Art has always been woven into my life. As a child, I'd draw on church newsletters, to the dismay of my parents, and only later in school did I begin formal art classes. I studied graphic design, which taught me structure and discipline, but a creative restlessness lingered. After a period in London and a stint in advertising back in South Africa, that deeper artistic calling returned.
For my 30th birthday, friends gifted me art lessons with Catharina de Bliquy—my artistic hero and, eventually, dear friend. It was under her guidance that I discovered oil painting and the freedom of drawing from imagination.
Since I started painting, I feel more alive and safe in my own skin. Painting taught me to be less fearful – something I have struggled with all my life. Art became my scaffolding to climb up and down this vessel of life I was given. While painting, I disappear into another world – somewhere I am safe to discover myself and the meaning of this life. My paintings are an extension of this journey. That is why art should evoke emotions or simply get someone to think or talk about it. The title is just a glimpse into my thought process. I want the onlooker to observe and experience the painting. That makes the process more personal.