Drawwertjies – Oil on Canvas by Cornelie Wolff

Drawwertjies – Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 400 mm x 400 mm x 40 mm

Medium: Oil

Capture the subtle magic of the tide line with Cornelie Wolff’s ‘Drawwertjies.’ This exquisite oil on canvas piece freezes a fleeting moment as three tiny shorebirds—known as ‘Drawwertjies’ (sandpipers/plovers) in Afrikaans—dart across the wet sand, reflecting the pale sky.

Wolff masterfully uses a limited, ethereal palette of warm creams, soft taupes, and shimmering pale blue to convey the expansive, luminous environment of the beach. The focus is entirely on the interaction of light, water, and life. The birds, rendered with striking black and white markings, are captured in characteristic poses: heads down, probing the sand for food. Their spindly legs cast long, delicate reflections in the shallow water, an effect that beautifully blurs the line between the subject and its environment.

The wet sand is depicted as a mirror, a shimmering surface that duplicates the bird’s forms and the faint colours of the sky above, creating a serene, almost impressionistic dance of light and shadow.

‘Drawwertjies’ is a calming, evocative oil on canvas artwork that celebrates the small, persistent wonders of nature. It’s a sophisticated acquisition for those seeking art with a tranquil coastal theme and a quietly luminous presence.

Oil on Canvas

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.