In the last five years, gallery owners have upped the price of a canvas from a modest R350 to a set rate of R7000. Normally, it’s difficult to put a price on art because the value is not quantitative; it lies in what the public are prepared to pay. But some art does become a valuable commodity when the demand for it exceeds the supply. And that is what an investment collector looks for – art that will increase in value, that is why Daniel Novela has caught the interest of collectors.

Since his graduation in 2000, Daniel has exhibited regularly in Gauteng and recently completed a successful tour of Europe where he sold 60 paintings. In September 2006, Daniel had his first exhibition in New York at the Sankaranka Art Gallery, which is owned by Gambian-born Saihou Saidy, whose passion is to showcase African art. Firstly, the works are special and have integrity, secondly, a Novela canvas is fast increasing in value. As a relatively recent discovery, his true worth has yet to be established, so he is therefore considered a good investment opportunity. No doubt his New York exposure will increase his bankability even more.

 

  

Daniel is a practical man. Asked how he chooses his canvases, he says simply, "They must fit in the boot of my car”. He is also a compulsively creative man who can’t make it through the day without painting. His refined landscapes are infiltrating galleries and private collections as his special brand of African Impressionism becomes better known. His success is the result of years of hardship in an almost stereotypical story of an artist who would not let go of his dream. “While I am all African, my style is not typically African. I gravitate towards Impressionism, particularly John Constable, Trevor Chamberlain and Richard Schmid. I also admire South African artist Adrian Boshoff.”