Whenever Dian Louw grabs a paintbrush, you can practically feel his love for people, life, and nature shining through onto the canvas – it’s just who he is!
Dian still remembers the first drawing competition he won when he was just six years old … a totally imaginary colourful and quirky bird.
And although his dad tried really hard to get him into rugby, Dian always felt safest behind a blank page with some colouring pencils. In fact, he never went anywhere without them.
“My mom, on the other hand played a huge role in my art journey. She always made time to draw and colour with my sister and I. She’s also the one who instilled the love of giving within me from a very young age.
“I remember going home after my first day of school and telling my mom about three children who didn’t have anything to eat during break and we shared my lunchbox. The next day my mom packed four lunchboxes so that we could each have our own.
“This taught me a lot about empathy. Sharing clothes and helping someone who struggled with their grades came so naturally. And through this, I discovered a love for teaching.”
After school he dove straight into helping out at underprivileged schools and doing some mission work in India, Nepal and Africa. Even though each destination holds a special place in Dian’s heart, he really fell in love with Madagascar and its people. There, he taught, preached and joined in the fight against human trafficking for some years.
But, health issues eventually brought Dian back home to teach at a local school. And he loved every second of it! Although he never really had much time for his art, he still dabbled with the idea of starting his own business on the side. And it wasn’t long before epicARTS – his art business – was born.
A few more years down the line, he got the green light to travel abroad again. He and his wife, Michelle, quit their jobs and their bags were packed for a year in Spain. Then came Covid.
“At this point we were jobless and the first lockdown was on our doorstep. During this time Michelle switched to online teaching and I started an epicARTS Lockdown Challenge where I would post an art prompt, a Bible verse and a prayer for each day.
“Almost 500 people joined the challenge, which is how I got my first load of commissions. And that’s when I decided to take the leap and pursue art full time.”
Today he’s the full-time artist and art teacher he dreamt of becoming. He paints the children he met in Madagascar and others who crossed his path along the way, reliving each story told with brush strokes across the canvas. He’s taught hundreds of students, and just loves bringing out their inner Picasso.
If you haven’t seen him at his studio in Newlands, you’ve probably seen him being crowned the winner on KykNET’s first season of Plaasjapie, where his human relations were taken to a whole new level!
Now he’s on the verge of embracing fatherhood – a new chapter brimming with colours yet to be explored. Ready to step into the new year and a fresh season, Dian chats about a few of his creative antics.
Visit dianlouw.com or follow @epicARTS7 on Insta, or @dianlouw on Facebook.
Why does human connections inspire you?
We are so unique in how we are formed and how past events shape our future that I do not want to miss out on any earthly story. We also tend to judge people by their covers. But once you get into conversation with the individual, it is as if the layers are being chipped away and you see the person behind the flesh and bones – their soul – and suddenly it all starts to make sense. I truly want to get to know the person behind their titles and earthly possessions – as I think we are all treasures, and we can all learn from one another. We don’t know how long we will have the privilege to walk on the earth, we might as well make the most of it by helping each other shine!
What do you believe in teaching your students?
We are created to create by our amazing Creator and we are all creative. Each flower will find a place in a garden or in the wild as long as it has the courage to grow and eventually bloom. Also, art is like any other sport. If I want to run the comrades, I cannot just run a Parkrun every other week. In essence, five to ten minutes of art on a daily basis is way more effective than three hours once a week.
What role does art play in other areas of your life?
It helps me to look deeper and seek more out of the ordinary. It also taught me to seek detail in everything I do. It helps me think out of the box, hustling to stay relevant and approachable. Art helps me slow down, enjoy the moments and savour the memories. I want to live in the moment as I never know when will be my final breath.
When does your creative juice flow best?
I am a night owl. I can easily work through the night and before big exhibitions I still do. But since I’m a married man, my evening sessions are getting shorter as I absolutely love spending time with Michelle. I am however very dedicated and create in working hours from 8am until 8pm. In the past I would work in bed, queues, restaurants (basically wherever I could). But with my expanding family I am working on healthier boundaries.
Your fave medium and painting subject?
CS Lewis said in one of his books that if you have friend A, B and C – and friend B passes away, a part of friend A and C also passes away, because you will never experience friend A with friend B again and we all bring out different qualities in each other. In the same way, if I opt for oil as a favourite medium, I lose the transparency watercolour gives me or the skill sketching taught me. My favourite subject, however, will always be portraits which tell the stories of others.
3 Qualities any good art teacher should have?
- To enjoy it and to have a passion for art and people.
- The ability to see the potential of each student individually and guide them towards that.
- The skill to problem-solve and sketch with an understanding of colour use.
7 Tips for cultivating your creativity
- Enjoy every moment and explore with different mediums, subjects and surfaces.
- Practice makes progress! Create daily even if it is just for 5 minutes.
- Invest in your creative journey. Learn from others, take a class, read a book and ask questions.
- Compare your art to yourself – don’t compare it with others, you don’t know how many hours or attempts they had. Sketch something, write the date on the back, practice and sketch the same reference in 3 months’ time to see how much you’ve improved.
- Art rules are meant to be broken, it is your art. Make your own rules, push the boundaries and you will be amazed at what you are capable of.
- Respect the process, results will follow as long as you are not scared to start.
- Take time to rest and do something you like. You cannot create from a half-full cup. Once your inner-self is happy, creativity will overflow in all aspects of your life!
Compiled by: ALANICKA LOTRIET. • Images: JCCLICK.
