In Clarens
Clarens has an extraordinary amount of creative talent packed into a very small town. Walk around the village and you will find painters, mixed-media artists, portrait artists, sculptors, potters and people who have made art their life's work.
Some have galleries of their own. Others work quietly from studios and show their paintings through the galleries around town. The styles are just as varied, from the familiar landscapes of the Eastern Free State to bold pop art, portraits, pottery and work that is deeply personal.
UPCOMING ART FESTIVAL: 23–26 April 2027
For four days in April, Clarens becomes exactly what you would expect from a town known for its artists and galleries. The 2026 Clarens Arts Festival ran from 24 to 27 April, bringing together visual art, live music, theatre, books, workshops, children's events and guided nature experiences.There is plenty to choose from. The programme included book talks and author events, music and performances, creative workshops, nature outings and visual art exhibitions.
Lyn Hoyle: Painting the spirit of Clarens
Some artists paint Clarens because they happen to be here. Lyn Hoyle has spent decades looking closely at it. Lyn is one of the artists behind the Addy Hoyle Gallery, one of the village's long-established art spaces. She and Simon Addy first exhibited in the area in...
Bear: The Clarens artist whose portraits break out of the frame
Bear’s art has a way of standing out before you have even taken a closer look. His portraits and caricatures are full of personality, from highly detailed pencil work to vivid pop-art creations. What makes his work particularly distinctive is the shape.
Louise Hansen: The art teacher who helps people find their way back to painting
Discover the work of Clarens artist Louise Hansen, whose paintings capture the beauty of the Eastern Free State. Working mainly in oils and watercolour, Louise draws inspiration from the mountains, changing seasons, dramatic skies and distinctive light around Clarens.
Lynnette Schuld
Lynette Schuld has been making and teaching art for more than 30 years, but there is nothing particularly narrow about the way she works. Oils, acrylics, watercolour, pastels, ink, graphite, charcoal, ceramics and mixed media all find a place in her studio. She...
Visual Vibes Art Gallery
Step into Visual Vibes Art Gallery and you’ll find art with people at its heart. Run by artist Veronica Stafford, the gallery has a particular fascination with the human form and the female figure, expressed through mixed-media works that invite you to stop and look a...
Blou Donki and Johan Smith: A long-standing part of Clarens art
If you come to Clarens for the art, Blou Donki is one of the galleries worth putting on your list. It has been part of the village's art scene for years and has built a reputation for bringing together an interesting mix of South African artists and different forms of...
Loezytha’s Heart: Portraits, prophetic art and a chance to make something yourself
There is something personal about Loezytha’s Heart. The focus is on people, emotion and the stories that can come through a painting, rather than simply producing another pretty picture of the Clarens landscape. Loezytha works mainly in oils, with acrylics, charcoal...
Helen Claassen: A lifetime of painting in the Eastern Free State
Helen Claassen has been painting professionally since 1986 and has been selling her work in Clarens since the late 1990s. She opened her own gallery in the village in 2005. Her paintings range from landscapes and still lifes to portraits and whimsical character...
Peter Bonney: Quiet country, painted in extraordinary detail
Peter Bonney paints the South African countryside with the kind of attention that makes ordinary things worth stopping for. His work sits in the realist tradition, but he makes an important distinction. He does not simply copy photographs. Instead, he rearranges...
Simon Addy: The darker side
Simon Addy's paintings have a strong sense of place. His landscapes are not postcard versions of the Free State. They tend to be quieter, moodier and more interested in what happens when the weather turns. Working mainly in acrylic on board or canvas, Addy paints...
Tobias Art: Paintings, pottery and a good dose of personality
Tobias Art is one of the more distinctive art stops in Clarens because the place doesn't fit neatly into the traditional idea of an art gallery. Tobias Viljoen is a painter whose landscapes began with photographs he took himself. His background in horticulture helped...
