Celebrating 25 Years with Artists and Friends

18 May Celebrating 25 Years with Artists and Friends

Posted at 09:03h in News & Events by Jozua

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– Jenny Jackson –

Step with me if you will, through the back door of the Rossouw Modern in Harbour Rd, Hermanus’s artistic heart …A gentle sea breeze wafts through the white-walled rooms as a an immaculately dressed and groomed man comes forward and greets us with a huge smile, a handshake and a question, skillfully wrapped in a compliment: Where have you beautiful people come from? Welcome to my gallery! Take your time and let me know if there s anything you would like to take back with you to remind you of our wonderful country and this amazing town we are so privileged to live in!

And Jozua Rossouw, gallery- owner -extraordinary means every word of it!

One look around at the skilled and colourful works and I – an untried and un-exhibited painter from England recently now settled in Hermanus – knew that of all the galleries I had visited this was where I wanted my paintings to hang, and this was the person I wanted to promote them. But even then, in 2009, he was inundated with artists like me who saw how special he is and aspired to be part of his stable. In fact, although we became friends early on it took 3 years for me to produce works that were strong enough for him to accept. I will never forget the day he visited my studio and with tears of emotion running down his cheeks he declared “Yes, you’ve found your voice! I will take that, that and that painting now and we will discuss your first solo exhibition tomorrow!”

From that moment on both my personal and professional life changed in an almost fairy-tale way. Thanks to Jozua’s endless enthusiasm, positive drive and friendship no week passed without lunch on the Gallery stoep or an indulgent dinner with potentials clients at the elegant Marine Hotel. Exciting news about a new buyer for my latest work was a regular occurrence, and life became amazingly fulfilling. I have since opened my own gallery in the High Street, but we remain close friends and I am honoured to still be represented by him, whether at the Rossouw Modern or his recently -opened, impressive Space Modern just across the road.

But JR is much more than my friend the gallery owner. If you wander under young trees through the once-neglected Village Green and admire the stimulating contemporary sculptures..stroll along the Cliff Path and be excited by bronze and steel images outlined against the sea….delight in the multi-coloured facades of art galleries, studios and shops in The Art Alley you may wonder who was behind these initiatives to catapult a quiet seaside town like Hermanus into the art focus of the Western Cape? No prizes for guessing.

Lots more images next week!

Street Party in High Street

With Justine of Green Renaissance and Hedda Mittner of The Village News

On the stoep with Rossouw Modern Brand Ambassador Caroline Jane Coates

With happy clients

– Talita Engelbrecht –

Not only has the Rossouw Modern been a pivotal part of my art education and the beautification of my lovely home, it has also been the centre of a huge part of my social life and friends over the years. I loved meeting all the artists and have so many many very fond memories of making new friends on the infamous “stoep”! Thank you too for being an integral part of Harbour Road and the social responsibility you always show towards our community and loved ones. The Rossouw Modern will leave a huge legacy! Well done my friend.

New images:

With chef Rickey Broekhoven of The Restaurant at Newton Johnson in the Hemel en Aarde Valley

With Swedish and local friends

With Elsa Rossouw

With friends and artist Frans Mulder

Krisjan Rossouw (no relation) and Talita

With Krisjan Rossouw (no relation)

With Hugo Martitz

In Amsterdam with Janwillem (RIP) Bastiaan van Stenis, Jozua Rossouw & Tertius Xavier Oosthuizen

With Hannelie Taut

Lunch on the Stoep

corner of my collecction

– Obert Jongwe –

I remember some 16years ago in 2004 I visited the Rossouw Modern at Portswood Road, Waterfront in Cape Town. The reception and ambiance was amazing and I knew that was the right place for showing my work.

A week before I was given reference to visit the gallery by an art shop manager after showing them my work as I purchased some art materials.

Soon after I had enough works to show so I visited the gallery and my works where accepted. I felt so excited and I also learnt that I shared almost the same experiences in the art business with Jozua, the owner, from our humble beginnings. We both started selling our art works from the same places, St Georges Mall, Green Market Square and then Green Point Market. Then tried some galleries in the Somerset West area, and through the years to many other places around Cape Town. That even made the whole journey more interesting and I was sure that I have found a true representation for heading towards growth and success of my career.

Business was good until end of 2012, and then I took a sabbatical. In 2015 Jozua invited me back into the gallery. Starting on a fresh page my creativity gave birth to a new way of doing things and I developed my techniques, painting style and story lines.

What an amazing exciting journey , now with lots of success.

Happy 25th anniversary, I wish you many more successful years.

Obert during his re-launch in October 2016

With fellow artists from Zimbabwe

Overwhelmed by an admirer at his re-launch in 2016

With super fan, long time admirer and avid collector of his work, Jane Badham, from Johannesburg

Always ready to come and meet his collectors

With Curator and Art Patron Karen McKerron

With Artist Gordon Froud

With his painting donated for auction to the Chameleon Project

– Patrick Chapman –

THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY.

SO this is a story about a day in winter in Hermanus . It’s a Sunday, early afternoon. There is no-one about. Did I say NO-ONE? Well you know what the centre of Old Town looks like on a Sunday afternoon. Not even a seagull.

But hang on, along comes a couple of foreign visitors across the Village Green. I am chatting to Jozua in his gallery when I notice his antennae – he has spotted the visitors. “Hello ! ” he shouts. They look up to see this chic-ly dressed gentleman with a wide smile ..” You can’t go that way, it’s closed” he says, meaning diagonally across a wide open village green. They look puzzled. “You’ve got to come this way, through the gallery…” says Jozua. They smile as they click… and follow the invitation. They look at the art on the walls, he chats a bit, not too much…and they leave by the front door into Harbour Road. No sale, but hell, a really impressive try.

That is just one of the reasons which make Jozua a successful gallerist. And for me, a pleasure to watch a Master at work!

Another story by Patrick posted next week!