Just finished the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival in Oudtshoorn. Always an experience. The art this year was, for me, of a better standard than previous years. Is it the difficult financial times that are making artists work harder? Any ways, after 8 days there weren't a lot of red dots anywhere. So I suppose the work will be even better next year. This can only benefit the buyers of art! Let's hope they have a more prosperous year and come to support us in 2014. While I didn't get a lot of time to draw, I managed to finish this drawing of the Drill Hall in Oudtshoorn. A magnificent building. One among a lot of others in Oudtshoorn. I talked to Joost Pyck, a belgian "klipkapper", or stone mason, who has got the unenviable job of watching the great sandstone buildings of Oudtshoorn falling into disrepair. Apparently there is neither money, nor interest to keep him busy in restoring the beautiful buildings and houses that need it desperately. He is thinking of becoming a guide on a local show farm in the area. Isn't this a rather sad state of affairs?

Drill Hall 

Oudtshoorn