I see my paintings as windows into the scenes they depict, as if you are present in the captured moment before you; practically reaching for the Boab tree, or staring straight into the eyes of a leopard, lurking through the leaves in an air of suspense. That is what drives me to paint: the notion of the captured moment, with its raw, immediate and unflinching emotion.
Inspiration found me the first time when my daughter and I sat on the porch of our farmhouse 8 years ago, gazing over the harsh, yet peaceful, Karoo landscape, borne in the heart of the Hantam mountain range. A desire grew within me to capture the beauty of this timeless landscape in its every detail. Borrowing some paint left over from a school project of my daughter’s, I started to play with drawings and colors, experimenting with contrasts and details. Although I have no formal art training, I gradually developed my own style in a preferred medium of Acrylics.
My intent and passion since my first few paintings in 2017 – that I did for the local art fair in town – was to connect people with their special piece of art, to be for them a unique walled memory.
We relocated to Marloth Park in 2019, situated underneath the infamous Kruger National Park. Here, a commissioned elephant painting started a new and exciting chapter of capturing the heart and soul of wildlife. I believe that the eyes of an animal provide a view into its soul, so I always paint them first. After naming it, they take on an identity of their very own, coming alive through the very last detail.