Artist Statement
I paint landscapes and portraits to hold onto a moment in time, to feel present, to celebrate being alive, and to connect each of us to what is deep within us. I paint en plein air (in the open air, outdoors) and from life. My style is expressive, bold and quick – often because this is exactly what is required to capture the fast-changing light and quickly moving clouds. I am captivated by my natural environment and the endless challenge to render in paint the beauty I see around me. I apply my academic training to bring realism to my paintings, yet I leave plenty of space for bright, unexpected colours, and stylised shapes to bring out the essence of my subject.
Art for me is like a mirror to existence. Art causes me to feel, validates and contains my feelings, gives me a sense of belonging in this world, and helps me understand my place. I aim for my art to bring this sense of presence and connection to others, as we share in our human experience.
I returned to Cape Town in 2020, the city of my birth, after studying for three years at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. Prior to this, I lived and worked in New York, London and Singapore, pursuing a corporate career before committing to my true passion – celebrating nature and people with canvas, brushes and oils.
I grew up surrounded by prints of the Impressionists and post-Impressionists – Monet, Manet, Seurat, Van Gogh, Gaugin, Renoir… The desire and joy of capturing light outdoors was deeply ingrained in me. I now look primarily to John Singer Sargent and Joaquín Sorolla. I am inspired by their understanding of how light and colour are inextricably linked, and by the variety and complexity in their colours, brush marks and subject matter.
During my three years in Italy at the Florence Academy of Art, I attended multiple landscape painting workshops in the Chianti countryside. Here I learned what makes landscape painting unique. I was introduced to the Russian landscape painters of the end of the 1800s. Perhaps most importantly, I discovered that my love of nature and the outdoors and my passion for painting were perfectly matched.
Since my first workshop, I have painted all around Italy (including two extended stays in Sicily), in Spain, and in South Africa. My desire is to travel the world, capturing in paint the beauty I discover everywhere. For now, I am happily based back in Cape Town, the city of my birth, where I am rediscovering the beauty that surrounds me at every turn.
