A Weekend Recap | Montagu Art Meander + Music Society Chamber Concert

The Klein Karoo town of Montagu, situated along Route 62, knows how to highlight community, culture, and connection. The 4th Montagu Art Meander - in collaboration with the Music Society - brought together local artists, local architecture, local wines, and a chamber music concert featuring the Karlsruhe Konzert Duo. It was a vibrant weekend full of music notes and artists’ brushstrokes.

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Most weekends in Montagu begin with a slow Saturday morning stroll to the Village Market — picking up a few samoosas, browsing vintage jewellery, and chatting with local entrepreneurs. It’s usually followed by coffee and pastries at one of our favourite haunts; the rhythm of small-town living.

But now and then, a weekend shakes up that familiar rhythm — bursting with cultural events and creative energy that bring the town to life.

Every November, the much-anticipated Montagu Art Meander does exactly that. Colourful bunting lines the streets as local artists exhibit in various studios and galleries in town, with artworks even spilling onto porches, creating a lively dialogue between art and architecture.

It’s a journey through creativity, community, and the beautiful historic spaces of Montagu.

This year, the 4th Art Meander just happened to coincide with the Montagu Music Society’s Friday Night concert, featuring the prestigious Karlsruhe Konzert Duo in the Old Mission Church.

As art and music are both mediums that express that which cannot be put into words, it felt like a serendipitous pairing.

A Chamber Concert | ‘The right place at the right time’

Because of their intimate nature, chamber music concerts are often called the ‘music of friends.’

This past weekend, that phrase took on a personal meaning for me.

Around lunchtime on Friday, I happened to pop into the Old Mission Church — the venue for that evening’s concert. Inside, cellist Reinhard Armleder and pianist Dagmar Hartmann were deep in rehearsal. It felt like stumbling into a private concert.

I had the chance to chat with them, snap a few photos up close, and even fetch an alternative piano stool from home — my closest brush yet with a backstage pass!

Hearing them rehearse earlier in the day in no way diminished the magic of the evening performance. As they dressed in concert attire and performed before an expectant audience, the Old Mission Church was completely transformed — a small space filled with world-class sound.

Over the next hour and a half, we were taken on a musical journey spanning three centuries: from the technical brilliance and emotional depth of Beethoven’s Sonata in G minor, Op. 5 No. 2, to the tender reflection of Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir d’un lieu cher, Op. 42 No. 3 – Mélodie. Then came Shostakovich’s The Gadfly, with its haunting melody and rhythmic intensity, followed by the playful energy of Kapustin’s Burlesque, Op. 97 — after which the performers joined the audience for an informal interval chat.

The evening concluded beautifully with Brahms’ lyrical Sonata in F major, Op. 99, and a warmly received encore: African Song by Cape Town’s Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand)— a perfect local note to end on.

The Montagu Art Meander | ‘Something old, something new’

Last year’s Art Meander - my first - featured 26 artists across 19 locations. I loved meandering from studio to studio, in awe of the sheer artistic talent on my doorstep.

This year’s Meander pivoted in scope, with over 40 local artists exhibiting in just 13 curated locations.

Some familiar faces, some new, and one truly remarkable old-timer — 94-year-old oil painter Oom Sarel. Add to that the ‘new-look’ Kupenda Gallery and a heritage station shed repurposed into something fresh.

My approach this time round was a little more intentional.

This time, I slowed down. 

This time, I stopped to listen.

This time, I was moved by how art had become a source of inspiration, sparking creative collaborations like wine-label design, a rescuer in times of burnout, a healer in times of grief, a connector of old high school friends, and a voice for expression in later life.

This time, I walked away with more than just an appreciation of art; I left with an appreciation and a deeper understanding of how art becomes a personal catalyst - shaping, growing, and inspiring in equal measure. 

I didn’t get to chat one-on-one with all 40 artists, but a few crossed my path — generous with their time, stories, and personal reflections. After all, art and the artist are never truly separate; one is always an expression of the other.

5 Artist Stories | Wine labels, corporate ‘burnout’, mountain climbing, ‘something blue’, & a high school friend.

#1 Fine Art Photographer & Mixed Media Artist | Martin Osner

Exhibiting at BluVines District, Martin Osner’s work is eclectic, ethereal, and thought-provoking. His large-scale pieces have such presence that you can’t help but stand back and take them in, pausing to absorb the visual impact before you. 

His 2025 collaboration with Nicky Parsons from Bloupunt Wines is a brilliant crossover between art and winemaking. 

Four of his artworks have been reimagined as wine labels, each reflecting the emotion and personality of the wine itself: “A crisp unoaked Chardonnay with citrus and flinty minerality, a delicate dry Rosé bursting with wild strawberry and pink grapefruit, a bold Shiraz layered with dark berries and spice, and a structured Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of blackcurrant, plum, and graphite.”

Martin kindly agreed to let me photograph him and include his story in this blog — on one condition: that I share his amusing anecdote about the Candy Girl artwork and the Shiraz it’s paired with. 

Here goes: When he was asked about the flavour profile of the Bloupunt Shiraz featuring the Candy Girl label, Martin, with a perfectly straight face, replied that it carried “subtle latex notes” — and the gentleman believed him!

#2 Mosaicist | Carol Cawood

Carol’s filigree mosaic artworks will quite literally take your breath away. The intricate, labour-intensive process behind her hand-cut glass mosaic designs is a testament to patience and creative perseverance. 

Always juggling two projects at once (to keep things interesting, she says), Carol has learned to think outside the box - layering colours, experimenting with textures, and searching endlessly for the perfect shade. 

About 10 years ago, the pressure of a demanding corporate career forced her to take a hard look at her lifestyle and priorities. Leaving the accounting world behind, a friend encouraged her to try something — anything — creative. She picked up mosaic work on a whim, fell in love with the process, and the rest is history.

#3 Oil Painter | ‘Oom’ Sarel van Rensburg

A retired mechanical engineer turned professional artist at 87 — now that’s a story worth telling.

At 94, Oom Sarel’s atmospheric landscapes - punctuated by vivid touches of red - are beautiful. He paints entirely from memory, capturing the places he’s visited and the mountains he’s climbed.

Working from his home studio, he follows what he calls the ‘artist’s rule’: 80% of painting is simply looking at the canvas, and only 20% is actually painting. One of his unique techniques is mixing colours directly on the canvas — a signature of his patient, intuitive process.

His gentle smile and humble presence make meeting him as memorable as his art itself.

#4 Portrait Sketcher | Jinx Louw

Jinx was a new discovery for me, yet chatting with her felt like catching up with an old friend. Self-taught, she found art to be a healing journey after the loss of her husband.

If Picasso could have a blue phase, so can she — evident in her sketched portraits, where her blue-toned whimsy brings each ‘caricature’ to life.

Though art entered her life as a coping mechanism during a deep time of sadness, Jinx’s work radiates joy. She captures emotion in every subject, experimenting freely with acrylics, pastels, and watercolour pencils.

While she may not consider herself a ‘natural’ artist, her work tells a very different story — one of talent, heart, and expressive creativity.

#5 Wildlife and Portrait Artist | Belinda Hewer

Award-winning wildlife artist Belinda’s open and engaging demeanor instantly makes you feel welcome in her gallery space. 

Talking to her about her art journey — and her work being exhibited in galleries, including the iconic Warren Cary Wildlife Gallery in Hoedspruit (home to Southern Africa’s top wildlife artists, photographers, and sculptors) — led us down memory lane to her high school days in Pretoria.

Belinda and Warren were classmates, later going their separate ways, only to be reconnected years later through art when Belinda became a Western Cape David Shepherd Wildlife Finalist in 2020. 

Standing in front of Belinda’s work - larger-than-life portraits and wildlife paintings blending impressionism and realism -  it quickly becomes clear that her soft-spoken, bubbly personality translates beautifully onto the canvas; a master artist whose warmth is as evident as her skill.

A Small-Town Art Meander | Culture rooted in community

Small towns often surprise visitors with the depth and diversity of their cultural talent offerings. 

In this picturesque Klein Karoo town, art isn’t tucked away in high-end galleries — it spills into homes, gardens, and studios, inviting visitors to interact with artists and their work up close. 

The Montagu Art Meander, celebrating a broad range of talent - from fine art and sculpture to photography, mosaics, woodwork, ceramics, and handmade crafts - is a lovely reminder that creativity often thrives most vibrantly in the quiet corners of small-town life.

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Written by Leanne Johnson