Bettie Cilliers, famous SA painter, is born

Bettie Cilliers-Barnard, famed SA painter and mother of actress Jana Celliers was born in Rustenburg, Transvaal. Though Cilliers-Bernard was at one time one of South Africa's underestimated artists, her contribution in helping young artists and her overall worldwide exposure during a time when only a few of our artists ventured outside the country, placed her between the top achievers. She has worked consistently all the time and was part of a unique group of artists who even in 1959 had an exhibition of non-figurative art, which was rather progressive for the time. She comes from the same era as some of our greatest old masters but was so futuristic in her style that she only in later years got the recognition she deserved.