Tiffany Marx – The Softer Sex

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.

Photographing Friends: Day #9 of my Self Portraiture Project

During my Self Portrait Project I invited 20 friends into my studio to be documented with the same lighting set-up that I was using on the day. Here are a selection of some of my favourite female “posers” from the one and a half hour shoot…

This is Tiffany Marx. Tiffany is an independent jewellery designer who after studying at the Cape Peninsular University of Technology branched out on her own and has been creating strong and beautiful work ever since. I chatted to her a few days before this shoot evening and suggested she bring a selection of her tools along with her to create a kind of environmental portrait which would imply her trade.
She dirtied her hands and held her tools, standing with a strong stance, and looked directly into camera. I wanted to bring across her strength and femininity.

Tiffany Marx - Jeweller photographed in studio during the self portrait project by LeahHawker — Tiffany Marx – Jeweller photographed in studio during the self portrait project by Leah Hawker

This is William Kentridge. Yes, William. She is an artist who has just moved to Woodstock in Cape Town and who I met for 5 minutes before she undressed for her portrait. To give some background, here is what the Mail and Gaurdian had to say about her:

After years of obscurity, William Kentridge has had her big break.

That’s right—“her”. The 24-year-old female artist from Johannesburg legally changed her name from Roelien Brink to William Kentridge in 2008. And she opened her solo exhibition, America Made in China, at the Johannesburg Art Gallery last Sunday.

Kentridge née Brink’s motive for the change was quite simple—fame. “I wanted to find a way to become as famous as [William Kentridge],” she said. “His work — is far more recognisable than mine and more accessible to the public. This makes it harder for the public to view and appreciate my art; thus, it would take me longer to become famous and recognised.

“I chose his name not as a personal attack or comment on his work, but because of his status and popularity in South Africa.”

She encountered little resistance from home affairs officials, who barely noticed that she was taking on a male name.

Artthrobs’ Michael Smith did a very interesting interview about her here. When I mailed her image from the shoot to her I asked her why she had chosen to strip down for her portrait (considering that there was a rather large gathering of people in my studio and I had only met her minutes before). She said:

I went naked because you photographed for playboy! There is no way I will wear clothing if a playboy photographer takes my portrait.

I put up a few more poly-boards for privacy -that of the rest of the gathering of guests actually- and she stripped down, trousers around her ankles and shoes still on. I love the image, I like the calm serenity and simplicity of her form in the picture space, also the colours coming from her lips, earrings, tattoo, nipples and yellow finger nails.
Another thing which was very intersecting to me was that I usually have a chance to interpret the woman I’m going to photograph and in this case I had to work with her character and body very spontaneously.

William Kentridge - Artist photographed in studio during the self portrait project by Leah Hawker — William Kentridge – Artist photographed in studio during the self portrait project by Leah Hawker

This is Ivonne Meyer. Ivonne is my brilliant dentist, she is also my friend and arrived at the studio with a selection of her dental apparatus on my request. We (myself and by then a group of other women who had gathered, drinks in hand) all agreed on the “sexy dentist” look with black leather jacket and implements. While there were many fun and laughing images from her portrait “sitting” I really like the tone of this image.

Ivonne Meyer - Dentist photographed in studio during the self portrait project by Leah Hawker — Ivonne Meyer – Dentist photographed in studio during the self portrait project by Leah Hawker