Riëtte's rules for success

Gallery

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay's Riëtte Delport, who signs her paintings, Rut, is a successful artist commercially.

She has a large gallery on the corner of Bland and Field streets and is planning to open a gallery in Johannesburg, but she adds: "I need to hear from the Lord about that. It's no use gaining the world, but losing your soul."

Riëtte starts a usual weekday at 05:00 with a "quiet time" and Bible study. Then she sees to her husband and two children's breakfast and lunchbox needs. After taking the children to school, she starts painting at home.

She prefers working at home rather than at her gallery, because there are fewer interruptions, she can listen to worship songs and sermons and she does not need to be "dressed up".

Riëtte churns out two to three paintings a day, depending on the size.

PHOTO GALLERY: Rut, well-known commercial painter, resides in Mossel Bay

She says her secrets to success are working hard, being able to work fast and being prolific.

"No one owes me anything," she says. She says it's essential to have a positive attitude and feels some artists don't make it commercially because they are negative. "I have been positive since I was small," she notes.

Generosity

Riëtte is known for her generosity in town. Often, when there are competitions, lucky draws or donations, Rut Art is mentioned as the sponsor. She gives away many paintings. Sometimes she will be busy with a large canvas and she will have the unction - she will just know - that she should give it to someone, not sell it.

"I wanted to become well known, so that my works would have more value when I gave them away," Riëtte says.

"I rely on the Holy Spirit. When I receive a commission, I pray about what should be in the painting." She has sometimes abandoned paintings halfway, because she felt they were not in tune with what the Lord wanted her to do.

Although she had always been creative and could paint, Riëtte started painting seriously in 2012.

"There is never a day that I don't feel like painting," she says. She does not find working on her own a lonely process. "There are so many sermons I want to listen to while I work," she says enthusiastically. Her favourite preacher is Derek Prince.

Riëtte reproduces her paintings on furniture, décor items, umbrellas and now on clothing. She has also designed fabric for other people's clothing lines and is currently designing for another range of clothing. "It stretches your mind to design for printing on fabric," she says.

The subject matter in Riëtte's works includes angels, women and items with Christian significance, such as pomegranates, indicating fruitfulness.