2025 VISUAL ARTISTS
Alison Smith
A Journey Through Art and Nature
Nestled in the rolling hills of Hilton in KwaZulu-Natal, Alison’s artistic journey is one of discovery, passion, and deep connection to the world around her. Though she only embraced art later in life, her work carries the depth of a lifelong observer—one who sees beauty in every shifting light, every ripple of water. A self-taught artist beyond the foundations of school, Alison finds joy in exploring diverse mediums, with acrylics, coffee, and inks becoming her signature tools. Her recent works, crafted with these unconventional materials, have captivated collectors with their raw, organic allure. Travel fuels her creativity, whether through art retreats with renowned mentors or solitary moments by a quiet river. An avid fly fisher for 36 years, she draws inspiration from nature’s rhythm—casting a line at dawn, painting at dusk. When the fish aren’t biting, the brushes take over, bringing her visions to life.
Anne-Marie le Roux
Ceramic Artist's Passion for Blue and White
In the delicate interplay of light and shadow, Anne-Marie le Roux breathes life into porcelain, transforming this ancient medium into contemporary poetry. From her studio in Pretoria, she has spent the last several years in deep communion with clay, mastering the art of hand-building to create pieces that seem to defy gravity itself. Her work captivates viewers through its remarkable fabric-like quality, where thin porcelain appears to flow and dance, frozen in perpetual motion. Le Roux's artistic voice whispers through a carefully chosen palette of cobalt blue and subtle touches of color, enhanced by the ethereal gleam of lustre firing. Each piece invites intimate interaction - when held up to light, her porcelain works reveal hidden depths, like secrets waiting to be discovered. This interplay of transparency and opacity creates moments of quiet revelation, turning functional vessels into objects of contemplation. Drawing inspiration from the timeless tradition of blue and white ceramics, she reimagines this classical aesthetic for contemporary sensibilities. Her plates and bowls serve not only as practical objects but as canvases for exploring the boundless possibilities of her craft. Through her masterful handling of porcelain, Le Roux creates pieces that bridge the gap between functionality and fine art, inviting us to find beauty in our daily rituals.
Arni le Roux
Blending Art and Science to celebrate Nature
An artist and scientist whose work bridges the gap between observation and imagination. Drawing from extensive studies in ecology, botany, and entomology, Arni le Roux creates pieces that reveal the subtle intricacies of the natural world. His scientific background brings depth and authenticity to each artwork, while his artistic vision transforms complex natural phenomena into accessible visual stories. Working primarily in watercolor, he embraces the medium's fluid and unpredictable nature to mirror the organic qualities found in his subjects. Each piece invites viewers to discover the hidden patterns and connections that exist in nature, from the delicate structure of a leaf to the fascinating behaviours of insects. His work aims to spark curiosity about the natural world, encouraging others to pause and appreciate the often-overlooked details that make our environment remarkable. Through this blend of scientific knowledge and artistic expression, he creates pieces that celebrate both the precision and mystery of nature.
Blou Donki
Art • Kuns
Situated in the heart of the picturesque village of Clarens in the Windmill Centre you will find the Blou Donki Art Gallery.
The Blou Donki Gallery with its modern, stylish and trendy ambience, showcases artwork by leading and emerging artists from across South Africa.
The gallery houses a fine collection of paintings, ceramics, functional art, sculptures and photography.
Visit the Blou Donki gallery next time you are in Clarens. Immerse yourself in the world of South African contemporary art.
Claire Waters
Claire Waters’ ceramics are vessels of history and nature, shaped by an unquenchable curiosity. Inspired by ancient crafts, plant and animal life, and the delicate balance of coexistence, she hand-builds sculptural, ornamental, and functional pieces that speak of transformation. Incorporating unexpected materials—paper, fabric, even plant matter—she allows the fire to erase them, leaving behind ghostly textures. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in Johannesburg, Claire’s creative journey spans decades, from illustration to design, culminating in award-winning ceramics exhibited in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and New York. Her work invites us to reflect, connect, and cherish the fragile beauty of our world.
Corné Eksteen
Exploring the vibrating threads of consciousness
In the heart of South Africa's Free State, artist Corné Eksteen (XTN) creates works that dance between the visible and invisible worlds. Born in Zastron in 1973, his artistic journey has evolved into a mesmerizing exploration of human perception and universal vibration. Eksteen's distinctive portraits, landscapes, and figures challenge our understanding of reality itself. Through his masterful manipulation of sinusoidal wave patterns, he transforms traditional subjects into complex visual symphonies that speak to the very nature of existence. Each piece invites viewers to question their own consciousness and connection to the physical world. Working from his studio in Ladybrand, Eksteen draws inspiration from quantum physics,
particularly Wave-Particle Duality theory, weaving scientific concepts into emotional visual experiences. His innovative approach has earned him recognition in prestigious competitions like the ABSA Atelier and Rupert Art Foundation Portrait Award, while his works have found homes in private collections across four continents. Beyond mere representation, Eksteen's art serves as a bridge between the tangible and intangible, inviting viewers to explore the vibrating threads that connect all forms of sensory experience – light, sound, matter, and consciousness itself.
Cornelia Wessels
As a child, Cornelia Wessels found joy in the earth—mud between her fingers, the scent of the garden, the quiet rhythm of nature. That love never left her. As a horticulturist and garden designer, she shaped living landscapes. Then, a decade ago, she discovered clay, and a new passion took root. Her sculptural ceramics are an homage to the natural world—earth transformed into something lasting, something magical. Now, through her studio, she shares that magic, inviting others to explore the tactile beauty of clay and the joy of creating something real, something deeply connected to nature.
Debbie Marx
A Painter of Quiet Beauty
Debbie Marx has long called Clarens home, where the hills shift with light and the
seasons speak in colour. Though she did not study art in her youth, creativity was always with her, waiting. Here, in this village of artists, she picked up a brush at 45, first struggling with watercolours before finding her way with oils and pastels. Flowers, china, and the hush of country life fill her paintings, each piece a study in quiet grace. Muted tones, gentle light—art that soothes, like a memory held close. Every canvas presents a new challenge, yet the joy is in the learning, in capturing the softness of morning light or the quiet charm of a well-loved home. For this year’s festival, she presents the “Country Homestead Collection”—a tender reflection on rural beauty. Her palette is softer, her brushwork freer, yet the heart of her work remains the same: to capture simple things with warmth, to paint a stillness that lingers.
Dewald Galjaard
Dewald Galjaard's masterful oil paintings invite viewers into moments of sublime contemplation. Working from his studio in the artistic haven of Clarens, South Africa, Galjaard has established himself as a distinguished contemporary realist whose work celebrates the extraordinary in the ordinary. His canvases—whether depicting the play of light across a simple table setting or the subtle interplay of shadows in a landscape—demonstrate exceptional technical precision and emotional depth. Each piece serves as a meditation on beauty found in overlooked corners of daily life, rendered with a patience and attention to detail that transforms the mundane into the magnificent.
Christopher Boas Tsebela
Painter finds his voice
Christopher Boas Tsebela's artistic journey is a testament to the power of inherited passion and perseverance. Growing up watching his father craft "makarapa hats" for football fans and sculpt classic cars from wire, Christopher absorbed the quiet language of creation. When financial constraints forced him to take a gap year after high school, he turned this pause into purpose, teaching himself to paint. Now a recent graduate of Tshwane University of Technology, Christopher's work honors his roots while forging new ground. His hyperrealistic paintings of rust-touched classic cars speak to both decay and endurance, capturing beauty in the weathered and worn. Working primarily in oil paints, he coaxes rich textures and smooth transitions that bring his subjects to life. A collaboration with BIC Stationery marks his emerging presence in the art world, but it's the five-year journey from self-taught painter to accomplished artist that reveals Christopher's true promise.
Dept of Art
Emma Jane Halford
Emma Jane Halford’s journey with art is one of transformation—of materials, spaces, and emotions. Born in Cambridge in 1971, she first found her creative voice in textile design, shaping fabrics that draped and moved with the body. Years in fashion and decor deepened her understanding of how objects shape our world, not just physically but emotionally. Though she has worked in painting and illustration, it is clay that speaks most intimately to her. In her hands, raw earth becomes something more—tactile echoes of human experience, where contrasts merge into harmony. Her sculptures hold both weight and movement, capturing the
silent dialogue between form and feeling.
Each piece shifts the space around it, altering mood and perception. In this, Halford finds her purpose: to evoke, to transform, to connect. Her work has been exhibited at SculptX, Candice Berman Gallery, The Viewing Room Gallery, and
the Clarens Art Festival, among others.
Eugene Van Vrede
Eugene Van Vrede’s artistic journey is one of passion, intuition, and deep connection. Born in Johannesburg, he honed his craft not in formal classrooms but through relentless experimentation and self-discovery. His path as a painter began with a single portrait - an image of a friend’s horse - that unexpectedly opened the door to commissions and, ultimately, a life dedicated to art. In 2015, Eugene left behind the corporate world to pursue painting full-time, immersing himself in the subjects that stir his soul. His time in KwaZulu-Natal deepened his admiration for Nguni cattle, while his love of the wild naturally drew him to depict the raw beauty of wildlife. What sets Eugene’s work apart is his mastery of oil paint—its fluidity, its ability to capture light, depth, and emotion. Layer by layer, he brings his subjects to life, infusing each piece with movement and soul. For Eugene, painting is more than representation—it is an exploration of character, a celebration of light, and a tribute to the living world.
Grace Kotze
Grace Kotze’s art is a dialogue between emotion and technique, where color, composition, and mark-making become vessels for feeling. Based in Durban, she approaches painting as an act of deep exploration—of both the world around her and the emotions it stirs within. Her surfaces stretch into infinity yet remain grounded, creating a delicate tension between depth and flatness. For Kotze, painting is more than a skill; it is a means of understanding and connecting. Every brushstroke is infused with personal resonance, drawn from places, people, and moments that hold meaning. Acrylic paint, with its boundless versatility, allows her to navigate this space between technical precision and raw expression. Her works are autobiographical maps—charting not just what she sees, but how she feels. In each piece, she invites the viewer to step closer, to experience the quiet power of the familiar transformed into something deeply, universally felt.
Hilary Grant-Currie
Art and Empowerment
Hilary Grant-Currie’s art is a love letter to the land she calls home. Nestled in the heart of rural Zululand, she finds endless inspiration in its vast skies, ancient rocks, and the quiet wisdom of its trees. Through oils, charcoals, and inks, she captures the soul of the landscape—the whispers of the wind, the dance of light on water, the resilience of nature. Her passion extends beyond the canvas. As a dedicated mentor, she shares her knowledge through workshops and art classes, nurturing creativity in others. But perhaps her most heartfelt work lies in her community project, where she teaches unemployed women to craft exquisite papier-mâché pieces, giving them not just skills but dignity, independence, and hope. For Hilary, art is more than a practice—it’s a way of seeing, of feeling, of giving back. Each brushstroke is a testament to the beauty she sees and the lives she touches.
Richard Bollers
Vivid Portrayals of Everyday Struggles
Born in Guyana (1959) and formally trained in art across continents, Richard Bollers has established himself as an influential voice in South African visual arts. As Assistant Director of Visual Arts and Crafts in Bloemfontein, he nurtures artistic talent across the Free State while maintaining his own significant creative practice.
Though primarily a portrait artist working in oils, Bollers' versatility extends to mosaics and various mediums. His paintings vividly address everyday issues affecting poor people living in urban areas. Works like "We Cry for our Lost Angels in KZN" and "Don't Abuse Her, Educate Her" reveal his unwavering commitment to addressing social injustice through art.
Bollers' portraits—especially his striking painting of an albino woman "Coming Out into the Sunshine"—demonstrate his ability to capture humanity with dignity and nuance. His compositions confront viewers with uncomfortable truths while celebrating human resilience.
A recognized master with numerous awards, including the 2023 Sanlam Portraits Award Top 40, Bollers continues to create art that matters.
Jodie Loubser
Jodie Loubser’s art is a gateway to emotion, memory, and atmosphere. Inspired by the French Impressionists, she masterfully blends color, light, and texture to create pieces that feel both nostalgic and alive. Her signature waterlilies ripple with tranquility, evoking the gentle movement of water and the timeless serenity of nature. In contrast, her opulent interiors, adorned with luminous chandeliers, transport the viewer to an era of elegance and grandeur, reminiscent of Adolph Menzel’s intricate compositions. Each painting is more than an image—it’s a story waiting to be unraveled. Jodie’s passion lies in capturing the ever-changing hues of nature, particularly the infinite shades of green, bringing landscapes to life with vibrancy and depth. Her impressionistic approach allows emotion to take form in color, drawing the viewer into a deeply personal experience.
Based in Cape Town, Jodie and her husband, fellow artist Ryan Loubser, take their work on the road through The Loubser House Art Gallery, exhibiting across South Africa. Her art has found its way into private collections both locally and internationally, a testament to its universal appeal. Each piece she creates is an invitation—to feel, to remember, and to connect with something beyond the
canvas.
Lerato BG Moloi
A Journey from Bolata to the Art World
From the heart of Bolata village in Qwa Qwa, Free State, Lerato BG Moloi transforms discarded materials into powerful works of art that celebrate childhood resilience and creativity. Though officially designated one of South Africa's poorest regions, Moloi sees his homeland as rich with stories and endless inspiration.
In the village's young children, who craft their own toys from found objects, Moloi recognizes his own journey. Their resourcefulness and joy mirror his path as a self-taught artist who discovers beauty in the overlooked and abandoned. Working in mixed media and junk art, he captures the spirit of these young creators who refuse to let circumstance dim their imagination. A graduate of Maluti TVET College with a diploma in Art and Design, Moloi stands as a testament to the transformative power of art. Through his work, he elevates the everyday ingenuity of his community, turning necessity into artistic triumph.
Dept of Art
Lisa Zeffertt
Lisa Zeffertt’s pottery is a conversation between earth and fire, shaped by hand and heart. From her home studio in Broederstroom, she explores clay’s infinite possibilities, always drawn back to the tactile intimacy of handwork. Whether through raku’s unpredictable alchemy or the quiet dialogue of glaze and oxide, her pieces hold stories of transformation. A founding member of the Harties Potters and an active force in Gauteng’s ceramics scene, Lisa’s work reflects a lifelong devotion to craft, curiosity, and evolution. Each piece is an invitation—to touch, to feel, to connect.
Loezytha Maritz
Loezytha's Spiritually-Inspired Artwork
Through every brushstroke and pencil line, Loezytha channels divine inspiration into powerful portraits and paintings that speak to the soul. Her art transcends mere representation – it's a spiritual journey where each piece carries Scripture and deeper meaning, inviting viewers to experience God's love through visual storytelling. With remarkable skill in oils, acrylics, and charcoal, she specialises in capturing the essence of people, completing intimate pencil sketches in just 20 minutes while her subjects pose. What sets her work apart is her prophetic approach: as she creates, she listens intently to the Holy Spirit's guidance, often receiving Scripture and prophetic words that accompany each piece. Beyond creating art, Loezytha shares her gift through teaching, guiding others to discover their own creative expression under divine inspiration. Her mission is clear: to capture raw emotion and help others experience the Father's heart through every carefully crafted work of art.
Lucinda Lens
Lucinda Lens is a self-taught artist who, alongside her husband, operates a small wallpaper company, Wallcandy Designs. After nearly 15 years of experimenting with wall murals, wallpaper, and art, she decided to focus more on her artistic journey, pushing the boundaries of creativity and exploring new techniques to give her work a fresh, unique perspective. Her passion for blending art and technique results in striking paintings that stand out in any crowd, with vibrant colors that are sure to turn heads.
Lynette Schuld
In the gentle landscape of the Eastern Free State, Lynette Schuld's artistic journey began with childhood wonder. Those early years, rich with time to dream and explore, shaped her into the artist she would become. Her work now sings with vibrant colours and distinctive textures, flowing naturally between mediums - from oils and acrylics to sculpture and charcoal. But it's on large canvases where her vision truly takes flight, creating pieces over a meter wide that transform spaces with their living energy. Each work carries echoes of that free-spirited child who once dreamed among the grasslands, now expressed through a master's hand.
Makiwa Mutomba
A Journey of Artistry and Nature's Inspiration
Makiwa Mutomba (born 1976 in Zimbabwe) showed an excellent ability to draw at an early age. It was not until his third year at university studying Electronics Engineering that he quit studies and started painting pictures for a living. Moving from Bulawayo to Harare and then on to the resort town of Victoria Falls, in 2000, where he sold miniature paintings at the roadside to tourists. It was at this time that Makiwa developed a love for the knife as a painting tool. Makiwa Moved to South Africa in 2001 where he quickly found representation in reputable Art Galleries in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Clarens and Durban.
In 2009, Woolworths South Africa chose one of his colourful beach scenes for their carrier bags. In the same year Makiwa won an award for painting at the SNBA , an international annual exhibition held at the Carrousel Du Louvre, in Paris, France.
Die Blou Donkie
Mariaan Kotze
Life is an ever-unfolding transition, a continuous journey of self-discovery. My art is an extension of this search—an exploration of my inner world, reflecting the shifting landscapes of identity, purpose, and transformation. I believe my work will resonate with those who also find themselves in a perpetual state of searching.
Since childhood, I have felt a deep connection with crows. My first encounter with a speaking crow in a cage at the Bloemfontein Zoo left an imprint on my soul. Over the years, crows and ravens have become recurring symbols in my art, embodying transformation, intelligence, and mystery. They are guardians, messengers, and protectors, guiding us through uncertain times.
In this exhibition, I invite you to step into a living narrative—a story where you become part of the journey. Through each piece, I hope to capture the essence of transformation and the unseen forces that guide us.
Neil Moss
Through the window of his Brooklyn studio - this one in Pretoria, not New York - Neil watches the peculiar light of South Africa fall across his canvases. The gift came to him early, as such things often do, though he never sought the formal training that might have contained or constrained it. There is something almost medieval in his devotion to apprenticeship - not his own, for he had none, but in the steady stream of students who come to learn what cannot truly be taught. They gather in his workshop as if around a guild master, though he would laugh at such a comparison. His hands move between mediums with the casual confidence of long practice: now oils, now acrylics, now the more unforgiving watercolors. The subjects shift too, restless as mercury. Landscapes dominate, as perhaps they must in a country where the land itself seems to demand witness, but there are also the still lifes, the wildlife studies, the human faces caught in paint. The gallery in Brooklyn (Pretoria) serves as both showcase and sanctuary, while the outpost in Clarens catches the eye of passing travelers. He takes commissions, yes, but there is nothing servile in the way he approaches them. Rather, he listens with the careful attention of a portraitist, finding the space where his patron's vision might meet his own. The light changes. He adjusts his palette accordingly. There is always more work to be done.
Neo Matlabe
Through her haunting surrealist compositions, Neo Matlabe unveils the hidden struggles of South African youth, transforming canvas and steel into powerful narratives of mental health and economic disparity. Born in 1994 in Kroonstad Maokeng, Matlabe's artistic journey began at Motheo Tvert College, where she mastered visual arts and design, laying the foundation for her distinctive style that bridges surrealism and semi-realism. Now based in Qwa Qwa Bluegumbosch, Matlabe serves as a Visual Art practitioner and Facilitator at Thabo Mofutsanyana Arts and Culture Centre, where she nurtures the next generation of artists.
Her work, predominantly in acrylic and enamel on steel-based canvases, often features figures whose obscured upper bodies speak to concealed trauma. In her piece "The farmer and his wife on space," she powerfully suggests that our deepest wounds inevitably surface, demanding acknowledgment. Matlabe's influence extends beyond her studio through exhibitions like "Tsa kasi yaka" and various educational initiatives, including career talks at local institutions. Her commitment to both artistic excellence and community development marks her as a vital voice in contemporary South African art.
Nomsa Liba
We are shaped by memory, moulded by experience, and built by the stories we dare to tell.
In the quiet town of Ladybrand, where the Free State sky stretches wide, Nomsa gathers fragments of memory and time, shaping them into something profound. At 26, with a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Nelson Mandela University, she moulds stories in clay and charcoal, tracing the journey of selfhood in her series, The Building Blocks.
This body of work, born in her final year, is a meditation on becoming—a dance between past and present. Eight charcoal drawings unfold the odyssey of a young Black woman, charting her self-discovery. The first sketches whisper of childhood, of a girl who dreams but has yet to write her story. Then comes adolescence, a moment of defiance and questioning, where the world’s boundaries are tested. The present unfurls in layers—self-exploration, love, and growth take form, each drawing a threshold to understanding. Nature, spirit, and the quiet persistence of being echo through the final pieces, like wind-shaping stones. These works remind us that identity is never fixed; it is built, one experience at a time, from all that we have lived and all that we are still becoming.
Dept of Art
Omolemo Rammile
Omolemo Rammile, an emerging force in South African contemporary art, weaves powerful narratives of African identity and resilience through her multimedia creations. Based in Bloemfontein, where she earned her Advanced Diploma in Studio Art from the Central University of Technology, Rammile garnered national attention as a runner-up in the prestigious 2022 Sasol New Signatures Competition. Her acclaimed work "Mére célibataire" (single mom) exemplifies her innovative approach to materials and meaning. In this diptych, she transforms ordinary bread tags into profound symbols of maternal sacrifice, creating delicate embossings on Fabriano paper that speak to the seen and unseen struggles of single parenthood. While primarily working with acrylic paint, Rammile's practice embraces diverse media to explore themes of cultural identity and personal experience.
Through her art, Rammile invites viewers to discover beauty in life's daily struggles, transforming ordinary moments into powerful testimonies of resilience and hope. Her work stands as a bridge between personal narrative and universal experience, challenging audiences to see their world anew.
Rika Haasbroek
From corporate corridors to her clay-filled studio, Pretoria's award-winning artist Rika breathes life into memories that resonate with us all. Her six-year journey of self-taught ceramic mastery has produced pieces that don't just sit on shelves—they transport us back to our most treasured childhood moments. Her signature sculpture vases capture the essence of youth—a boy lost in concentration over marbles, a girl's gleeful anticipation during hide-and-seek—each piece awakening forgotten feelings of wonder and innocence. "The gold and platinum accents that shimmer across my work?" Rika shares with a knowing smile. "That's my rebellion against growing up in the '80s when sparkle was rationed for special occasions and only after dark. My inner child now demands that everyday objects deserve a touch of magic too." Her latest puzzle sculptures continue this emotional journey, inviting you to reconnect with the simple joy of creating something beautiful with your own hands.
Ryan Loubser
Ryan Loubser is more than an artist—he is a visionary who fractures light, color, and form to reveal hidden dimensions of the world around us. Rooted in the traditions of Pierneef, Boonzaier, and Van Gogh, yet undeniably his own, his signature style, Fractionism, challenges perception by breaking landscapes and figures into bold, linear compositions of opposing gradients and complementary hues. Each piece is an invitation to see beyond the familiar—to experience the South African landscape, its people, and its stories through a lens of movement and emotion. A traveler at heart, Ryan gathers inspiration from his journeys across South Africa, capturing fleeting moments that later take shape on his canvas. His exploration extends beyond Fractionism, incorporating contemporary color studies, expressive portraiture, and even optical illusions in his Multi-Vision series—where a painting transforms depending on the viewer’s angle.
Water Impressionism, another facet of his versatility, makes his work feel as though viewed through rain-slicked glass, adding an ephemeral, dreamlike quality. Through his traveling Loubser House Art Gallery, Ryan and his wife, Jodie, bring his work to collectors across the country. His paintings, found in private collections both locally and internationally, are more than art—they are windows into emotion, memory, and wonder.
Sarah Richards
The artistic journey of Sarah Richards
From her earliest memories, Sarah Richards' hands have been guided by an innate drive to create. Her artistic spirit has led her through a rich tapestry of mediums—from the delicate strokes of a paintbrush to the transformative power of sculpture. Each step of her journey, from school classrooms to distant shores, has deepened her connection to art and her understanding of human expression.
Today, Sarah finds her truest voice in bronze, a medium that seems to breathe with life under her skilled hands. In her work, bronze transcends its metallic nature, becoming a vessel for capturing fleeting moments and eternal emotions. Her pieces range from intimate sculptures that invite quiet contemplation to monumental works that stand as bold testimonies to the human experience, weathering time and elements while continuing to inspire generations. Drawing inspiration from nature's grace, Sarah has developed a particular mastery in capturing the essence of birds and animals, as well as the subtle complexities of the human form. Her commissioned works—from intimate portrait busts to grand public installations—reflect her ability to weave personal stories into enduring art. Each piece bears witness to her refined technique, honed through years of studying both classical masters and life itself, creating not just sculptures, but bridges between hearts and minds.
Sharon Paterson
Whimsical Ceramics Inspired by Nature
In a corner of Pilgrim's Rest, where time moves to its own gentle rhythm, Sharon Paterson first discovered that clay could whisper secrets. It was thirty-five years ago when her fingers first danced with earth and glaze, learning the ancient language of creation that would become her lifelong companion. What began as gentle murmurs between hands and clay has bloomed into a symphony of whimsy – a gallery of dreams made tangible. In KwaZulu-Natal now, her studio is a place where magic takes physical form: rotund ladies who seem to hold laughter in their curves, pangolins whose scales shimmer with impossible colors, and sea creatures that appear to have swum straight from a midsummer night's reverie.
Each piece that emerges from her hands carries its own story, like pages torn from different fairy tales. No two will ever tell the same tale – this is her gift. Sharon shapes not just clay, but possibilities, teaching others to find the doorway into their own imagination, where creativity flows like stained glass catching the light, fracturing ordinary moments into extraordinary ones. In her world, pottery isn't merely shaped; it's conjured. Each sculpture is a spell cast in ceramic, painted with colors that might have been borrowed from aurora borealis or the inside of a bubble just before it pops. Her menagerie of creations stands as testament to the magic that exists in the spaces between reality and reverie, where whimsy makes its home.
Sinalo Ntuli
Capturing Joy Through Cultural Heritage
Vibrant beaded portraits of African life
South African artist Sinalo Ntuli (b. 1977) has established himself as a masterful storyteller of Zulu culture through his vibrant mixed-media works. After studying at Escourt High School and later honing his printmaking skills at Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg until 2002, Ntuli has developed a distinctive artistic voice that celebrates African life in all its vivacity. Best known for his compelling depictions of the Reed Dance ceremony, Ntuli offers a unique male perspective on this important rite of passage for young women in Zulu culture. His work expertly weaves together various mediums – from watercolors and oils to his signature beadwork, earning him the moniker "the bead master."
Yellow, which Ntuli sees as the color of hope and love, dominates his joyful compositions. His scenes pulse with life: children in school uniforms, bustling street scenes, and moments of cultural celebration. Through these vibrant depictions, Ntuli works to restore hope to his people, using art as a medium of healing and cultural pride. A three-time prize winner, including the 2011 Thani Mnyele Art Competition Painting Award, Ntuli's work continues to evolve while maintaining his focus on cultural heritage and the vibrant spirit of contemporary African life. His masterful use of beadwork adds profound texture to his uplifting portrayals of African life, creating a unique visual language that transforms everyday moments into celebrations of resilience and joy.
Siyabonga Ngubane
Linocut art: Capturing the soul
Siyabonga Ngubane's linocut art speaks directly to the heart, weaving personal narratives of hope and family devotion into each careful incision. In his powerful piece "Buyela Ekhaya" (Going Back Home), Ngubane portrays himself as a provider, carrying packages home with a warm smile – a visual promise of the future he envisions. This deeply personal work reflects his commitment to family prosperity and joy. Working primarily in linocut, a medium he describes as his lifelong companion, Ngubane's artistic philosophy of "Soul First" shines through every piece. His masterful prints resonate with authenticity, drawing viewers into intimate stories of love, ambition, and the universal yearning for home.
Tanja Davey
Step into a world where colour and emotion dance together through the masterful strokes of Tanja Davey. From her roots in the rich landscapes of Kwazulu Natal to her artistic sanctuary on Durban's North Coast, Tanja's journey speaks through every canvas she creates. Each piece tells a story that words alone cannot capture - where untamed abstract forms merge with the gentle beauty of nature. Her work doesn't just catch your eye; it captures your heart, speaking directly to that part of you that yearns for beauty and meaning in your space. As you walk through her latest exhibition, you'll find yourself drawn to paintings that seem to whisper your own story back to you. Whether it's the wild freedom of her abstracts or the soul-
stirring interpretations of flora and fauna, each piece carries a piece of Tanja's spirit while leaving room for your own interpretation.
These aren't just paintings to fill a wall - they're emotional anchors that transform your home into a sanctuary of beauty and meaning. Experience the power of art that doesn't just complement your space, but becomes an integral part of your daily story. Visit her exhibition to experience art that not only decorates, but deeply touches the soul, compelling you to take a piece home.
Veronica Stafford
Contemplative pieces
Nestled in the artistic haven of Clarens, Veronica Stafford's intimate Visual Vibes Art Gallery stands as a testament to her profound exploration of the human form. Through mixed media, she creates contemplative pieces that transcend conventional boundaries, focusing particularly on the female figure as a vessel for storytelling. Each brushstroke in Stafford's work emerges from raw inspiration, capturing the intricate dance between strength and grace. Her artistic process is deeply organic, building layers of paint that gradually reveal complex narratives of human experience. The resulting pieces speak a language beyond words, inviting viewers into a realm where emotion and physical form intertwine.
Freedom of expression pulses at the heart of her practice, as she translates the subtle ways bodies communicate feelings into visual poetry. In her hands, the complexity of human existence distills into singular, powerful moments, each piece offering a personal dialogue with its viewer. Her work remains deliberately undefined and borderless, much like the emotions it evokes.
Shannon Quarmby
The Flora Collection
In a world that glorifies speed and success, Shannon Quarmby’s art invites you to slow down, breathe, and feel. Through her watercolours and oil paintings, she explores the delicate balance between nostalgia, emotion, and tranquility.
Her Boutique Collection captures the serenity of nature in delicate watercolors, while her Luxury Collection brings depth and emotion through expressive oil paintings. Both collections reflect her belief that art should not only be admired but also felt—a bridge between past memories and present emotions.
Based in Empangeni, KZN, Shannon founded The Flora Collection with a vision of making art accessible and creating a community where artists and collectors connect. Each brushstroke is an invitation to rediscover beauty, stillness, and the emotions that shape us.
Step closer, take a moment, and let her art speak to you.
Kylie Buys
From microscopes to masterpieces, Kylie Buys's artistic journey reflects a profound transformation. Though formally trained in biochemistry, her true calling emerged through countless evening hours spent perfecting her craft while teaching science in Cape Town. This self-taught artist's scientific background infuses her work with extraordinary precision, whether she's capturing the soulful gaze of African wildlife or the intricate patterns of botanical subjects.
Working across multiple mediums—from graphite to oils—Kylie brings an almost ethereal realism to her pieces. Each artwork reveals not just technical excellence, but also her deep emotional connection to nature. Now based in her hometown of Howick, she dedicates herself fully to her art, creating pieces that resonate with collectors both locally and internationally. Through her work, Kylie invites viewers to share in her wonder at the natural world's beauty, transforming careful observation into moments of pure magic.
Marke Meyer
Sculptor of Visual Poetry
Marke Meyer transforms space into visual poetry through his distinctive sculptural work. A former horticulturist who followed his artistic passion, Meyer focuses exclusively on the human form as his creative playground.
"Figures fascinate me, especially the female figure," Meyer explains. "I prefer the nude figure as it is free of context, allowing for open-ended expression of abstract concepts and emotions."
His innovative use of suspension techniques creates a sense of lightness and whimsy in his pieces, which often explore the transition to adulthood while preserving youthful perspective. Through his art, Meyer invites viewers to contemplate life's pivotal choices and achieve deeper self-knowledge.
Though constantly reimagining his approach through experiments with materials, technology, and finishes, Meyer remains faithful to his narrative core. His internationally collected works have found homes across six continents, with gallery representation in Germany, Switzerland, and throughout South Africa.
Gill Douglas
Memory, Meaning & Transformation
Gill Douglas's creative journey responds to the colours, textures, and inspirations from the various countries she has called home. Working with multiple layers of painting, fabric, embroidery, and machine stitching, she often incorporates vintage, rescued, or repurposed textiles to create pieces that speak to history and renewal.
Her paintings, stitched works, prints, and mixed media explore the fragility of time, life, and memory-keeping. Each piece examines the things that leave their mark and celebrates the beauty found in imperfection.
Having witnessed the devastating effects of Alzheimer's and the transience of memory, Gill's work honours those who have lost their memories too soon. Her philosophy embodies the essence of stitching itself—holding things together, mending them, altering them, and giving them a second chance at significance.
Gill's current collection delves into themes of nostalgia and memory, contrasting the delicate, fragile, and impermanent with the permanence of tattoos—marks that nearly always carry a story. Her work contains a decorative quality and wistfulness for the past while embracing the present, alluding to the threads that hold together the fabric of human experience.
