Colla Swart
(1930 – 2023)
Inspirational workshop leader
It is with great sadness that the South African photographic community learnt that Colla Swart (almost 93) had passed away in a care home in Piketberg. The workshops conducted by Colla and the legendary Canadian photographer Freeman Patterson (pictured above with her), has woven a significant thread through the photographic life stories of so many well-known photographers. Time and time again photographers would relate how they were inspired to “see things differently” during these workshops, which represent the start of their creative journeys.
Freeman Patterson, who inspired Colla’s beautiful multiple exposure images of Namaqualand wildflowers and scenery, wrote the following tribute to his friend of more than 40 years:
After attending the 1980 PSSA convention (my third) my friend Dirk Vermeulen and I flew to Upington from Johannesburg and then drove via sheep trails and dongas across the relatively roadless northern part of the country to Aggeneys and Springbok.
Three days later, September 18th, we booked the last room at the tiny Kamieskroon Hotel (nine rooms and an eetkamer at the time.) Never could I have guessed that on that night the trajectory of my life would change forever.
We were late for the best flowers, as was a small group from Cape Town that had decided to return home the next morning due to the lack of bloom and because one member was feeling unwell. Colla took pity on the group and announced that, for the first time in her life, she would show some of her flower slides (in the eetkamer) to people other than her family. I asked if Dirk and I could stay to see them.
The slides were God-awful and Colla knew it, but she took none of the responsibility, blaming her camera for everything. After the show I returned to my room, found a copy of my book Photography and the Art of Seeing and presented it to Colla, but did not tell her that I was the author, only that I felt this book might help her with her difficulties.
She had never seen a book or even a magazine on photography before and, as I was to learn later, started reading it immediately, using a torch after the hotel generator was switched off at 10 p.m. About two o’clock in the morning, Colla suddenly smelled a rat and using her torch went to the office to check the list of registered guests. Sure enough, one of the people in room #9 and the author of the book were the same person.
Next morning as I was quietly eating breakfast, the eetkamer door suddenly flew open and Colla burst in, pointing an accusing finger directly at me and saying “You’re a professional photographer, and you sat through my slide show last night, and I am mortified! However, I’ve cancelled everything I have to do and if you can stay for two more days, I’ll show you the best flowers left in Namaqualand this year and you’ll teach me everything you can in two days.”
I replied, “It’s a deal.”
I returned the following year for three weeks, realized that the hotel was a perfect place for workshops, so invited Colla and her husband Coenie to visit me in Canada and audit one of my workshops, which they did. A year later, 1983, Colla (the quickest student I’ve ever known) and I began the Namaqualand Photographic Workshops, which continued without break until 2006, by which time Colla was ready to retire from them.
Colla’s daughter and son-in-law Helmut (Kohrs) had assumed ownership of the hotel and enlarged it to 26 rooms and facilitated for me a March wilderness camping tour to the Namaqualand coast and to the Richtersveld for groups up to 16 persons until 2019.
I last saw Colla at her frail-care home in Piketberg in late February this year and realized, as Helmut and I drove away, that I had probably seen her for the last time. So her death did not come as a shock to me, nor even a surprise, but I wept when the news reached me, because Colla was like a dear sister. We challenged each other, dared each other, learned from each other, fought with each other, and loved each other.
My first home is eastern Canada, my second home is Namaqualand. I have been there 45 times, which collectively amounts to about eight years of my life. Colla and our love of the wildflowers is why it began and why it endured.
But, I will return as long as I can, because Maryna and Helmut and the flowers are still there.
I am very grateful.
The featured image at the top and the one left are two of the last four photos of Colla and Freeman together, taken by Colla’s son-in-law, Helmut Kohrs, on his cell phone, February 24 2023 in Colla’s room at the frail-care home in Piketberg.
“They are very precious to me and say much about our long friendship,” says Freeman. “The large print on the wall behind us, a multiple exposure of a kokerboom, is one of Colla’s favourite images of her own work and one of my favourites too.”
This tribute by Willem Oets AV-FPSSA was published in e-Image of June 2023
The passing of my dear friend and mentor, Colla Swart at the age of 92, has left me with a heavy heart.
She was an exceptional person who was instrumental in shaping my creative journey. She introduced me to the art of seeing and helped me develop a mindfulness that transformed my perception of the world around me.
Her sense of humour, inquisitive mind, and sharp wit unique to her Namaqualand upbringing endeared her to all. She had a profound impact on many lives…
Her life story is a fascinating tale of determination and passion that took her from small-town schoolteacher to owner of the Kamieskroon Hotel and ultimately to renowned photographer and workshop presenter alongside Freeman Patterson.
I’m grateful for the time I spent with her, and her memory will continue to guide and inspire me on my creative path. RIP Colla.
Images below courtesy of Willem Oets.
Kim Stevens, an award-winning photographer from the Cape Town Photographic Society, is one of the many photographers who credit the Colla Swart and Freeman Paterson team with being instrumental in launching her passion for photography. She writes:
I first encountered the Colla dynamo when attending a workshop at her Kamieskroon hotel in 2003. My abiding memory of her, is of an elderly lady lying prostrate amongst the Namaqualand daisies, pushing her macro lens deep into the orange petals to achieve a beautiful soft bokeh around her chosen specimen!
We all shot in slide film in those days and I was amazed by her beautiful delicate macro image when peering through a loupe at her previous day’s work on the light table.
Her AV slide shows were very special to experience.
Over the years, she and Freeman regaled us with hilarious stories of their hair-raising escapades in pursuit of photographs. They were such a passionate and dynamic team with a deep love of the plant kingdom and the beautiful stark landscapes in the northern Cape. Together they spawned a slew of passionate South African photographers !
A poignant memory is of her sitting on the rocks requesting a photographer to take images of her against the backdrop of the powerful waves of Hondeklipbaai , which she wanted printed on the order of service for her funeral. Happily she lived for another 12 years after that. I know she will be taking beautiful photographs wherever she is now.
Sincere condolences to Maryna and Helmut and all their families.
Evelyn Gibson, PSSA PRO, is another top photographer who agreed to share her fond memories of the Kamieskroon workshops. She writes:
I was fortunate to be able to do two workshops at Kamieskroon with Colla and Freeman Patterson. I certainly learned a lot from her.
It was in the days of film and slides and I remember her saying to me when you look through your view finder, make sure there is nothing creeping in from the sides, make sure what you see in your viewer is going to be what you get.
That is something I remember and in the days of film and slides that was a very important factor to be aware of. We know, of course, that today with digital we can always get rid of that, but I can still hear her saying that to me.
She was also great fun and we had so many laughs and fun times together. She always had a funny story to tell.
Thank you Colla, you inspired me and taught me a lot about my photography. RIP Colla you were a very special lady.
Helderberg Photographic Society awarded Honoray Membership to both Colla and Freeman. In the May issue of their newsletter club chair Nettie Warncke wrote as follows:
It is with sadness that we heard of the passing away of Colla Swart, who has been such an inspiration to many photographers worldwide. So many people will remember Colla for her keen wit and stories, all delivered in the typical Namaqualand dialect. She had a lust for life that enchanted everyone! She and Freeman are both Honorary Members of Helderberg, and to Freeman, and Colla’s family and friends, we extend our sincere condolences.
View Colla’s presentation at the 1989 PSSA congress here.
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