Stop the guilt. Stop berating yourself for needing to take a moment to pause, rest, recharge. We are human beings, not human doings. Stop brushing off compliments. Enjoy it! Own it! Why do strong, beautiful, smart people believe that everyone around them is strong, beautiful and smart, but that it is impossible that they themselves encapsulate these qualities too? Stop stopping yourself from laughing out loud. You don’t sound ridiculous or ugly. You sound joyous! Stop spending time with people that don’t lift you up. Life is too short to allow someone to rob you of your precious time, energy...

After seeing the special baby name illustration that I created for little André, Chanel contacted me with a very exciting request: She wanted to gift her partner, Antu, an original baobab painting to add to his beautiful collection of artworks. Even more special, she wanted their names hidden in the branches and their red tent below the tree. How amazing is that?! We took some time to discuss the style, and settled on a modern pen illustration, finished with a playful watercolour wash to add colour. Since I was drawing freehand using inspiration from various reference images, I sent Chanel a rough sketch to approve before...

It has been nine years since I last visited the Kruger National Park. Before we were married, Alex and I spent some time there during an amazing month-long, cross-country road trip. I’m afraid our most vivid memories of the experience are of crowds: Forty plus cars in an aggressive scrum, jostling to see the pride of lions casually strolling down the road; circling the Skakuza camping grounds again and again, unable to find a free site amidst all the impossibly large trailers; a minibus rudely blocking our beautiful view of the dam and its inhabitants… It wasn’t a bad experience...

Throwback to "Awake", one of my favourite commissions from 2019. This was a very special 40th birthday gift that travelled all the way to Australia.  These Pearl-spotted Owlets are only about 17-20cm from head to tail (can I get an "Aaaaw!"?!), and are active mainly at dusk and dawn. When this tiny little owl gets excited, it owl cocks its tail and flicks it from side to side (swooooon!!!)! We were lucky enough to finally see one in the wild on a fabulous camping trip to the Kgalagadi last year. It was the final morning of the trip, and I...

Looking back at what has kept me busy the past few months, I can see a definite trend: Very little art, and lots and lots of 'heart projects'. My theory is that I've been subconsciously trying to counteract some of the bad things that are happening in the world right now. And of course, I find it challenging to be creative while dealing with trauma. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to this (especially after living through the past two years).Even the little art that I did manage to produce, was created in the hopes of making a difference: Straying from my usual exclusively South...

If your heart beats for supporting small, local, hand-crafted, community-inspired, good-hearted-people, this is the market for you!After months of dreaming, planning and knitting, my hearts project, our Artisan Market Day & Knittathon @ MES is finally jusssst around the corner! Fellow Capetonians, please come support - you won't be sorry! Apart from a curated selection of finely hand-crafted, artisanal goods and delicious home-made eats (not to mention the freshly roasted coffee!), it is all in aid of a very special cause: To help the homeless in SA get back on their feet.If you're not able to join us in person,...

April is World Book Day. As part of The One Percent Movement (the non-profit that I work for), we created reading corners in the five grade one classes of Fisantekraal Primary this month. Each class was gifted a colourful bookcase, a carpet for the kiddies to sit on while reading and of course a big stash of fabulous books! In partnership with my fabulous printers, Comprint in Stellenbosch, and driven by my personal love for reading and wildlife (and to continue giving back during my business' birthday month!), I donated five laminated SA Animal Alphabet posters that have also been added to the reading corners. We received fantastic feedback from...

Life is life-ing hard these days... There are so many bad things happening in the world right now. So much tragedy and grief. In between dealing with it all, it is so important to celebrate the small victories and blessings. Like my small business surviving five years! Five years of blood, sweat and tears. Turmoil and happiness. Wins and setbacks. It all ads up to an incredible journey!⁠⁠This year, I celebrated a little differently: My biz's birthday happened to coincide with Ukraine's Easter this past weekend. My wonderful husband, Alex, baked me a very special, traditional Ukrainian cake-like-bread that he...

There is no denying that my Downloadable Wall Art Range looks really good in sets. Thankfully, this doesn't have to break the bank, as art so often tends to do!In fact, the very reason why I created this range, was to make these gorgeous, uniquely South African beauties accessible to Regular Joe (and Josephine!).Not only can you purchase a set of three beautiful, downloadable A4 illustration for only R180, the fact that they are digital, means no expensive shipping and no waiting period. Receive your order as a digital download straight to your device, and simply print at a pro...

The Cape floral kingdom of South Africa is one of the richest areas in the world for plant biodiversity (WWF). Amongst the 9000 plant species found here, is the sensational Blushing Bride (Serruria florida). It's not quite possible to define exactly what colour the flowers are. Pinkish, sure! But also silvery, greenish, even golden, depending on how the light catches the almost see-trough, papery blooms. Magical! Below, you can see this pen and watercolour illustration come to life from start to finish! And before you ask -- this beauty is NOT available in my online store. It is a very special...

According to this insightful article by Nal’ibali, an award-winning national reading-for-enjoyment campaign, 78% of Grade Four learners in South Africa cannot read for basic meaning in any national language. This alarming statistic means an unavoidable negative affect on the country's long-term socio-economic wellbeing. It could lead to an entire generation lacking the basic skills to escape a life of poverty, and in turn, the inability to pass along literacy to their own children.April is World Book Day. I feel so privileged to be part of The One Percent Movement (the non-profit that I work for), that will be creating reading corners in the five grade...

Last year, while planning for the inevitable arrival of Black Friday, I decided to introduce a new sale-with-a-difference-tradition, nurturing a culture of giving back in my business. Since my business turns five in April, my wonderful clients can expect 10% off in my online shop, as well as at the Kirstenbosch Craft & Food Market on 27 March and 24 April! Furthermore, I vow to donate 10% of every sale made in April to a worthy non-profit.Under normal circumstances - in keeping with my passion for animals - this non-profit would be one that works to protect our local wildlife. However, after a lot of research and countless nights of...

Dear friends, today I write to you from a place of great sadness, fear and disillusionment. My husband’s country, Ukraine, is at war. Just typing that word now - W-A-R - makes me want to both laugh and cry. Laugh, because it seems absolutely ridiculous that in this day and age, it is possible for an army to simply spill over the borders of a neighbouring country and claim that this is now ours. Are we not more evolved than that?! More civilised?! More sensical?! Apparently not. W-A-R makes me cry for obvious reasons: The unjust tyranny, the inhumane cruelness...

Over the past few weeks, hubby Alex and I have been overwhelmed with kind, warm thoughts, words and prayers from all around the world. People from all walks of life (some that have no connection to the Ukraine other than a feeling of deep compassion!), are carrying this burden of war with us. Many say the same thing: They don't know how to cope with this harsh reality. They don't know how to function "normally", when things are so twisted, cruel and abnormal.⁠ We absolutely know the feeling... Our wheels have really come off these past few weeks, and we're...

The journey home for this whimsical original baby name illustration, was nothing short of a crazy rollercoaster ride... Something that I hope never, EVER to experience again! In stark contrast, the actual creation process was just lovely and utterly enjoyable! Everything was downright magical - from the conceptualisation of the layout to the last brush stroke! And now for the grand finale: Sharing that magic with you in awesome time lapse!     If you'd like to order a special baby name keepsake like this one - perfect as a unique baby shower gift or thoughtful way to mark a milestone birthday - contact me...

Remember my pen and watercolour insects? Originally created to join my ever popular range of Downloadable Wall Art, they are now also finally available in my online shop as gorgeous greeting cards. The perfect addition to a special gift for someone that loves nature! As an avid supporter of the "little guy", this range of not-so-creepy-crawlies really lies close to my heart. It's so easy to get caught up in the grandeur of an elephant, rhino, lion... But the role that these insects play in maintaining the balance of their ecosystems is equally impressive. Take the humble bumble honeybee, for example: It is estimated...

I recently announced that I'm taking a break from my hand-painted succulents on pallet wood. Shortly after sharing that I won't be creating any more succulents, we were expecting my mom for a visit. In preparation, we cleaned our little cottage like one cleans only when ones mother comes to visit... Heavy furniture was moved. Forgotten spaces were aired. Dodgy little corners were excavated. To my great surprise and dismay, we stumbled across eight beautifully prepared pallet wood blocks, only missing the hand-painted succulents! I couldn't very well waste poor Alex's time and expert effort by not using them! So, I had to gather...

I was manning my stall at the Kirstenbosch Craft and Food Market, when a lady walked in and gasped, "I'd love to see your home. It must be so beautiful!". Well, flattered as I was by her lovely compliment of my work, I had a little silent giggle. You see, at that time, it had been about three weeks since I last saw our kitchen countertop. Apart from an array of dirty dishes, the table surface had been turned into a mad workstation. Every inch was piled with various animal bits. That sounds like something straight out of a low budget horror movie......

When a dear, longstanding client contacted me to create a special keepsake baby name - featuring little lions - in celebration of the arrival of her grandson, I was super excited! Little did I know that it would take more than a year for this special gift to finally make it home... Yup. This hand-painted illustration sat in my cupboard, prepped and packaged, waiting for the opportunity to finally fly home to Germany for months on end. Along with a plethora of other Covid-related challenges, the logistics of sending parcels abroad was a biggie. Even under normal circumstances ('normal' - can...

It's my great pleasure to share the intricate work-in-progress of "André", a very special original watercolour commission. There's nothing quite like seeing it all together like this -- days of work compressed into just a few minutes! It's magical to see it take shape so quickly! A one-of-a-kind, original illustration like this one can only be ordered by contacting me directly. I only accept a limited amount each year, so contact me early to avoid disappointment! Visit my YouTube channel to see more time lapse videos of more of my work!

At the start of every year, I choose a 'word of the year' - a single-word-mantra that will guide my goals for the 365 days that lie ahead; an 'umbrella resolution', if you will, that I will attempt to live and breathe moving forwards. In comparison to the unnecessary pressures (and often disappointments) a long list of resolutions, I find that the word-of-the-year-concept is so much gentler and eventually easier to live up to. In 2021, my word of the year was "Rise", consciously chosen to signify rising above the disheartening chaos of 2020 and making the best of opportunities that came my...

Aah, the joys of January: By now, the school break has extended so long that you have heard the phrase, "I'm booooored", about 750 000 times. What's worse, you now have to bite your tongue to stop yourself from shouting back, "JOIN THE CLUB!!!".Take a little break from the boredom! My Downloadable Colouring Pages are a great way for the whole family to get creative, relax and just have fun. The designs are totally unique, tongue-in-cheek and proudly South African, sure to spark anyone's imagination! Add to that a fun, free Spot-the-Difference game sheet, and you and your little ones will be entertained for...

We all have to admit to our shortcomings... One of mine is the ability (or inability!) to take a good selfie. I've stuffed it up every which way that it can be stuffed: Good-'ol-blurry, finger-blocking-the-lens, only-half-a-head, cat-bomb, double-chin, dropped-the-phone, and of course, gave-up-and-took-a-photo-of-my-feet-instead... Always game for a good laugh (even at my own expense!), I am continuing the tradition of sharing my best worst selfies of the past year. Hopefully, it will make some of you feel better about your own bad selfies, or in the very least give you a giggle! Enjoy!   While painting "Jump!", I just couldn't seem...

I think we as a society have finally started acknowledging the great worth of our teachers. I firmly believe that teaching is a calling. After all, our teachers shape the minds and characters of the future! I was lucky enough to have sensational teachers all throughout my school career. Some had a major impact on me - both good and bad. However, the good stands out. My art teachers were especially phenomenal, and I will be forever be indebted to them. Even though I didn't for a moment dream about becoming a professional artist when I was a child, the skills taught,...

Imagine holding your arms out wide as if to embrace someone. Chest open, chin up, eyes closed, and saying out loud to God or to the universe (or both!), "I am ready." This is exactly what I did for months on end, starting in May this year after a chance encounter with a stray dog named Maddison.  When we took the emaciated, terrified dog to the Helderberg Animal Welfare, I had to fill in some forms. There was a space to write down an optional donation. I left it blank. By then, I had been without an income for about six months, and the fear of...

This year, I decided to approach Black Friday from a unique angle: I wanted it all to have some meaning! Therefore, I donated 10% of my November sales (both from my online shop and the Kirstenbosch Craft Market on 28 Nov) to the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds.I'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone that shopped, shared and sent a good thought my way during the month of November. Together, we raised just over R1100 for SANCCOB!I look forward to growing this tradition of giving back in my business, and will certainly call on my  followers...

I am the world's best procrastinator (right now, I am Googling jokes about procrastination, instead of finishing this blog post...). So I really do understand leaving your Christmas shopping for the last minute. And as the worlds worst shopper, there is nothing I hate more than a mall on Boxing Day, packed full of fellow procrastinators with crazy eyes, muttering "never again" under their breath...So here's a fun solution: Shop for some truly fabulous, unique and thoughtful gifts online. Place your order before 12 December (because every procrastinator needs a deadline!), and it will be shipped to your door in time for...

I'll never forget my first ever market. To my great dismay, I made R100. R100!!! The stall fee alone was over R400, not to mention the travelling costs and all the time spent preparing and the back-breaking set-up and breakdown and the time spent being there! Disaster. Thank goodness I didn't give up then... Eventually, I found my feet. My first "breakthrough" came when I created my succulents on pallet wood. They were a hit, and I finally thought that I might just be able to pull off this full-time-artist-thing...!⁠ Even though I love my succulents, the time has come...

In August, my year took a turn for the better. The change that I was waiting and asking for finally came. To honour this, I'd like to take a moment to bask in all my many blessings. Some of these may seem trivial and small, but they have meant the world to me during the worst and best days of 2021. In no particular order, here are 12 things that I am eternally grateful for:   #1: My hands Contrary to popular belief, I don’t paint pretty pictures all day, every day. Running a business means wearing many, many different...

Every now and then, I get to work on a really fun commission. Something totally out of the ordinary, challenging and exciting! Not since the creation of my South African Animal Alphabet have I been this thrilled with a request for a whimsical children's illustration... The brief alone already sounded enticing: An original baby name for a long-awaited baby boy. This incredibly special gift will become the centre piece in his nursery, which has a modern "greenery" theme with baby SA animals in tow. The concept for the watercolour illustration came to me in a dream. My word, that sounds ridiculously lame...! Not like some dramatic, wind-swept...

Black Friday. Every year, it descends upon the world like a fleet of enormous, threatening alien spacecrafts. They loom over our cities, causing a mad panic. People dash blindly to and fro, guided by an intense sense of urgency: Any moment now, it will all end. It's pretty obvious from my Armageddon-like metaphor that I'm not a fan of Black Friday. I don't like the crowds, the crazy rush and what often feels like mindless spending in our constant, consumer-driven society. I'm fully aware of the irony of my existence -- my little ship is kept afloat by making sales, but by no means do I have...

I'm beyond excited to share that a whole collection of my products are now on display at the stunning Reflections of Africa Art Gallery in White River (close to the Kruger National Park).The gallery owner, Coleen Williams, contacted me recently to become an exhibitor. She caught me completely off guard! In fact, reacting to the strange number flashing on my phone, I answered with what I refer to as my "Telkom voice": The cold, impatient tone that immediately gets the message across that I am not interested in buying what you are selling. After Coleen introduced herself, I was left completely flabbergasted......

Introducing "Vibrant": A title that encapsulates the striking colours of the artwork. If you're a birder, you'll know that apart from their gorgeous plumage, these Black-collared Barbets (and many of their peers) have a really resonant, recognisable call, too. So, the title is even more fitting! I've finally managed to put together this awesome time lapse video, showing the work-in-progress from start to finish. Everything always looks so cool (and seemingly easy...) at super speed! This piece took me about two weeks (on and off) to complete. But here it is for your viewing pleasure, in just over two minutes:  ...

While sitting down to write this blog post, all about this stunning hand-crafted wooden serving tray, I was hit with a strange sense of déjà vu... I looked back at the blog post that I wrote about a similar tray that I painted earlier this year, featuring a gorgeous succulent and olive leaf wreath. Then it hits me: It seems that my tray-painting-days are cursed! Okay, okay, so this is only the second tray like this that I've painted, but it does seem like there is a sinister pattern emerging: Both times, I was really pressed for time. Last time, because I wanted...

When I saw this lovely photo of a Black-collared Barbet, I could immediately envision it as a watercolour painting: There is so much life here! the light reflected in the barbet's feathers; the intent look in his eye; even the negative space that the bird is seemingly about to flit off into, creates a sense of anticipation and movement. But, above all else, the striking colours - the warm tones of the barbet's red and the yellow aloe flower - promised the makings of a gorgeous artwork! I have named it, "Vibrant", a title that encapsulates the striking colours of the artwork....

 I love doing what I do, and my passion and happiness is - and will always remain - the driving force behind my work. But MAN, it does feel good when the world gives you a little pat on the back...!The Watercolour Association of South Africa recently hosted an international online exhibition and competition, entitled "Expressions of Hope". I'm so pleased to say that my incidental lions (in case you missed it, I had a ludicrous fall and almost destroyed the painting!), "Mother's Pride", received an honourable mention in the Artists category. You can see the worthy winners and judges critique here. The one-of-a-kind original of...

It was so wonderful to join forces with this worthy NPO to raffle off one of my fine art wildlife prints last month. I want to extend a heart-felt THANK YOU to each and every person that purchased a raffle ticket and shared the initiative.

 I am beyond thrilled to announce that the raffle raised over R3000!!!

Congrats to the lucky winner, Susan Bellis!Shortly after sharing Maddison's story and this raffle, I was approached by a dear friend to join the outreach team at Essentially Natural. Apart from their wide variety of natural, locally sourced products, this small business really takes carbon neutrality seriously. They...

In May this year, we were on our way to the Garden Route, full of excitement for the well-deserved break that lay ahead. Hubby Alex and I had finally managed to get away (an hour late, no less!), when we spotted a bedraggled creature trudging towards us on the shoulder of our busy country road. It was a dog. But not a dog as it should be... The emaciated figure looked as if a light breeze would blow her right off her feet. Her every movement seemed like a punishment. She looked like Death walking. As we neared, she looked up at our...

Waaay back in the good 'ol days of mid-2019, Alex and I planned a very special vacation with my mom and brother for August 2020: Nine nights camping in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Apart from the obvious draw of the park, with its beautiful red dunes, giant camel thorn trees, collection of big cats and fantastic raptors, we were also planning on finally scattering my late dad's ashes. After all, his heart lay in the Kalahari... Our hopes were dashed when big, bad Covid knocked on our doors, and then continued to huff and puff and blow down our homes... With South Africa's regional borders...

A couple of weeks ago, my husband Alex and I packed up all our stock at the Craft Art Market at Spier Wine Farm, as the seasonal market period has sadly come to an end. This year, more than ever, I felt terribly melancholic saying goodbye to my friends. There is no denying that we've all had to walk through fire just to earn a living since March 2020. And even worse, there is a dense fog of uncertainty still lying ahead of us...Let's change the subject, shall we?Well, our tiny little cottage is packed to the rafters with all...

Last month, I shared my shared my latest watercolour piece, featuring a family of cuddling lions. I asked my social media followers to suggest title ideas. There were some really fantastic ones, but my absolute favourite came from Sara: "Mother's Pride". I love the double meaning -- not only is this lioness clearly proud of her cute cubs, but the collective noun for lions is of course a pride! Clever, right? Sara won three of my fabulous Downloadable Wall Art illustrations, and her kids helped to select this gorgeous mixed-and-matched trio from the SA flowers, birds and insects. Now, I can finally share the awesome...

Many moons ago, I created a set of eight pen and watercolour illustrations that I call my "Curly Animals", featuring a Cape chameleon, leopard, pangolin, zebra, hippopotamus, guinea fowl, giraffe and springbuck. I had them printed them on post cards, because I thought they'd be really retro and cool, but alas, they weren't very popular! I believe the illustrations are worth revisiting, so I've been sharing them on my Facebook and Instagram, trusting that my loyal followers will help me find some inspiration regarding future applications. Downloadable wall art? Greeting cards or gift tags? Jewellery (pendants or earrings might be cute)? What do you think?⁠...

You know those moments in a silly comedy movie that make you think, "Yeeee-ah, riii-iiight..."? A sequence of events that is so ridiculous and unlikely that the only reaction it could possible warrant is an eye-roll so severe that you run the risk of getting your face stuck like that forever (just like your mama always said it would when you gave her cheek). Well, after what happened to me recently, I am willing to give the creators of such slapstick smut the benefit of the doubt. Some of what they portray may, in fact, be based on cold, hard, embarrassing truth. That brings...

My Custom Animal Alphabet Name is a best-seller, and for good reason. I pride myself on it being a totally unique, personalised, vibrantly South African gift, even for kids who already seem to have everything.Recently, a prospective client contacted me with a conundrum: She loves this product, but her two boys both have really long, double-barrel names. Would it be possible to make it work for them?Even though my printers (shoutout to Comprint in Stellenbosch!!!) are fabulous in every way, size constraints unfortunately do exist! After some good ol' mulling, I suggested that we simply print the double-barrel names separately, and the hyphen...

Let's face it: Finding gifts for men is often challenging. And we all know at least one man that seems to already have everything (including the traditional soap-on-a-rope...). Now, add to this conundrum the fact that you might not live close by, and won't see this dapper gent on his birthday, Father's Day or Christmas. In the case of a lovely client of mine, she and her siblings are scattered all over the world - continents apart from their beloved father, Tim. Earlier this year, they had big plans to travel to South Africa, specially to celebrate his 70th birthday together. But alas, the...

Years ago, when I finally got around to creating the South African Animal Alphabet - an idea that had been brewing in my mind for quite some time - I knew that there would be certain letters that would be more challenging than others. Not necessarily more challenging to illustrate, but certainly more challenging in their conception. For example, "A is for Aardvark" came absolutely naturally. I could see the final artwork so clearly - down to the last detail - even before I even put pen to paper. In stark contrast, the conceptualisation of  "N is for Nyala" almost got the best of me....

A couple of months ago, my lovely followers voted for the next set of three illustrations in my series of proudly South African, Downloadable Wall Art: Surprisingly, insects trumped aloes/succulents (Disappointed? Don't worry - I will eventually get to them too!). I did not expect it, but deciding on only three insects to illustrate was by far the most difficult of the range so far. SA has a phenomenally diverse, colourful and interesting collection of "goggas" to choose from! But, I had to keep in mind that the final artworks should be appealing to a wide range of people. I would love to illustrate any number...

I'm super pleased to share this lovely article that featured in the Helderberg Gazette, published on 13 April, written by Phiwo Mothemela.For better viewing, read the article online here. To see more of my work, visit my online shop:

Ever hear of the "Million Dollar Morning Routine"? Basically, it involves waking up long-before-dawn-even-begins-to-crack, followed by a very structured first few hours of the day. If one would Google this routine, you'd find that there are quite a few variations, with the most common activities including: exercising, meditating, reading, eating a healthy breakfast, taking a cold shower and goal setting.When I first read about this fabled morning routine on social media, it all sounded delightfully ambitious and alluringly productive! I was super eager to give it a go, in an attempt to rise out of a rather unfortunate slump which has lasted about a year and two...

I can hear its threatening breath just outside. Yup, April is on our doorstep. Any moment now, it will try to blow my house down. To distract myself from the shockingly swift passing of time, and the shockingly uncertain times we STILL find ourselves in, I look for small mercies in the chaotic crockpot of my day-to-day. My business is turning four in April. I feel absolutely privileged and grateful that I can still use those three little words in the present tense: “My business is…”. Like thousands of small businesses in South Africa (and around the world!), my humble...