About ThisOldPainting

“There is often the perception that art is only for the elite to understand and appreciate, whereas in reality art is something for everyone to not only understand, but to enjoy,” says Altmann. “After the past couple of years that the world has been through, we definitely all need something to enjoy and make us smile!”

Ingrid began frequenting second hand and thrift stores all over the Western Cape, looking for art treasures and then adding her unique spin to add a new dynamic to the piece.

“It has become a bit like a treasure hunt for me, searching around these stores looking for suitable artworks that would work with cartoon characters has been so much fun, it is so exciting when you see the old frames and just know that they are going to get a new life” explains Altmann. “I love adding characters from my childhood into these paintings as they make me laugh and they breathe life into old unwanted paintings. As soon as I see the old painting in the stores, I know almost immediately what I want to paint into it. For instance, when I saw the bridge in a landscape painting, I just knew that the Hogwarts train had to be painted onto the bridge and Harry Potter flying through the sky in his old car, being chased by a dementor!”

“My first and second upcycled paintings were found at the Hospice store in Fish Hoek, Cape Town. The first was a scene with an old windmill near the lake and I just felt that a sea monster popping out of the lake would work on that scene. The second was a countryside lane next to an old house, I decided on TinTin walking with his dog Snowy for that one.”

“I was then on a roll and took four of my mom’s old paintings and upgraded them. She had a beautiful landscape scene of the veld where I added Noddy and Big Ears driving along the dirt road, to which my art teacher, Andrew Hart, told me that I was ruining a very good painting!” laughs Altmann. “I even upcycled one of my mom’s paintings that she had painted herself which was a forest scene that I then added Obelix into, he is walking back from a hunt carrying a boar. My mom might actually be turning in her grave for that one!”

“One of my favourite pieces is an old harbour scene where I added Sponge Bob being abducted by an alien,” says Altmann. “Andrew Hart initially hated what I was doing, but now he says they make him chuckle. I absolutely love the whole creative process of re-imagining these old works with a fun character placed into them, the character must stand out enough for the viewer to know it should not be there, while at the same time fitting in, but still standing out!”

Coming from an artistic family, where both her mother, Marie, and sister, Karen, were passionate artists, Ingrid took art at school but began painting more regularly when she was 21 years old. “I tried my hand at many different styles, but never really felt like I had found my niche artistic expression, until now!” explains Altmann. “We live in such a materialistic, consumer driven society, that to be able to upcycle pieces that others no longer want, and allow them to bring joy to others, is such a privilege.”

Ingrid’s first exhibition was held at Noordhoek Art Point in Noordhoek in the Western Cape, where most of her initial 15 paintings were sold. She currently also has works at the Just Nuisance Gallery in Simonstown and sells privately from her home in Noordhoek, Cape Town.

You either love this type of work or hate it, she says – why not take a look for yourself!