"Maria Magdalena" Painting

I was born in 1971, 29 October and grew up in a town called Vanderbijlpark in South Africa. Since I can remember I was holding a pencil, drawing the things around me. I even won my first art prise when I was 6 years old.I am actually the third generation on my mother's side who shows artistic talent. I attended a school for art in Johannesburg and after high School I started a career in the South African Police Force as a Police artist drawing wanted criminals, stolen goods, designing pamphlets, posters ect. This was the environment where I learned most about portrait studies.In 1992 I moved to Cape Town, South Africa. I met a wonderful man, got married and was blessed with two daughters. I am currently painting full time. I only started painting with acrylic late in the 1990's, doing small projects only for family and friends. I soon discovered the magic of painting in oil and never looked back. After a career of 16 years in the South African Police Service, I persued my dream and started painting full time in 2006.I do not paint according to a fixed "style" and concentrate on various commissions including murals, backdrops, portraits and the human figure.I tend to paint relalistic. I am not much into abstract art but can appreciate it. Every time I paint a figure my greatest goal is to paint the body so that the viewer will fall in love will the subject. The challenge is to paint the subject as a living soul, not a dead figure. One must step away and be touched by the emotion she portrais.