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Through the journey of a trans-continental life, I have circled back to what matters most in life and work.

Between the southern coast of Africa and the previously land-locked Hungary, between Dusseldorf and Johannesburg my center has become fixed on family values and the ephemeral spark of vitality.

In my work as a contemporary realist painter, I have chosen to focus to express my desire to connect with others – both my subjects and audience – through the shared experience of an image captured in paint.  While the full gamut of life provides the basis for my choice of subjects, from the ingenuosness of early childhood to the quiet knowledge of approaching death, each artwork has the same source, in a moment of fleeting but clear and heartfelt inspiration.

I spend time with people, to observe, empathise and understand, that allows me to experience such moments. These trigger strong emotional responses, where my imagination is fully captured.  There will besomething evocative yet untranslatable which I will be drawn to; photographing my subjects allows for these brief instants to then be translated into paint.

The paintings themselves begin in my little sanctuary, my studio with the labour-intensive yet meditative production of a perfectly smooth surface, whether canvas or board. 

This provides the background for translucent deposits of thinned-down oil paint, which enhance the honesty of works. There is inherently little room for error when capturing my subjects faces thus in a realist manner, with layers of brushstrokes and of pigment remaining visible. This serves as a parallel to the nature of the individual painted; there is so much more complexity to the subject than a simplistic rendering of their likeness.

With only a few shades selected for any one painting, pared-down colour palette likewise allows the essence of the work to shine through, without distraction. Drawing on the emotional experience of colour, a restrained range can be used to enhance the understated serenity and strength of a woman on the detached sense of being under water, while the contrast of two clashing tones can emphasise the tension of the moment and the loss of innocence.

Use of an evovative palette moves my works beyind mere reproduction. I incorporate objects as symbols to  further enhance the sense of narrative depth, with each item giving us insight into the trait or memory which initially draws me to the moment I depict. While some are ordinary accessories – a swimming cap, a hand bag – others are more surrealistically superimposed: the outline of a crown, drawn in a child-like manner in crayon, floats over the head of a girl. A strikingly orange baloon twisted into a shape of a fox stands behind a boy in the pale snow.

The act of observation and consideration are powerful in my art. My subjects inspire me and for my viewers I aim to create a strong sense of connection to the people portrayed, as well as our own histories. Together the painting becomes a shared space to reflect on the life in its breadth.

Born in South-Africa. Lived in South-Africa, now I split my time between  Germany and Hungary.

Obtained my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History and Education at the University of South-Africa.