Santjie Viljoen

Nature has always played a great role in my life. While growing up in very close proximity to the ocean my parents instilled in us a great reverence for the beauty and majesty of the natural world that surrounds us. My dad gave me my first camera at age six, just before the start on our four year long journey. While circumnavigating the world on our 29ft sailing yacht he showed me how to look for those brief moments when sunlight is slightly filtered and yields soft, luminous tones on subject matter. My mom continued an accurate and well-illustrated journal and from her I learnt a deep love of drawing, colour and form. I began to see the world in paint. As a small girl before even knowing the term complimentary colours, I would sit in the rocking boat and pair up and marry my green and red pastels. I would makeup long winded imaginary tales of the red princess who would marry the green knight. After completing a degree in photography and working in numerous fields, I realised that my heart was yearning to pick up a brush and dip it in some paint once again.

So in 2022 I took the plunge and resumed the magical journey that I left more than 20 years ago in high school in Paarl.

I have no formal training other than the 2 years of afternoon art in high school. All my skills come from looking and absorbing images, paintings, pictures and while gazing at these, imagining how I would render these in paint. It brings me great joy to imagine and complete the process. My hope is that this joy is shared with all who view my work.