Lino Cutting Course at Vlakplaas

We had such a fun time this weekend during our Lino Workshop outing! The Uys family invited me to host an art workshop on their working farm Vlakplaas in the picturesque area between Wakkerstroom and Volksrust, and of course we couldn’t resist. There was excitement in the air as everybody arrived, and with a piping hot coffee in the one hand and pen in the other, we started off designing our images.

It was a beginner’s class, so nobody had previous experience with lino-cutting, but after a few nervous laughs, a bleeding finger or two 😉 and a lot of enthusiasm, the class got momentum. They learnt the basics of lino, how to carve, ink and print, so that they each had something to take home at the end of the day. While the ladies were hard at work creating masterpieces, the men were preparing delicious food for lunch, and exploring the beautiful farm surroundings.

What made the experience even more special, was the warm, friendly and very generous hosts, Thuys and Martie. We might as well have marketed it as a foodie and art workshop! Martie makes her own ice-cream, jams, pestos, breads and sauces which we all had seconds of! Thys was very eager to share his home-made lemoncello with us, and of course their mouth watering “boere kos”, which is the signature stamp for their quaint guesthouse on the farm.

After a long, but very satisfying day, we all packed up and drove off with a smile on our faces, and hoping to visit this special venue again soon. Thanks to everybody who helped to make this event as successful as it was.

It’s the friends we meet along the way that help us appreciate the journey.