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Interviews & Conversations Women I've Shot

Women Who Create
This is Erin Chaplin

Women Who Create is an ongoing portraiture project all shot in B&W in my studio in Woodstock, Cape Town. I love to connect with other creatives and see what motivates them and find out what is behind there work.

I met Erin for the first time when she came into my studio in June for her portrait in the series Women Who Create.

I didn’t ever think about the hands of oil painters but they must get super dirty or be super dry from all the turpentine cleaning, for this reason Erin wears latex gloves when she works and I asked her to wear them for her portrait.

Words from Erin:

My work is very personal. I work a lot with nature as a subject matter to communicate how I feel and experience life, my concerns and fears.

Flowers and fruit, specifically are interesting to me as they are temporary and hold a lot of meaning for me. The process of something living and dying and the delicate balance between the two, often overlapping.

Recently, I have been experimenting with texture and application, often resulting in more abstract work. I am trying to set less rules for myself. Trying to focus on the present and letting the outcome be secondary. This is challenging for me as I tend to focus on the past or future.

I would like to explore more abstract work while still spending time with my first love, still life. I am interested to see if I can bring them together.

A Proust-like interview:

What is your all time favorite quote?

“I’ll go if I don’t have to talk.” – Elaine

Do you have pet peeves?

Lateness.

Your worst trait?

Over explaining.

What is/are your greatest extravagance/s?

Travel and takeaway coffees.

Your greatest fear?

Hurting someone.

What defines your idea of happiness?

Being able to be present.

Who are your real life heroes?

People who do what is right even if it’s to their own detriment.

What do you think is overrated?

Fridge cheesecake

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“I love you” and “sorry”.

When and where are/where you happiest?

Walking while listening to music, sleeping and studio.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Deflective humour.

What do you do to help put you into your optimal creative space?

A drink and mood chosen music

What does your (physical) creative space look like?

 A mess usually.

When creating what is your biggest frustration?

Concentration and impatience.

Name a few quirks that others may not know about you?

I hate being barefoot, mainly inside. ; I talk to myself. ; I do not like the feeling of fitted clothes against my body.

When you’re in your ultimate creative space what word would you use to describe the experience?

Confidence

Erin Chaplin was born in Durban, Kwazulu Natal in 1988. Chaplin is a self-taught painter. She works mainly with oil medium. She has had two solo exhibitions at Chandler House’s, Voorkamer Gallery, Outgrowth (2017) and Nice for What (2018). Chaplin participated in Everard Read Cape Town’s Cubicle Series, August (2019).

Chaplin currently lives and works in Cape Town.

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Projects Women I've Shot

Women Who Create
This is Olivié Keck

Women Who Create is an ongoing portraiture project all shot in B&W in my studio in Woodstock, Cape Town. I love to connect with other creatives, see what motivates them and find out what is behind their work.

I met Olivié in about 2015 in ceramics class at Frank Joubert art school in Cape Town. She was busy, at that time, working on the giant piece below: “Script Kitty”. It probably stands about 65 cm high. I nervously helped her carry the kitty into the kiln for its very last firing in 2016. It’s beautiful.

Olivié is a drawer, an illustrator and a ceramicist. She also does prints and creative collaborations. I love that she describes herself as a ‘mass romantic’.

From Olivié:

“I relish loud colours, juxtaposing ideas, jumbled associations and subverting expectations. There’s a ‘pleasure spiked with pain’ feeling about the work I make. This is a sensation I feel captures my experience of the world. Humans are never fully in one attitude; and I’d like to think my work echoes both the severity and the humor in this sentiment.”

Olivié Keck (b.1989) lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa. She received her BFA from The Michaelis School of Fine Art in 2011.

 “Keck’s work is a contemporary homage to the ‘commonplace’ narratives that her subjects portray. She relishes loud colours, graphic forms, juxtaposing ideas, parody and subverting expectations. The aesthetics of her work commemorates the theatre of human experience, whilst echoing her fascination with popular culture, intimacy and contemporary story-telling.”

Below is a Proust-like interview with Olivié:

Why do you create?

I create because I see in pictures what I can’t explain in words.

What is your motto? 

‘Sometimes you gotta risk it for a biscuit’ 

What is your most treasured possession?

I treasure all the things in my home that have been handmade or given to me by friends and loved ones. All the memories imbued in objects that surround me with the sensation of being connected to people. They are my little flagships of joy spotted all over my home.

My art collection is especially close to my heart. Some of the artworks that adorn my walls include pieces by Jean De Wet, Mia Chaplin, Danielle Clough, Andrew Sutherland and Cecil Skotnes. All of which I consider amazing artists and special humans.

My postcard collection. I love a gift shop keepsake and I have always loved keeping postcards from places I’ve visited, art museums with artworks I love or weird little nooks in the world I’ve discovered. I have a huge wall of postcards I’ve collected or have been sent by friends on their travels. It’s a bit of a cliché I guess, but it’s my personal 2D museum.

A quilt made by my mother, which is very special to me and has all the nurturing and wholesome characteristics I associate with her.

When you’re in your ultimate creative space what word would you use to describe the experience?

Compulsive.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I’m a bit of a hoarder especially when it comes to art materials. I think it’s a compulsion that is both my best and my worst trait.

Sometimes I’m happy that I hold on to things and try to find a use for them or try to use every last bit, but it means I always have bits and pieces of stuff everywhere which can get overwhelming. I also hate wasting stuff, so I think that’s why I keep every last drop, which makes me every bit as frustrating to live with as you are imagining.

What do you get huge satisfaction out of doing apart from your primary creative outlet?

Weirdly I find cleaning quite therapeutic. I know most people hate it, but I find it to be an act of renewal. Like getting to start over – a reset button. There is something deeply cathartic in getting out the vacuum and sucking up all the dusky residue of yesterday’s ‘you’.  Sometimes if I’m feeling stuck on a creative problem I’ll get out a cloth, wipe down a surface or a floor just to unlock that dopamine of accomplishment.

I really enjoy gardening and planting vegetables. Nature is an inspiration and because I grew up in a farm-like setting, working in the garden always takes me back to being a kid planting things with my mother.

Puzzle making is another satisfying activity that feels trivial but fills me with moment-to moment thrills. It is a great activity to do alone or with a friend. During the quarantine of Covid-19 it has really taken a hold of me. I can spend hours and hours on it. Looking through this list it seems like I’m getting ready for retirement, just need to get into bingo and I’m made!

Do you have pet peeves?

My industry pet peeve, if I’m being REALLY candid, maybe too candid, I find it frustrating how some people, not all, but some, automatically expect discounts when purchasing artwork. It’s a major bug bear for me.

I know it’s not just me, it happens frequently to artists all over. It seems to be an accepted industry standard in the art arena. Like there’s some golden rule stating that artists’ always overvalue their work by at least 10% and therefore one should never pay the asking price. Purchasing an artwork with a conditional discount is like giving someone a compliment and an insult at the same time.

It’s different if it’s a frequent buyer, someone that has supported your career time and again, if the person has earnt that privilege, but when a fresh kid on the block wants to haggle – that’s straight up shameless.

Personally, I think it undermines any artist’s self-worth and the role of the artist as a legitimate profession in society. It’s a trope that rewards misers and I wish people wouldn’t do it. There I said it out loud. If you didn’t know, now you know.

What is/are your greatest extravagance/s?

Hands-down this title goes to my two Italian greyhounds, Wendy Horsecraft and Avon Barksdale. They are ridiculous creatures, I’m not even sure they are dogs…sometimes I think they might be proof aliens exist. But damn I love them and lavish them unashamedly.

Your greatest fear?

Being homeless and destitute. I have a distinct memory of this fear manifesting as a young kid when my dad past away. I felt for the first time that I could lose someone or some huge facet of my life overnight. I remember this feeling being really intense for years, I would have nightmares about it all the time. Horrible situations of destitution. I have this sensation less as an adult but every now and then I still have waves of this deep-seated anxiety come up for me in conscious and subconscious states.

What do you think is overrated?

Celebrity Culture. Our society is so obsessed with celebrities or becoming a celebrity. A country like America is probably the best example of how this phenomenon, this obsession, has wreaked their society and warped their value system.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

I say the word ‘crazy’ and ‘wild’ a lot as emphatic words. I annoy myself with it, because it feels like I don’t use enough adjectives in my speech. It’s my fall-back exclamation phrase, but it’s become such a habit. It’s my verbal crutch.

What does your (physical) creative space look like?

My studio has a bit of a split personality. I have different areas for different moods. I have a desk on both sides of the room and a large window that looks out over the mountain and the lagoon  next to my house. I feel very lucky to have such a tranquil and light space to work in.

The walls of my studio are filled with sketches and scribbled ideas or spark notes on paper and inspirational references. I have some of my work that I’ve kept up on walls to keep me company. There are pockets of colour and pattern everywhere and a picture rail that I curate with work I am busy making or have made.

My dogs are always in my studio while I work. They love lying on my couch in the sun that comes in through the windows and in winter the heater keeps us all warm.

What defines your idea of happiness?

I think I am living my idea of happiness right now. I work hard, but I am free to make the things I want to and keep my own hours. I’ve arrived at a really special time in my life where I have the support of an amazingly talented network of friends and loved ones that help me navigate my creative and emotional challenges. I feel at peace with my process and the kind of artist I think I am. I feel lucky every day I get to be an artist. I think it’s important not to see happiness as a place you’ll arrive at one day, happiness is more what you make of it and I try to enjoy the moment to moment as much as possible.

Keck’s solo exhibitions included; ‘False Priest’ (2014) at Commune1, ‘Selfie Fulfilling Prophecy’ (2016) at David Krut Projects, ‘The Lure’ (2018) at Chandler House ,‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ (2019) at CIRCA/Everard Read and ‘In Bloom’(2020) with 131A Gallery. Keck has attended two international art residences; The Kala Art Institute (2016 Berkeley/USA) and The Frans Masereel Centrum (2017 Antwerp/Belgium). She has exhibited internationally with No Man’s Art Gallery in Tehran and The Kala Art Institute in Berkeley/USA. Her work has been featured numerous times at art fairs such as CTAF, JAF and Turbine Art Fair.

Find her Instagram profile here.

Categories
Interviews & Conversations Projects Women I've Shot

Women Who Create
This is Tiffany Marx

Women Who Create is an ongoing portraiture project all shot in B&W in my studio in Woodstock, Cape Town. I love to connect with other creatives and see what motivates them and find out what is behind there work.

I’ve known Tiffany for well over two decades and started jewellery design alongside her when we were at school. Tiffany went on to become a full time pro-jeweller. I’d describe her as a passionate, hardworking force to be reckoned with and a loyal and beautiful friend. Tiffany produces her unique handmade range of jewellery and bespoke, custom made orders from her airy, industrial studio in Salt River, Woodstock.

After graduating from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology she launched her own highly successful range of “Inspired Jewellery” at the 2007 Design Indaba.
Now, several years later she runs her own shop in The Watershed at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.Over the years Tiffany’s ranges have evolved yet also remained consistent in their integrity and her personal style which is bold, clean and contemporary. I’ve included many examples of her work and you can find more here on Instagram.
 


A Q&A with Tiffany Marx:

What is your all time favorite quote?
I have far too many to just choose one, here are some of my favourites:

“Where there is love, there is life” – Gandhi

“What keeps life fascinating is the constant creativity of the soul” – Deepak Chopra
“The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“The earth has music for those who listen” – Shakespeare
“Watch carefully, the magic that occurs when you give a person just enough comfort to be themselves” – Atticus
Do you have pet peeves?
People who litter and those who don’t respect another’s time.
Your worst trait?
I can be a terrible procrastinator!
What is/are your greatest extravagance/s?
The usually VERY rare weekday lie in with my kitties all snuggled up purring in bed with me (this has been a more frequent occurrence during lockdown and I am loving it) and my ever-growing Gin collection.
Your greatest fear?
Losing the use of my hands and eyes…
What defines your idea of happiness?

The fact that I wake up excited and get to do what I love every single day.

When and where are/where you happiest?
I have two. The first is in my studio – in the early morning or late afternoon evening when the light is at its most magical and I can sit and work and soak up the views of the mountain. The second would be in our beautiful home – snuggled up with Jack and my two amazing kitties.
What is your most treasured possession?
The amazing art pieces that I am lucky enough to have inherited from my late grandfather and Artist, Hannes Harrs
What does your (physical) creative space look like?
Amazing natural light, pops of yellow, green trailing plants, industrial glass windows with a panoramic view of Lions Head and Table Mountain, and the most beautiful polished, textured concrete and resin floors.
What do you get huge satisfaction out of doing apart from your primary creative outlet?
I adore cooking and find massive satisfaction in working with clay – any creative pursuits that I can get stuck into and really experience the process of.
When creating what is your biggest frustration?
Not having big enough chunks of time to just sit at the bench and lose myself in my work.
When you’re in your ultimate creative space what word would you use to describe the experience?
Transcendent
You can find Tiffanys Instagram feed here,- its gorgeous.
Categories
Interviews & Conversations Projects

Women Who Create
This is Sanell Aggenbach

Women Who Create is an ongoing portraiture project all shot in B&W in my studio in Woodstock, Cape Town. I love to connect with other creatives, see what motivates them and find out what is behind their work.

Apart from creating this portrait with Sanell I’ve had the honour of documenting and working with her on project she’s busy on at the moment. Working with Sanell is divine. I’d describe her as having an open heart, being blissfully talented and rocking to her own beat (in her studio with the music turned up).

Sanell Aggenbach is a South African artist living and working in Woodstock, Cape Town. Using painting, printmaking, and sculpture, her work addresses the relationship between history and private narratives, with a sense of ambiguity. Her work also explores the processes of nostalgia and historical myth-making, often incorporating the playful, disarming, and absurd to draw the viewer into discussions of darker subjects. She has a unique style of combining traditional painting techniques with sculptural elements, as well as typically feminine crafts such as sewing and tapestry. (-Wikipedia).

“My earlier works relied heavily on processing found imagery, rethinking associations and creating new fictions. These works were often an amalgamation of historic references with private narratives and forms part of a process of investigating pathologies and deconstructing the past. My primary intention is to construct subtle paradoxes by introducing a quiet humour, either formally or materially.”

Her explorative work has secured her many achievements including winning the Absa L’Atelier Award in 2003. Her work is represented in numerous public and private collections, including Sasol, Absa, Spier, SABC, Red Bull (Austria), the South African National Gallery, 21C Museum in Kentucky (USA) and Anglo Gold.

Find Sanell’s website here.

A Q&A with Sanell…

Why do you create?

It’s my most optimum method of communicating ideas, emotions and concepts.

What is your all time favorite quote?

JUST DO IT! The Nike slogan… because I’m a procrastinator and tend to overthink…

Do you have pet peeves?

Charlatans, frauds, fakes, those who manipulate or take advantage of well meaning or less fortunate individuals.

What is/are your greatest extravagance/s?

Books.

What defines your idea of happiness?

Swimming with my family – we are all water rats.

A person dead or living who you admire and why?

Louise Bourgeois – she was an influential artist who only came into prominence very late in her life. Her unyielding persistence, her courage to challenge and address her immense childhood trauma in her work and her poetic use of materials, from drawing to monumental installations are haunting and humbling. 

On what occasion do you lie?

To spare my children’s feelings.

What is your most treasured possession?

A letter from my late brother, the only one he ever wrote to me.

What do you do to help put you into your optimal creative space?

I need solitude, knowing that everyone is fed and looked after… then I turn up the volume and tune in.

What does your (physical) creative space look like?

It is an old mechanic’s workshop which we renovated with large metal windows overlooking a small green courtyard. An abundance of natural light and plants.

When creating what is your biggest frustration?

My process is slow and time-consuming, with endless layering –  therefore I sometimes struggle to finish works. So instead of yielding to the process I can get frustrated due to the timeline. Having said that, I need deadlines for all my painting and sculptural projects.

Name a few quirks that others may not know about you?

I’m stubborn, persistent and I hate baking.

When you’re in your ultimate creative space what word would you use to describe the experience?

Timeless.