a portrait painted by herself to Sria Roopchand, Marketing Assistant at Nex Media magazine.

The show organisers commissioned the portrait as the lucky draw prize for a member of the media who attended the 5-day event. Guinevére commenced working on the piece at the Rand Show’s media launch and completed it during the course of Johannesburg’s ultimate consumer lifestyle exhibition. As an artist, Guinevére specialises in abstract art and portraits, which take the viewer ‘on a journey into the boundless realm of emotions, thoughts and the intangible,’ as she puts it.

Aside from the portrait and showcasing some of her other art pieces, Guinevére also conducted art workshops and painted a mural at the show. ‘I think from the onset, the Rand Show; the family of the Rand Show, really shone. It was a great opportunity for me to show my art, but it went beyond that: it was the art activations, the people, the children and the experience overall. There were great synergies between myself and the show,’ she observed.

The highly talented artist was warmly received by visitors to the show, saying that the responses she received were overwhelming and ‘just amazing.’ Guinevére recounted, ‘As I was painting the mural, people watched in awe and as they were walking past the art, they asked: ‘Is this your art? Did your draw this? Or paint this?’ I told them that I had and they were just amazed.’

Some of the attendees were touched and moved by her art to the point of some wanting to hug her. ‘They asked if they could give me a hug and I said, ‘Yes,’ so that we embraced the feeling. It’s not so much the artwork; it’s the feeling that comes from the artwork. When people get that; when people experience that, then it is an achievement.’

Growing up with artistic parents, Guinevére embarked on her journey as an artist from a young age, where she started with sketching and continued to refine her skills in the ensuing years. ‘It’s really a calling; it’s beyond a passion. If I don’t paint, I feel empty; I feel there’s a void if I don’t – so it’s really with all of my core and my being. It’s all out of desire and the love of what art does to you as an artist,’ she said. ‘You just want to carry on and paint until 12 o’clock or 1 o’clock in the morning. At the Rand Show, for example, I painted until 3 o’clock, went to bed at 4am and woke up at 8am for the show.’

Guinevére encourages budding artists to dive into their creativity if they are passionate about it. ‘Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t; that it’s not a career – whatever the negativity is, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. It’s that creativity; it’s that passion inside and you know “this is it” that should compel you to pursue it with all your might, all your being, all your heart and all your soul. And you will enjoy the journey of becoming. Just do it!’ she concluded.