Clarens - half way house Art Village

Clarens, nestled in the stirring setting of the unique Freestate landscape, surrounded by its own amphitheatre of timeless Sandstone koppies, rustic windmills and majestic cloud formations, is the renowned art village situated half way between Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa. 

It's a part of Africa where rich chocolate arable soil is ploughed and planted with golden wheat, where colourful cosmos grows in generous clumps alongside dusty farm tracks and where vistas of the blue Maluti Mountains of Lesotho form a reassuring backdrop. 

And it's a part of the world where antiquity meets modernity; where large tracts of the landscape remain untouched, and where in the village, artists have over the years congregated, collectively inspired by the generosity of the landscape. 

   Today some imposing art galleries, hotels, and time share lodges on a nearby golf estate have encroached on a piece of the old Clarens's heart, usurping a part of the 'old world charm' of the Clarens, which I've enjoyed over the years, with new and more grandiose ideas. But this does attract tourists and art dealers, which fuels the economy of the village. 

    But if like me, one's dollars are a tad depleted and one has no space for another painting on one's walls, one may just as well go and lap up the vistas, the mellow vibe, the rich choice of eateries and the more off- beat arty and ethnic shops, turning a blind eye to the natural phenomenon of change. There are also various adventure sports,  wonderful hiking routes and beauty massage treatments for the less intrepid.
And best of all... one can still leave Clarens fabulously charged, seduced and topped up to overflowing from the plethora of sensory inspirations, plus feeling a little giddy from the restful scenic feasts, contributed to by the altitude and unsullied restorative air.