Welcome!

self portrait 5 July 2009

I am a multimedia artist – performance, painting, fashion, costume design, ceramics, poetry, writing (I recently had novel published by Pine Slopes Publications called “Tell Tale” ISBN 0-9684874-1-3).

Art was not an option for study at High School. However, during my Biology teacher training, drawing those microscopic details began to stir something within my creative urge. However, I only began painting when I studied fine art at PMB University. During this year there were disagreements with some of my lecturers. I then left for Europe on a one way ticket! HUGE changes occurred in my ‘psyche’ during my travels.

However travelling made me realise how ‘African’ I was and I returned to South Africa at the end of 1975. Back in this country, I had a driving need to transform my “European experiences” into a particularly South African CONTEXT and began to pursue whatever creative opportunity presented itself to me.

There were absolutely NO formal structures in place that could meet my needs, so I subsequently formed my own dance groups, or worked entirely on my own. My novel has documented much of what life was like during this time. It is a mixture of docu-reality and histro-practicality, the deeply personal and the utterly insane!

I have written and performed in 5 “avant-garde” plays. In 1984 I founded an avant-garde performance group (together with Gisele Turner, Gisele Stafford, David Mulvey, Peter Hart-Davis, Simon Stengel) called the Body Of Despondent Artists and we were active as a group until David’s departure for Ireland in 1987. I gave classes free of charge, directed, made costumes and masks for the group, choreographed, experimented with performance/dance styles. This was a period of INTENSE growth and experimentation and research into theatrical techniques. I subsequently pursued a solo career performing in two self penned plays “BLOOD” (1988) and “The Come-uppance of Punch” (1998 and ’99). “Punch” featured a prologue and epilogue based on the Nemesis archetype written by Eldon Swallow.

I spearheaded the ‘alternative’ music scene through the ’80’s and mid ’90’s (15 years) djing in various clubs in Durban (starting out at Rumours which eventually became Faces) under the title of “PLAY”.. I introduced fashion shows, performances into the night club scene. People dressed up and fantasized with their garments on a weekly basis, without having to resort to quick fix solutions by hiring costumes. I produced a fanzine entitled “FACET” in which the focus and direction of the ‘alternative movement’ had a ‘voice’. The criteria was essentially non racist, non homophobic, non sexist. I became a member of the ECC in 1985.

Between ‘82 and ‘88 in particular, the club was a target of the security forces, where harassment and police raids were the order of the day. These were extremely trying times to put it mildly!

I see my paintings as PSYCHEreal or SUPRAreal as opposed to surreal.

I have been influenced by JUNG – particularly with the discovery of various ARCHETYPE IMAGES which have recurred in my paintings. I was a member of the Jungian Society and attended regular monthly lectures/meetings/workshops under the guidance of Gloria Gearing. This was indeed a privilege. My work has been concerned with the PSYCHIC state of apartheid (with specific reference to the ‘collective unconscious’) and the ravages of this UNSUSTAINABLE political/social/cultural state. These paintings therefore represent a particularly dark phase of South African history from a completely unique perception, and serves as a telling document of the time.

I have not painted since 1996.

I re-entered the teaching profession in 1997. Looking back now in 2010, all I can say is that I have learnt much. Recent Experiences at a High School in the Umbilo area have left me devastated. I do not think I can go back into teaching. I am currently unemployed.