Aviva paints figurative oils from observing scenes of everyday life. The female figure takes centre stage. Aviva admires the inner strength with which women work with pride and contentment to survive and provide. This subject matter gives Aviva’s work a universal and timeless quality.
Eye-catching and inspiring, Aviva’s paintings capture South African women purely and with empathy. Harmonious compositions, bold brush work and refreshing use of colour, make the paintings come alive. Flowers, fishing nets and shoulder bags are some of the symbols Aviva uses for hope, labour and cycles of life. The paintings themselves seem to tell a story, inspiring the viewer to keep coming back to look again. Memories are recalled, experiences relived and emotions shared. Aviva’s paintings have something very real about them. It touches hearts.
Aviva Maree is a self-taught South African artist working exclusively in oils on Belgian linen. She has lived in Pretoria and rural parts of Limpopo Province. Since 2000 she is based in the Southern Cape village of Knysna. She is represented by selected art galleries in South Africa and has had numerous successful solo exhibitions over the past decades.
