GEORGE NEWS - When 72-year-old Wilderness artist and teacher Liz Stumke heard that her 12-year-old granddaughter Lisa Combrink would represent South Africa at the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPS) in Los Angeles, California, she tackled a project to make a contribution towards the airfare. Lisa had won a fistful of medals in the national round of the South African Championship of Performing Arts.
Before Lisa's departure, Liz produced a series of paintings which sold like hotcakes at an auction held in Krugersdorp where Lisa lives. Liz's daughter, Adv Alieza Viljoen is very proud of her mother.
"My mother is no ordinary woman. She is an artist involved in the fine arts for more than 50 years, working with people like Francois van Halter. She opened her own art club, the Wilderness Art Club, where she has been teaching art for more than 30 years," says Viljoen.
Cheese and wine
Liz's contribution was to paint and donate 42 paintings to be sold on auction at a sit-down cheese and wine held on 8 June at Kenmare Primary School where Lisa is a learner. "I invited friends, family and colleagues," says Viljoen.
"Throughout the evening, Lisa performed some of her songs. Her vocal coach, André Martinez, made a guest appearance free of charge. All my mother's paintings were sold. Especially popular were the miniatures, which have become my mother's speciality over the last couple of years."
Liz Stumke raised money with her paintings to send her granddaughter, Lisa, to the World Championships of Performing Arts.
These oil paintings are done on a 20x20cm canvas and the detail is so intricate that Liz has to use a magnifying glass and a paintbrush with two or three hairs. The paintings were all uniquely and beautifully framed by Liz's husband Chris, who has been framing all Liz's and her students' work over the last 25 years.
Success
"The auction was a huge success, also due to Lisa's angelic voice. The feeling of pride and patriotism of the people who attended the function was palpable throughout the evening. Most of the expenses for Lisa's trip to Los Angeles were covered with the proceeds of the auction.
Lisa left for the WCOPA on 2 July and returned with a gold medal for rap, silver for contemporary and bronze for jazz," says a proud Viloen.
Lisa Combrink.
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