The level of discomfort that artists display when requested to write about themselves always amazes me. We can bare our hearts and souls on canvas, but heaven forbid we have to put pen to paper. A friend of mine once said that the one is an interpretation and the other is specific.

In painting I get to express an inner feeling or emotion, for which perhaps there are no words. The picture resonates in colour and in different types of texture to tell its story. I work on big scale canvasses to express myself and can’t be restricted to a small surface. My illustrations are much smaller of course. I have to move around the canvas and be part in the creating process. In any of my paintings you will see emotion, music, poems, love, colour, texture, feeling, happy tears and sad tears, time, effort, dreams and my hopes. My heart, body, my soul and my passion. So much for not finding words!

Even in my daily existence I am prone to analyse, search and appreciate the deeper things. I look at things differently, raindrops on a leaf, the veins in my arm and the way people frown and laugh. I consider myself to be caring, responsible, steady, loving, spontaneous, a romantic and different. I am drawn to nature and people and both these are great influences for my work. One of the most gratifying experiences any person can have is to create a beautiful jewel from an empty canvas. To stand back and look behind you, to make sure that it was in fact you. I am sure that is how a mother feels, when her child is born. Many thanks to my family and friends, for their constant inspiration and motivation. More specifically to Annie Karam for sharing her poems with me, investing in me a long time ago and her trust in me!

I was born in South Africa and studied Graphic Design and Photography, worked as an art teacher at Monument High School in Gauteng for three years where I taught Fine Arts and History of Art to Gr8 – Gr12’s. I then worked at Red 2 Green Marketing for two years as graphic designer. January 2009 I moved to London. At the moment I am very happy here and will stay long enough – it is in places like this where I use different inspirations and concentrate on building my dream. Although I would consider that my formal achievements, they are by no means only a measuring stick for me. I count my travels, my laughter, and my joy, the love that I have given and received. The rejection, pain, acceptance and pleasure and my tears for all of the above. For these reasons I know that I am alive!

Eddy Vedder once said: “I don’t trust art that was made easy. If there is not some kind of pain involved, then I don’t trust it.” I say: “I don’t trust art if there is not an overflow of emotion and feeling involved. By the way, I have never seen a painting blush.”