Geni Evans Spyker

From an early age I was interested in drawing and painting. On rainy days it was a tradition for my mother to bring out the water colors and we would stay indoors and paint all day. My mother and father were very talented and creative people, but I was told artists don't make money.

Halfway through my secondary school education I had the priviledge to attend The School of Art, Ballet, Drama, and Music in Johannesburg, specialising in Art as my major subjects. The school is now called The National School of the Arts.

At Art School I met like-minded creative students, and for the first time in my life I loved school and felt I fitted in. Now I'm pretty pleased that I don't fit in! I am still firm friends with many of the people I met there, students and teachers alike, after all these years. We were a close family, like I have not experienced before or since.

After graduating from Art School, I began working in the commercial art field, first in publishing as a layout artist and later in advertising where I was trained in typography and design, and later becoming an art director. My fine art took a major back seat, although I still persued other creative hobbies. Eventually, after a severe illness and the banckruptcy...

School of Art, Ballet, Drama and Music - Johannesburg