I developed a passion for drawing and painting at an early age, and while still very young decided that I wanted to become an artist. I have had some formal training, but am mostly self-taught.

In my early 20's, instead of the planned move to Paris to further my art studies, I went on a safari and fell totally in love with the bush. An enduring fascination and passion for Africa, both as an idea as well as a place, was born.

For the next 12 years, my partner and I permanently lived and traveled in the wild places of Southern Africa and what was then SWA. We photographed and wrote articles on wildlife as well as two books, 'Etosha´ and 'Zululand' published by Struik in the early 80's.

Motherhood and a move to the Cape has expanded and deepened my perception and understanding of the underlying, mostly sub-conscious connection between humans and what we like to think of as ‘our’ world.

In the same way that there is a heartbeats’ space between action and reaction, there is a gap – sometimes a chasm – between us and everything in our environment. In there, I believe we imbue people, animals, places and things with our ‘shadow selves’. This is where I find my work.

On the surface the artworks may seem to range from highly realistic/figurative to abstract, but beneath that, they are all concerned with recording my explorations of an ever changing perception of reality – physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and of course mythical.

Profoundly rooted in Africa but with an inevitable overlay of European culture and history I strive to develop a new reality where the two supposedly opposing cultures come together in a synthesis greater and more beautiful than the sum of its parts.
I paint people and places, but return time and time again to what I call “Beasts” obsessed/possessed by certain animals and themes. I try to not only capture some physical likeness, some sense of ‘Presence’ but also to materialise the essentially invisible essence of the particular subject.

Technically the images are worked with a variety of media – sometimes singly, more often mixed on paper, masonite, wood, canvas or perspex. I use pastels, both oil and chalk, watercolour, acrylic, oils, resin and wax encaustic.

I enjoy printmaking, etching, collograph and monotype printing, as well as bronze sculpture, both relatively new directions for me. I continue to photograph subjects that interest me, including an ongoing project on dance, capturing movement and feeling rather than just the pose.

I am currently exploring ways to incorporate my own wildlife photographic images with painting and drawing, as well as expanding my techniques in wax encaustic.

By Margot Hattingh

CV:
1981
“Etosha” Life and Death on an African Plain (photographs and writing) – published by Struik S.A.and Collins, London

1983
“ Zululand ” an African Heritage (photographs and writing) – published by Struik S.A. and Collins, London

1996
Postcards from South Africa Exhibition– Axis Gallery , New York

1998
Christie's - London Wildlife Art Exhibition and Auction

2000
“Piecing Together the Past” short stories – District 6 Museum publication

2002
Innovative Threads Exhibition, Cape Town and France – Fibre Art

SA Society of Artists Exhibition

2003
Vuleka Exhibition

SA Society of Artists Exhibition

Wildlife Exhibition – Cape Gallery

2004
Cape Gallery Exhibition – (2 person)

SA Society of Artists Exhibition

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Wildlife Exhibition – Cape Gallery

Vuleka Exhibition

Curator - group exhibition – The Muiz Art Studio

Residency – Nek Chand Sculpture Garden , Chandigarh , India

2004 – 2005
“Strangers” Invitational International Printmaking exhibition , Canada , USA , New

Zealand

2005
Spearhead Exhibition (2 person)

“Absolut Magic” Exhibition - Association of Visual Arts

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

South African Society of Artists Exhibition

Wildlife Exhibition, Cape Gallery

2006
Innovative Threads Exhibition, Cape Town

Innovative Threads : A decade of Fibre Art - book by Liza Gillespie

Positive Exhibition – Sun City

“Art out of Dance” Group Exhibition – Cape Town and Franschoek

“Absolut Secret” Exhibition - Association of Visual Arts

Wildlife Exhibition – Cape Gallery

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

“Magic Tales” Solo Exhibition - The Baxter Gallery

2007
6th International Engraving Biennale of Ile de France, Paris

Invited artist, Fibreworks ‘10' Exhibition – X Cape Festival

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

“& Beyond Encryption” Exhibition - Cape Gallery

Ran a printmaking workshop – Kilkenny , Ireland

Exhibition – Kilkinney Annual Arts Festival - Ireland

Solo Exhibition – Masque Theatre Winter Festival

Group Wildlife Exhibition – Cape Gallery

Curator/manager – Masque Theatre ARTreach

2008
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens group exhibition

Gunjifa – international printmaking project, co-ordinated bv Chhaap Printmaking Workshop, Vadadora , India