Tag Archives: clouds

When it Rains Down in Africa…

Travelling by ferry with some of the participating artists on a cold and rainy day.

Travelling by ferry with some of the participating artists on a cold and rainy day.

Finally… I am making the time to share with you the fruits of my time in South Africa as an invited participant of the Global Nomadic Art Project 2016 South Africa. I had such a rich and productive time there, that I slightly shied away from writing about it – I just did not know where to start.

The GNAP ‘Stories of Rain’ Art Project was an incredible journey through South Africa’s landscapes, myths and lively land art scene. Very well organized and carefully planed, we were treated to so many different places, warm hospitality, creative time in nature and an exciting selection of fellow artists. I appreciated the constantly changing small groups in which we travelled. They enabled us to meet so many local and international artists, exchange ideas and create together in a very unique way. Thank you to the GNAP team for this very special platform and project and thank you to all the many South African organizers, especially Strijdom van der Merwe and Anni Snyman,  who made the South African leg of the journey such a memorable one!

I have decided to split all my artworks into smaller groups and introduce them to you in separate blog posts. Trying to keep each one short and sweet, but still let you in on my ideas and thoughts as much as possible.

During the ‚Stories of Rain’ Art Project I continued with my rainmaker project and research. Can we create rain through a conscious and intentional creative process? I have used the surrounding landscapes and materials to explore different ideas from creating clouds out of stones or mud, performing a cloud dance and working with the idea of female tears being conducive to calling the rain.

First I will share with you one of my more familiar looking rainmaker works:

The final Rainmaker Cloud, Porcupine Hills made with earth pigment

The final Rainmaker Cloud, Porcupine Hills made with earth pigment

In the following gallery I will share with you the story of how I created this artwork and rainmaker and show prove of the rain that followed. (Click to see larger versions of the images)

I loved the stay here! Thank you to our hosts Cha and Tony Davenport are such wonderful people and made us feel perfectly at home. The place is great – recommending it fully if you would like to break away from the city for a weekend or longer!

Porcupine Hills offers self-catering guest accommodation and boutique olive oil.  Close to Cape Town (100km) but a world away from city and suburban life.  This is the perfect place to escape into nature and spend time in a quiet, tranquil and beautiful space.

The underlying farm “Diepklowe” is a Private Nature Reserve within the van der Stel Cluster (four neighbouring conservation farms) and is designated as a Cape Nature Stewardship Programme area. It is a core member of the Groenlandberg Conservancy.

The farm was acquired in 2012 by Tony and Cha Davenport and their two sons, Justin and Tobin.

Calling the Spirit of Rain and Water

DSC01521In my research about rain making I found several interesting stories of how magic drawings on rocks would attract rain. Some of which suggested that you have to find ways to draw the water spirit’s attention and curiosity. Like this story, which made me smile every time I thought of it.

The antelope, who only arrives after it has rained, is presumed to be linked to the water spirit and its favourite animal. The water spirit likes a good party, and will presumably like to attend with their friend, or… favourite animal. So, if the rainmaker draws images of the antelope and dancing people on the cave walls and pretends that there is a good party happening (for instance through dancing, singing and holding a ceremony) she/he will attract the water spirit’s attention and interest to join. But who likes to go to a party where you do not know anybody? Right, so the water spirit, who can turn itself into rain, would like to have its favourite animal friend there too. But the antelope only comes when there is water, so being a good friend, the water spirit will let it rain.

Like, hey, if I’ll buy you a beer, will you join me at this party?

And voila – the rainmaker has made it rain.

So last Saturday we visited the farm and I decided to hold a small party, well – make some rain…

The more the merrier

I chose a nice visible spot, a straight cliff face on the top of a small koppie (hill) and asked my father, brother and husband to join me in creating a rainmaker. This is a part in my different experiments, which I always wanted to try: working together with more people instead of just creating on my own.

I believe that working together does create a more focussed and stronger energy. I guess that is also why it already says in the bible, if two or more people come together and pray, the prayer will definitely be heard.

(Please click on the images to see the full view, thank you.)

 

I stuck to my typical cloud and rain drawings, because I believe that the rain or water spirit will recognise itself and will become curious. And that

like attracts like…

Each of us drew a raining cloud with chalk on the cliff-face, my brother even drew a puddle of water where the rain collected on the ground. The cloud drawings were nicely visible towards the east, where the water spirit usually resides (where the rain usually comes from.) We all had fun drawing and imagining how we are making rain.

Shortly after we started, I remembered to take a picture of the area and blue sky, and was surprised to already see the very first faint rain clouds on the distant horizon.

If you look closely you see the very first small clouds appearing on the horizon

If you look closely you see the very first small clouds appearing on the horizon

 

Offerings – a sign of your abundance

Lastly, I wanted to implement another ‘new’ aspect into this rainmaker. The idea of making an offering… We sprinkled the rock and rain drawings with actual water. I have always thought that adding water to my rainmaker experiments would be another magnet in the sense of ‘like attracts like’, but I realised that there might be another aspect that I have overlooked.

If we are willing to offer a small bit of what we are asking for as a gift or offering in return, we are signalling that we are part of the natural flow. We will not unnecessarily hoard or obstruct the flow of the goodness which we are inviting to us. We believe that there is more of what we have just given away, we believe in our own abundance and the abundance of the water, instead of fearfully holding on to the feeling of lack and scarceness.

 

While we were busy with this, we definitely already attracted the attention of some baboons who were curious of what kind of party is happening…

Baboons are curious and try to figure out what is happening on our side...

Baboons are curious and try to figure out what is happening on our side…

Gratitude expressed

Just before we left the site, I decided to once again express my gratitude, by writing a thank you note on a piece of bone, leaving it at the foot of the koppie for the rain, once it arrives.

A little thank you note for the rain and water spirits...

A little thank you note for the rain and water spirits…

All done we left and it was amazing to watch how the clouds suddenly appeared from all directions, as if somebody had shouted:

Here is a party and there is free beer for everybody!

Anyway, I was slightly peeved that it did not rain that day, although so many clouds came up so fast…

But I also remembered that we must continue to believe in the manifestation for it to become real, no matter what. I have to give thanks again and again, and acknowledge my faith that our prayers will be heard.

I do not know if it is from pure stubbornness or something else, I have long ago started to tell myself if a wish is not immediately granted, it is just because the universe is busy preparing something bigger, better and more awesome than I could even wish for… after all, something that grand takes a bit more time.

And so it was.

Two days later, on our departure to Germany, we received the excited news from the farm that it was raining. The rivers were flowing and everybody was excited that suddenly there was so much rain after such a long drought. And in the coming days Facebook (the modern bush drum) was filled with images and videos of the massive rain received all over the country.

I am grateful and happy.

Rain on the farm and flowing rivers on 18 January 2016 – Photos kindly supplied by Amanda Koekemoer ©

Wild Sky

Cloud, collected and documented by Imke Rust

Cloud, collected and documented by Imke Rust

Remember the days during childhood, when we looked up at the clouds in the sky and imagined their shapes to represent all kinds of things?

Well, part of my life’s mission in the recent months was to reignite the lightness and playfulness of childhood in my life. I guess I cannot help it, I play best by being creative.

As part of my rainmaking experiments and research, I have been collecting clouds by photographing and documenting them. I have some great ideas for these photographs, but somehow, like so many of my ideas and projects, they have not yet found their way out into the world.

I find this frustrating, because I have so much fun working on different projects and I enjoy sharing them, because I know that many of my wors or projects are inspiring, intruiging or interesting for others.

When I was looking at the pictures of the collected clouds some time ago, I started seeing some figures in them and decided to take a moment to play the old childhood game. Instead of just imagining the animals and figures on my documented clouds, I decided to draw them onto the photographs in Photoshop. Those are the advantages of being an adult and having all these wonderful technical equipment and programs!

I had so much fun, that I spent quite a bit of time making more and more. As so often, also these fun images were saved in a folder on my computer and almost forgotten.

Maybe one day, the right time will come and I can present these projects in their full glory, printed, framed and exhibited in a cool venue… 🙂 Maybe a gallery or curator will invite me to show one or the other project.

Just, how will anybody know about all the wonderful things I have buried somewhere in a folder on my computer or in my studio, I wondered? If they have never seen them or read about them, they cannot possibly know.

Instead of storing and hiding my art and projects, I decided to try to get them up onto my webpage and out into the world. At least that way they people can see them and hopefully find inspiration or joy in them, no matter if I ever find a way to exhibit them in a proper space close to you.

So, here you go, I share my Wild Sky Cloud Creatures with you.

They are not my most important or serious project, by far, but I enjoyed working on them.

I hope that you might feel inspired to stop for a moment, remember your carefree moments as a child, look at the sky and marvel at the offerings it has for you!

Please click on the circles to see the full image.

You can see more works of this series HERE.

Waiting for Rain

It is very hot and dry. All Namibians are yearning for the rain to come. So am I.

I have decided to make another, small ‘rainmaker’ work and place it in my garden in hope to set the right energies free to let there be rain. I have made my first “Rainmaker” artwork in 2010. You can click here to be taken to pictures and information on that 🙂 .

For some time now I have been experimenting with the idea that combining creative energy and ritual with the right intentions should be able to influence the ‘reality’. In simple terms: I am trying to figure out, if a rain dance can really produce rain.

And if so, what ingredients are needed? Are there specific magical forms, rhythms, sounds or actions that are needed? Do we really need to dance to get rain, or could it be another creative expression? (Since I am not a dancer, this question is actually quite on top of my list…)

While I am still hoping to one day stumble on a copy of “Rain Dancing for Dummies”, I have settled to do a lot of reading in related matters, from traditional beliefs and cultures from all over the world to artists who have explored similar concepts, like Joseph Beuys.

And while I am at it, I thought, it will not harm to start experimenting with it already. So here are some pictures of my drawing of a raining cloud made to focus the intention on the reality which I would like to see and feel.

I have made it a few days ago and yesterday there were some promising clouds but no rain. Today there are some more clouds, so I am keeping my fingers crossed… and my intentions focused on the cool refreshing wetness of rain…

Rainmaker on my stoep (local word for verandah)

Rainmaker on my stoep (that is what Namibians call a verandah)

20cm high flat stone, sepcially collected for this purpose from the Namib. I made the drawing with white Chalk drawing.

+-20cm high flat stone, specially collected for this purpose from the Namib. I made the drawing with white Chalk, so that it can wash off with the first rain…

Some clouds in the sky in the day I have made the drawing.

Some clouds in the sky on the day I have made the drawing.