Battles & Bliss Painting

I grew up in Potchefstroom, South Africa where it is an obvious choice to earn a degree from the local University. After completing my BA Communications degree I moved to Cape Town where the white beaches and stormy seas called me. During 1992 I travelled through the south and central part of the USA and spent time specifically with Native American Indians. Seven years later I left Cape Town again with and open agenda to go sailing on a Gaff Ketch with my ex-husband. We sailed in the Caribbean, Bahamas and as far North as the Inter Coastal Waterway in the USA. This experience brought me wonderful memories, an urge to paint and also two kids! On returning to South Africa in 2004 I started painting and exhibiting full time. The need to paint felt like a tiger wanting to come out of a cage. Travelling brought a wider view of life- seeing people living alternative lifestyles, thinking differently than what I were use to, and also brought a mass of interesting images that inspired me! I taught myself by experimenting daily and doing what I find most inspiring. IT has always been to study people and faces. Painting portraits in different ways, and painting emotion in different techniques. Finding a way to express emotion as I feel it. I don't follow a specific structure or recipes that seem to be good in economic ways. Painting to me is part of my growth as person too. It is about the experience of soul in a body and the experience of growing as artist growing and changing moment by moment. I am not interested in defining my style - I am daily open for experimenting in styles, colours and using different ways of getting the paint on the canvas. If it means I have to use my fingers - that is perfect for the moment. We only have the moment of expressing and experiencing life for a moment anyway.