Baobab Reflections – Oil Painting by Cornelie Wolff

Baobab Reflections – Oil Painting

Dimensions: 30 cm x 50 cm x 4 cm

Medium: Oil

The canvas is dominated by the majestic silhouettes of a cluster of baobab trees. Their massive, gnarled trunks and spindly, leafless branches are rendered in rich tones of brown and black, standing in stark contrast to the glowing sky. Wolff’s brushwork in this oil painting gives the trees a rugged, textured feel, emphasising their ancient and enduring presence.

The sky is a stunning mix of soft greys, blues, and pale yellows, with a brilliant, luminous sun sinking below the horizon.

The light from the setting sun bathes the entire scene in a warm, ethereal glow. This glow is mirrored in the foreground, where a body of water reflects the trees and the sky with remarkable clarity. The reflections are fluid and impressionistic, adding a sense of movement and tranquillity to the scene.

This oil painting evokes a feeling of peace and awe, reminding us of the quiet grandeur of the natural world.

Oil Painting

Cornelie Wolff Approaching Art from a Different Angle

This Johannesburg-based artist started as a pharmacist.  After completing her Honours Degree in Psychology, she joined Helios to further her skills in Art Therapy.   During this time, she fell in love with art, the process and the emotional power it yields.

While raising her family, which consisted of three young children, she took part-time classes with Rika de Klerk and Willie Jacobs.  She also attended workshops led by Koos Bronkhorst, Niel Moss, Willie Jacobs, Rentia Coetzee, Ruth Walters, Elize Bezuidenhout, Douw van Heerden, Charla Maarschalk, and Jennifer McChristian.

Today, she practices what she preaches by creating her work under the motto: “With every painting I complete, I grow as a person and an artist.”

My art is created from a place of wonder – it is my dream for every human to never completely lose the child inside them, because it is our ability to see wonder and magic in things.  I use bold brushstrokes, contrast and an impressionistic approach to entice the viewer to create their own interpretation of the subject and become part of my world.