We challenged 44 artists and designers around Cape Town to design soccer balls that would be auctioned for charity at the launch of our latest interiors exhibition “Spring Break” in connection with our Rock Girl Safe Spaces event.  We raised over R86 000, which is now able to sponsor another 8 benches around the Mother City.  Here are the designers who took part in that challenge:

AIDAN HART

 

Armed with a degree in architectural design, Aidan Hart started his journey in the East, where he spent three years working in both Hong Kong and Singapore. His passion for design and vision for innovation elevated him from designer to Creative Director in four short years. Upon his return to South Africa in 1998, he joined DHK Architects where he head up DHI Design.

Aidan started Inhouse Brand Architects in 2002 with his business partner Lawrence, who together have created one of the most cutting edge design consultancies in South Africa. As Creative Director, Aidan is constantly pushing the design envelope in the studio, and has subsequently spearheaded many projects that have been recognised as ground-breaking in terms of the South African Interior Design Industry. Inhouse dominates the commercial design sector, with offices such as; Ogilvy, Old Mutual Head Office, Macquarie Bank and Union Swiss Offices to their list of achievements. Other iconic gems in the hospitality Industry include Carne Restaurant, 95 Keerom and Test Kitchen. Aidan says of his design philosophy “sometimes you have to step up to the edge to enjoy the view”.

 

ANATHI TYAWA

 

The first time Anathi Tyawa  visited Frank Joubert Art Centre was in 2005 when he came to spend a morning there with his class from Zola High School in Khayelitsha. The visit, part of the Ibhabhathane project’s education programme, was to have a number of consequences for this young man, at the time only 17 years old.

At Frank Joubert the teachers quickly recognized his talent and invited him to come and paint in the afternoons and evenings. His travel and materials expenses were met by Ibhabhathane, an initiative of Colin Stevens. Lillian Landu and Jill Joubert.

 

BRANDT BOTES

 

Graphic designer and illustrator Brandt Botes is the owner of Studio Botes – a boutique design shop that specialises in corporate identities, packaging design and illustration.

Brandt wouldn’t want to be anything other than a graphic designer. He loves what he does and believes that his calling isn’t a nine-to-five job. He’s as happy illustrating as he is behind a Mac, and he never stops thinking about design. Brandt is passionate about what he does and brings that passion to each job and client.

After graduating with a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Stellenbosch, Brandt worked at both Orange Juice Design and Lowe Bull in Cape Town before taking up his most recent position at the Jupiter Drawing Room, where he ultimately served as Head of Design until the launch of his own studio in February 2011.

Brandt’s work is informed by his sense of humour and his love of South Africa, typography and travel.

www.studiobotes.com

 

BRUCE MACKAY

 

Bruce Mackay is a Cape Town based visual artist. After graduating with a Diploma in Visual Communications at AAA School of Advertising Cape Town in 2008 he began working as a motion graphics designer for television and a part time illustrator in 2009 before becoming a full time freelance illustrator and designer in 2010. Some of his clients include: Nike, Adidas, Kiwi, Visual Artists Network of South Africa, The Shuttleworth Foundation, Verb Skateboards and John Brown Publishing.

Using highly detailed pen and ink drawings on paper, his work is inspired by hypochondria, vices, resurrections, X-ray vision, science fiction, patterns found in nature, old things he finds in his father’s garage, loose teeth, nostalgia, contagious diseases, microscopic organisms, invisible spirits, snakes, horses and drowning.

+27 84 552 9808 | lasttouchnix@yahoo.com | http://www.lasttouchnix.blogspot.com/

 

CARLA KREUSER

 

I am a freelance designer, illustrator and doodler based in Cape Town, South Africa. After graduating with an Information Design degree from the University of Pretoria, I worked at various design companies, ending up a design group head at The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town) and then a design director at Coley Porter Bell (Cape Town). I am currently working towards my Masters Degree in Illustration at the University of Stellenbosch.

www.carlakreuser.co.za

 

CHARLES MAGGS

 

Charles Maggs was born in 1971 and is a Cape Town based visual artist and lecturer. He holds an MFA in New Media from the Michaelis School of Fine Art, awarded with distinction in 2006. He and is a senior lecturer in visual communication at the AAA School of Advertising. His works predominantly with digital mediums, including video, sound, the internet, photography and digital prints.

Recent projects include, the solo exhibition Eye (Young Blackman Cape Town, 2010) the two man exhibition, Syndrome (WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town, 2009 with Robert Sloon) and the video pieces, Walking Man (South African National Gallery 2008) RT (Spier Contemporary 2007) Charles has exhibited work locally, internationally and online.

 

CONRAD BOTES

 

Conrad Botes’s work is represented in both local and international collections including the Sanlam Collection, Michaelis Collection, Johannesburg Art Gallery, The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) New York, Art Omi Collection (NYC) and the Francis Greenburger Collection (NYC). He has exhibited extensively throughout South Africa and internationally including exhibitions in Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, England, Spain and Germany. In 2004 he was awarded the Vita-Art award and in 2006 he participated in the Havanna Biennale. In 2007 he participated in a exhibition that spans the history of Apartheid and Racism at the CCCB in Barcelona. In 2008 he was one of three South African artists to exhibit at the Third Guangzhou Triennial in China. Publications include various catalogues, international comic books and the Big Bad Bittercomix Handbook. In 2009 he was the festival artist at The Aardklop National Arts Festival in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

 

DALEEN COETZEE

 

Daleen coetzee is a 63-year-old pensioner who resides in the beautiful village of De Kelders, close to Gansbaai. She has spent her life as good will ambassador for the less privileged and has created a ball that reflects a whimsical, childlike dream of hope for children and adults alike.

 

FRANK BÖHM

 

 

Cape Town Architect, Frank Böhm has sidestepped the focus on commercial design for him to experience life in a wider, richer perspective. Born in Namibia. The son of an Architect, who awakened his love of nature, the farm and the amazement of the human ability to make the most inspiring things.

His passion for unorthodox design as viewed from an honest expression has led him to expand into the world of bespoke furniture and product design, all based on raw passion. Focusing to practice a more seamless life between work and play. Sculpting, making things, family, friends and spiritual questioning are all building blocks that form parts in his exploration through life. In his extraordinary achievements, he has only shown a small side of himself and there will many great things to come.‘Hope is something that connects the mind and soul; it allows us not to worry about tomorrow. Let hope worry about tomorrow’s concerns’. Frank Böhm

 

FRANCOIS VAN REENEN

 

Frank.co.za is a painter, sculptor and animator whose darkly humorous work is inspired by pop culture, comics and cartoons. He has participated in several group exhibitions and solo shows. He works from a studio in Cape Town.

www.frank.co.za

 

GABRIELLE RAAFF

 

 

Gabrielle Raaff was born in Johannesburg in 1970 and graduated in 1992 with a B.A Fine Art Degree from Stellenbosch University, majoring in painting and with a Higher Diploma in Education.

In 1992 she was awarded a Santam scholarship and won the first Muratie Painting Award. That same year she was an Absa Atelier Finalist.

After teaching printmaking at Stellenbosch University in 1993 she was asked to set up the drawing and craft skills course for the The Red and Yellow School of Advertising and Design. This is a position she still holds as a freelance lecturer.

While working in her studio at Montebello Design Centre from 1993 to 1999, she took part in several group shows including “Women on Women” at the Seef Gallery Cape Town in 1994 and “Unplugged”, a collaborative show initiated by Kendall Geers at The Rembrandt Van Rijn Gallery in Johannesburg in 1998.

In conjunction with her own painting, she also undertook several commercial and illustration projects for agencies and private clients between 1998 and 2001.

In 2001 and 2003 she collaborated with James Webb to create light installations for YDETAG and YDESIRE, large collaborative art events held at The National Gallery and The Castle.

In 2006, as a result of a serious illness which prohibited her from working in spirit based media, she began exploring watercolour.

During the Spier Contemporary 2007 process, her work ‘Dislocation’ a series of aerial views of Cape Town was the first work to be unanimously accepted by the judging panel. This work was exhibited at Spier and The Johannesburg Art Gallery in 2008.

Recent projects include group shows “Periphery” (2008), These Four Walls Gallery and “Supermarket” (2009) the  Muti Gallery and a solo show entitled “In Our Midst” at the Muti Gallery in April 2009 in Cape Town. In August 2009 she completed a two week residency at the Nirox Foundation with her partner, sculptor Justin Fiske.

In 2010 she took part in several group shows: ‘Sifting Through The Madness’ and ‘Coppertone 77′ at Salon 91 in Cape Town and ‘Source’ and ‘Hybrid’ with Carol Lee in Johannesburg. 2011 began with a show titled ‘Relation’ with sculptor Kobus Le Grange at The Dorp Street Gallery in Stellenbosch. ‘People’ a show with Tom Cullberg took place at Chagan Contemporary in London in April 2011 and most recently she showed ink works on paper in ‘Paper is You’ at Salon 91 in Cape town.

Gabrielle lives with her partner and daughter in Lakeside and has a studio in Observatory.

Gabrielle Raaff www.gabrielleraaff.com

 

GALIA GLUCKMAN

 

 

Artist, Galia Gluckman, returned to South Africa in January 2011, after a decade spent living and working in New York. Galia Gluckman has exhibited in numerous exhibitions in New York, featured in many international design publications and has sold pieces to all corners of the globe. In 2009, Galia was awarded best overall green piece at the World Art Expo in New York City. She was commended for her creative use of recycled papers and low-impact materials in a contemporary collage. As part of the beautification project for the City of Great Neck, New York, Galia was commissioned to design an original artwork design for an outside train station project spanning 7.3 meters wide by 1.2 meters. Gluckman now works out of her studio in Constantia, Cape Town, at the home she shares with her husband and two children. She plans to exhibit in both Cape Town and Johannesburg in the near future.

 

HOLLY BIRKBY, LAURIE WIID VAN HEERDEN AND JEAN TIRAN

 

HOLLY BIRKBY

Holly Birkby originally trained as a jeweller and taught at Cape Peninsula University of Technology. She has worked in various industries including foundry work and floristry, and as a sculptor’s assistant. She currently works as an artist, and designer and manufacturer of useful and not-so-useful things.

 

LAURIE WIID VAN HEERDEN

Ventured into industrial design in 2006, was employed by Bronze Age Art Foundry until the end of 2009. Worked with creative’s such as Trevyn Mcgowan, Cecil and Boyd, Graham Viney, Wim Botha  and William Kentridge.

2009 – 2011 assistant to Wim Botha and started product Design Company.  Wiid Design focuses on producing truly unique products designed and manufactured in Cape Town, my products incorporate materials such as cork, paper pulp, terracotta, felt, wood, porcelain, cast iron, steel and state of the art energy saving LED’s.

By believing in my work and trusting my judgement, I hope that consumers will understand and appreciate the honesty and simplicity of my designs.

 

JEAN PIERRE TIRAN

Tiran had a passion for art from an early age and, mentored by his father, a painter, pursued painting and sculpture as subjects at school. Following matriculation in 1997, he travelled to Europe, where he investigated local bronze casting and metalwork facilities.He returned to South Africa in 2001 and became involved with Bronze Age, a Simon’s Town-based art foundry where he worked and cast his own sculptures for six years. In 2007 he joined Kalk Bay Sculpture Studio where he casts his own work. Tiran works primarily in bronze, in addition to resins and Perspex, and has done exclusively abstract figurative work over the last ten years. Composition, line and form are his main focus.

 

JACK MASON

 

Jack Mason, 16, is a Design student at Reddam School, Tokai. Since 2008 Jack has focused on spray stenciling and sculpture in beeswax, EPU, clay and board.

“At first I started out doing small stencils on my books at school. Now I am working much bigger and at the moment I’m busy on a 3 meter high tech icon. I’m also having fun designing and making a camera using laminated card, based on the look of an old school analogue camera.

I have worked out a plan to make it a completely functional cardboard camera that can actually be fitted with conventional glass lenses and take pictures. I’m looking forward to getting more into the ergonomics of design at school because I love the 3-D aspect of design and I think this is why I’m always happy when I’m doing sculpture, working out the mechanics of how things work or making things with paper or board. I recently made a camera bag out of old film negative for a recycling design project.

I have won some art awards at school and in Eisteddfods and last year I had some work selected for on an Amnesty International exhibition, but I like making art just because, not for the glory. When I’m not stenciling, I enjoy shooting and editing film and taking photographs with my old school Minolta. I’ve had some action shots published in Session magazine and that was nice.

I have also sold some of my sketches and stencils

People who make me feel inspired are my art/design teacher Irma Sargeant, Justin Fiske, Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive, Quentin Tarantino, Stanley Kubrick. The Gorillas are my music heroes.

I don’t do a whole lot of freehand walls out there but I do have a tag that I use on my spray work: ‘Exodus’, which means ‘Movement of the people.’

 

JENNY MASON

 

 

Jenny Mason is a brand concept developer and a freelance writer.  Jenny is currently a consultant brand planner and ideas developer for the Midas and Earthcote brands in the Freeworld stable.  She is involved in generating conceptual ideas using paint and other media. On behalf of Freeworld, Jenny manages ‘The Room’ – a Freeworld / /Elle Decoration joint venture  publication.

 

JONATHAN SHAPIRO

 

Born as Jonathan Shapiro in Cape Town in 1958. Couldn’t imagine a career in cartooning, so studied architecture at University of Cape Town. Couldn’t imagine a career in architecture, so tried switching to Graphic Design and promptly got conscripted.

While in the army he refused to bear arms and became active in 1983 in the newly-formed United Democratic Front. His arrest under the Illegal Gatherings Act caused some consternation in the SADF and his being monitored by military intelligence while also participating in the End Conscription Campaign, and designing its logo.

His work as a cartoonist began in earnest with a wide range of political and progressive organisations. When the newspaper South began in 1987, he became its editorial cartoonist. He was detained by security police in 1988 shortly before leaving on a Fulbright Scholarship to study media arts at the School of Visual Arts in New York. New York was an eye-opening experience where he studied under comics masters Art Spiegelman, Will Eisner and Harvey Kurtzman.

He returned to South Africa in 1991 and with Story Circle produced educational comics including Roxy (Aids education), Tomorrow People (democracy education) and A Trolley Full of Rights (a child abuse prevention comic later used by UNICEF elsewhere in Africa).

He was editorial cartoonist for Sowetan from 1994 – 2005 and appeared in the Cape Argus 1996 -1997. He has been editorial cartoonist for the Mail & Guardian since 1994, the Sunday Times since 1998 and since September 2005 also appears three times a week in Cape Times, The Star, The Mercury and Pretoria News.

He has held solo cartoon exhibitions in New York, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and many in South Africa. Has also exhibited in numerous group shows locally and internationally.

He has been an invited participant and speaker in cartoon events in Cameroon, Botswana, Namibia, Australia, France, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and the USA. In South Africa he has been a presenter and run workshops for a wide variety of organisations and educational institutions. He attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland 2003-2006 as one of a group of invited cartoonists.

Resulting from hard-hitting cartoons about South Africa’s former deputy-president and newly-appointed ANC President Jacob Zuma, he is currently being sued by Zuma for defamation. The amount Zuma sued him for was initially R15 million; later reduced to R10 million. It appears to have been reduced again … the case continues … .

 

JULIE KENNEY

 

Julie Kenney is a freelance Creative Consultant and Stylist. Having studied Jewellery Design at Ruth Prowse School of Art she created her own range of jewellery and décor items for décor shop Bread and Butter. After travelling and working abroad for five years she returned to South Africa in 2008 to fulfil her creative desires and started working at Elle Decoration magazine. She recently ventured into a freelance career where she continues to style for local décor magazines, consults on interior spaces and collaborates on various other décor projects.

 

JUSTIN SOUTHEY

 

Justin Southey was born 1985. He studied at Stellenbosch Academy of Graphic Design and Photography (2005-2007) where he graduated cum laude with a degree in applied design. After majoring in photography in his final year Justin turned his interest to image making of a different kind. Justin is currently living in Cape Town and working as an Artist, illustrator and designer, illustrating for advertising and magazines. Justin is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work covers many different mediums and stylistic variations.

 

KATRIN COETZER

 

Katrin Coetzer is an illustrator and graphic designer living and working in Cape Town. She is currently completing a Master’s degree in visual arts through Stellenbosch University, specializing in illustration. Her favorite mediums for drawing are water-based pigments, ink wash and collage. Favorite themes in her personal work include urbanism, children’s narratives and gardening.

 

KERI MULLER

 

I am a maker of stuff.  I make stuff using a range of materials from paper, vintage books and playing cards.  I draw and write whimsical notes for print that stem from somewhere in my imagination.  I create artworks from books that I roll and mount with little items in them.  I rescue small animal ornaments and give them stories and books or wood to rest on.  I do also work on commission and create installations from paper, found objects and so forth. For further information and examples of my work please do view my blog www.simpleintrigue.blogspot.com

 

KURT PIO

 

My artwork is called “Opsitkers” the name was given to an old South African Afrikaans tradition. Basically, when your daughter was of the age to start courting/dating boys, then the boy was invited to come visit the daughter on the stoep of her parents’ house in the  evenings. If the mother approved of the boy then she would give them a long candle and he could stay for as long as the candle burnt. If the mother didn’t approve of the boy then she would give them a shorter  candle.

So the “Opsitkers” was this idea that the parents created this safe  haven on their stoep for their daughters. Likewise, this program that the soccer balls are raising funds for, is similar. It’s creating this safe haven for the daughters of this country, this time keeping them away from boys, away from boredom and maybe drug usage and all the other difficulties that face the youth of today.  And where you, as the “parents” decide how long or short this ”candle”/soccer venture for girls lasts by the amount of money you  give to this charity.

 

LAUREN BEUKES

 

Lauren Beukes is a novelist, TV scriptwriter, documentary maker, comics writer and occasional journalist. She won the 2011 Arthur C Clarke Award for her novel Zoo City, set in a fantastical Johannesburg where guilt manifests as spirit animal familiars and dark things lurk beneath the surface of the pop music industry. Her previous works include Moxyland, a dystopian cyberpunk thriller set in Cape Town under corporate apartheid and Maverick: Extraordinary Women From South Africa’s Past. She’s also the director of the documentary Glitterboys & Ganglands following three hopefuls in Miss Gay Western Cape. You can visit her website <http://laurenbeukes.book.co.za/> or follow her on Twitter @laurenbeukes.

 

LAUREN FOWLER

 

Lauren’s been described as innovative, superwoman, crafty and quirky, but she’s used to illustrator, graphic designer and thing maker.

Born and bred in Cape Town, she uses her surroundings as inspiration.  From people, nature, victorian houses to overheard conversations, Lauren uses these to create the final product of whatever her current obsession may be.

Current obsessions: Yarn Bombing, Doodling, Before and After shots, Pinning on Pinterest and Thinking about making houses out of reclaimed wood

I’m knitting a cover for it out of white wool with different styles of knitting for some texture: This is to communicate the different paths that life takes us, the joining of other people’s lives as well as the coming together of each other to construct something that encompasses and protects one another.

 

LAUREN SHANTALL

 

Lauren Shantall currently heads up the Freeworld Design Centre. Previously Editor of Design Indaba Magazine and Deputy Editor of Elle Decoration, she has also been Curator and Manager of the Design Indaba Expo. Lauren is the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Communication Arts Award (USA). She was a judge on design reality TV show The Cut, project-managed the very first live internet streaming event in South Africa, and was the photojournalist and docu-journo for the epic cross-country roadshow for Mark Shuttleworth’s Hip2bSquare tour. A dynamic, creative and highly talented individual, she is committed to innovation and top quality design. She has held two solo exhibitions of her jewellery design and painting to date and has participated in two group shows. Among other things, she was formerly the assistant editor of the Mail & Guardian arts and entertainment section and her writing on art, culture and design has been published widely here and abroad. As a design personality, Lauren and her work has been featured in a score of local and international publications, including Tank, EgoDesign, House and Leisure, Top Billing, British Airways High Life, City Views, Elle Decoration, Wanted, and many others…

Pure, Purl and Plain: The Giantess’s Knitting

(this ball contains four complete skeins of 100% natural, undyed pure sheep’s wool, containing no acrylic or polyester, which is enough to knit a giant scarf, or two adult human-size scarves. The idea is participative, and the intention is that you use the wool to make something cuddly so that you can play with the ball outside in winter. Or, you can do nothing at all, and continue to enjoy it in its current phat format)

 

LEON ERASMUS AND GIULIA ODENDAAL

 

With over 25 years combined experience in the professional design industry, Leon Erasmus and Giulia Odendaal are the creative force behind Leg Studios; a design studio which focuses on Stage, Exhibition and Interior Architecture. This dynamic duo design highly customized environments for: Live and Televised Events • Exhibitions •Corporate and Retail Spaces. Their clients inclide O Magazine, The Loerie Awards, Canal Walk, Microsoft, SABC 1, Cell C, MNet and Vodacom.

 

MARCII GOOSEN

 

I am a visual designer and believe to be at the forefront of a new wave of creators that blur the lines between art, decoration and design and a renaissance in finely crafted, intricate objects within the context of contemporary design and fashion culture. I understand design trends, popular culture and fashion and have been working in this industry for more than 11 years. My art and design-making practice diversely spans; visual essays on fabric & paper, crafting intricate objects, through to producing extensive graphic stills and filmic installation projects in space. I am a self-motivated individual and leader who love working with and around other people. My esteem and knowledge of artisan skills and my inherent creativity will allow to push the boundaries of many mediums and functions, resulting in a very diverse visual collection across all platforms, commercial and artistic. I remain captivated with observing and creating opaque visual codes through public and private praxis. I am currently living and freelancing in Cape Town, South Africa.

 

MEDINA MORPHET

 

Medina Morphet is an abstract painter who lives and works in Cape Town. Her processed-based work focuses on the material, letting it generate the direction of her “oil paint on canvas-covered board paintings”.

Medina studied at the University of Cape Town, obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and further, an Advanced Diploma in painting. She began her professional career in 1992, painting in an evocative

Abstract Expressionist style influenced by artists like Jasper Johns, Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler and Therese Oulton.

Later her work developed into a more sophisticated, acute view of Abstract painting, seemingly working from the outside rather than within the genre. At this point she incorporated a relief element in her work, cutting into layered canvas prior to applying the paint.

Presently Medina’s work is centered around the intricate colour relationships and spatial shifts of Modernist painting. She acknowledges a diversity of current influences, from Ben Nicholson and Mary Fedden, to Howard Hodgkins, Robert Ryman, Barbara Hepworth, and JMW Turner.

Medina has participated in group and solo shows in Cape Town and her work is represented in several collections both locally and internationally.

 

NIX DAVIES

 

Nix Davies is a conceptual artist living in Cape Town. Her artworks move across all mediums, connecting individuals and inspiring communities. Her ‘Ball of Joy’ installations in London, Amsterdam and Cape Town encourage members of the public to interact with their environment, leading them to engage with otherwise strangers, creating a unique moment.

She is currently working on delivering a summer edition of her ‘Ball of Joy’ Public Installation on the Mother City, entitled ‘Balls on the Loose’.

‘Let There Be Light’ has been up and running for the last year and will have an interactive installation that will be launched in Spring. ‘Let There Be Light’ has a Creative Entrepreneurial Programme attached to it that focuses on igniting ones passion to create, establishing an understanding that one can sustain oneself through creativity.

Check out www.nixdavies.com for more.

 

PAIGE NICK

 

Paige Nick hates spiders and cellulite and plastic forks. She loves ice cream and unsuitable men and writing. Which is lucky because as an award-winning advertising copywriter (with clients like Allan Gray and kulula.com), a weekly column in the Sunday Times and a budding career as a novelist she has quite a bit of it to do. And the ice cream and the unsuitable men? Well, nobody’s perfect.

Paige Nick’s new novel – This Way Up – was released in May.

 

PAUL SENYOL

 

Born 25 October 1980 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Paul has been drawing and painting since his early high school years, however never pursuing any form of artistic or graphic training. At 16, he discovered the freedom of skateboarding and punk rock music in the beautiful suburb of Welgemoed, where he grew up. This naturally became a key influence in his early drawings, sketches and paintings.skateboard graphics, album covers, magazine layouts and illustrations played a role in developing his aesthetic eye. Around the same time, he also became exposed to the creativity of graffiti and street artists such as Marc Gonzales, Ed Templeton, and Barry McGee – all of this forming part of his early art education. he was later introduced and moved by the creative thought and artistic genius of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Cy Twombly. His lack of formal training and schooling has given him the freedom to break away from traditional notions of painting, to explore genres and styles, and to meld mediums, allowing him a creative freedom that flows so evidently through his collection of work.

Senyol’s art lingers gracefully and intentionally between beauty and honesty and brings a surreal, yet abstract world into being. His current work focuses heavily on shape, line, form, composition and colour. each faint line. Bold brushstroke and shape carefully composed to breathe life into it’s environment, reflecting something of light, experience and thought. His finished work seeks to engage the viewer through translating his own experiences to canvas, allowing an open discussion and translation of his work. Senyol has exhibited extensively throughout South Africa and abroad.He currently works from a studio in Woodstock, Cape Town.

 

RENÉE ROSSOUW

 

Renée Rossouw (Cape Town, 1985) is a graphic-orientated and color-fixated designer from South Africa.  She graduated with a Masters of Architecture at the University of Cape Town in 2009 and completed the RSP Master at the European Design Labs in Madrid under director Jaime Hayon in 2010. She collaborated in design workshops with Vitra, DoshiLevien, Pedrita, StudioBec, Estudio Luis Urculo, Labland and Haldane Martin Studio. She developed her final project at the European Design Labs with Bosa Ceramics, Italy and Hayon Studio, Treviso.

She has had her work exhibited at the Venice Biennale 2006, Design Indaba 2008, What if the World’s nr3 event, Design Indaba 2011, JustMad 2 Contemporary Art Fair Madrid 2011, Bread and Butter TradeShow Berlin  and various online and magazine publications.

A lifelong obsession with comics, color, uniforms and quirky movie lines developed during 2010 into her primary interest – graphic pattern-making and the application of it onto textiles and three dimensional everyday objects.

 

RIKUS FERREIRA

 

Rikus Ferreira is an artist, illustrator and designer who lives and works in Cape Town. He has had a couple of solo shows and participated in numerous group exhibitions both locally and internationally. www.behance.net/RikusFerreira

 

SAM SCARBOROUGH

 

Sam Scarborough, creative director, author, stylist and children’s decor consultant has just launched her website, www.kidsdecor.co.za. Sam has written two kids interior books, Cool Spaces for Kids (Hamlyn UK) and Children’s Rooms (Struik) and is busy on her third book, Babies Rooms & Nurseries.

She has also recently launched her Kids Market Days, encouraging children to become little entrepreneurs by being creative and selling their hand crafted ‘wares’. It is primarily a fun day for the kids, and run by the kids, and anything goes for under R10, which is the way of this market day.

Sam also runs Creative Decor Workshops, giving parents inspiring decor ideas to encourage them to adopt a more creative approach to parenting and to potential play spaces in their homes. She has developed the table cloth play house – as every homes has a dining room or kitchen table to play under!

Sam has a small children’s decor company and creates specialised items to personalise children’s rooms, such as beanbags, toy and space saving storage solutions as well as a range of linen and old-fashioned quilts.

For more information on her product designs and work, pls go to www.kidsdecor.co.za

 

SARAH PRATT

 

Born in Zimbabwe, Sarah Pratt came to Cape Town to study fine arts at Michaelis School of Fine Arts at the University of Cape Town, where she received a masters degree in fine art (MFA), specialising in copper etching. Since then she has done a range of creative projects, ranging from exhibitions to lecturing to illustration and a certain polka-dotted Airstream trailer named Dorothy which presides on the roof of the Grand Daddy Presently she divides her time between working from her studio and master printing. She specialises in decorative art – painting, etching, linocut, drawing, gilding, chinnoiserie, trompe l’oiele, origami, paper cutouts, and embossing.

 

SELAH

 

SELAH, derived from the Hebrew ?????, means “pause here, and reflect on that.” He draws symbols and texts in the margins of society: in alleys, townships, street corners, and on rusting refuse. He works to contribute toward the dignity of those living in these margins, and to write the story of their hope and bravery.

Selah’s art is rooted in relationship, dialogue, and the pauses in conversation. The content of the work is always already present on site, and must only be illuminated, or, brought to light. The art curates and publishes the dialogue that occurs between the artist and the subject — often, the owner of the wall being painted. The work is an excavation of the values of its subjects and communities.

This method reflects the values of the African communities in which the work takes place — the power of conversation, negotiation, listening, and community. Selah’s work is collaborative by definition. It is discovered, not imposed.

www.selahmade.com

 

STRAPPMURRAY

 

Strappmurray is a boutique agency based in Cape Town. The company was founded by Lesley Strapp on her return to South Africa after working at Trademark Design in London.  Strappmurray has been running successfully since 1998, offering an experienced set of skills in brand development and custodianship.

 

TRACY LYNCH

 

A Freeworld Design Centre décor consultant, Tracy Lynch is an independent stylist who has worked on a number of high profile local and international décor projects as a decorator and commercial artist. Formerly the décor editor of Elle Decoration, and now the creative director for Hinterveld, Tracy also contributes to a number of local magazines including House and Leisure, Visi and Plascon Spaces. Tracy’s take on design is that it’s a creative response of an open mind to opportunity, and good design should elevate and sometimes entertain, but is always a resolve.

 

TRACY PAYNE

 

Tracy Payne was born in 1965 and lives in Cape Town. She graduated from the Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town in 1987. Tracy is a visual artist working from her studio in Observatory. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions and is presently holding her seventh solo exhibition ‘Muse’ at the Barnard Gallery in Newlands.

 

UNATHI MKONTO

 

Unathi Mkonto was born in Peddie, near Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. Unathi describes his work as characterized by its fluid lines and void, having no intention of developing a style but maintaining strong drawing. He says, “Most of the time they are theatrical fashion images. By the time its complete it has covered different subjects in architecture, automation and fashion.