Johannesburg - Joburg housewife Alida Cahi spent more than half of her life being a doting wife and mother, raising two successful children.
She has been the backbone for her husband, Dr Norman Cahi, an acclaimed dentist to the stars, including the likes of former Miss World Rolene Strauss and former Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters.
But two years ago, Cahi decided to fulfil her own passion in the art world, and today she will host her first pop-up art exhibition at Athol Square in Sandton.
“I’ve always been passionate about art, but when I younger, I was busy with my kids and being a mom on the run,” she said.
The death of her mentor and friend Beatrice Katz, who worked as an art curator for the Johannesburg Art Gallery for about 30 years, also convinced Cahi to fully pursue her love for art.
“She gave me confidence as an artist and encouraged me to use my talents and fully express myself.
“She would be so proud of me if she saw what I was doing. I can hear her voice in my head telling me its the right thing to do. Although Cahi has no formal training, her love for drawing and painting has seen her spend almost every day for the past two years on her art.
“I never studied art, but I have always had this talent in me. I think its my second calling, and it will be my legacy that I will leave behind.”
Her work ranges from black and white portraits to bite-size pop culture paintings and even more complex narrative pieces.
“I like to choose different subjects, and I think that’s what keeps me interested,” she said.
Her art is also reflective of her extensive travels around the world and her interests such as old Hollywood and English comic actor, film-maker, and composer Charlie Chaplin, which is the subject of several of her pieces.
Over the past two years, Cahi would present many of her pieces to her loved ones as gifts, and paint for the pure enjoyment of her family, but is now ready to showcase her work to the public.
“I had so much work piling up, so when the perfect location became available, I decided to host the pop-up exhibition.
“This will also be an opportunity to see what people like and to judge where I am as an artist.”
While Cahi’s pieces will be on sale at her exhibition, she wants to use the platform to “inject beauty back into the world.
“I love art and what it means and stands for. Art brightens the world, and it makes it a better place because when you look at a piece of art, even just for a few seconds, you actually forget what’s going on around you. It’s an escape and a form of therapy.”
Her black and white portraits and smaller pieces will sell for under R1000, with the most expensive painting priced at R2500. “I want people to afford my art,” she explained.
“I want them to buy a piece and know that it is an original and they obtain it and that it’s not out of their reach. This pop-up exhibition is for the love of art and not just to make money.”
She knows there may be some criticism of her work. “It’s hard to put my personal work out there, but I’m not afraid of criticism. I want people to give me their honest opinion, because that is the only way I will develop and get better.”
While Cahi’s favourite artist is Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, she is proud to be an artist from Africa.
“African art is often so bright,
colourful and happy, despite everything going on around us.”