Anthonissen reveals that the feeling of ‘not being part of a group’ probably started at the age of five. Her parents were ANC activists. After returning from Princeton in the United States, South Africa was in stark contrast to liberal America. “We arrived in a South Africa that was under sanctions and broken-up by apartheid.” The artist’s early work reflects the sense of misplaced identity and a search for belonging.

Anthonissen cultivates a consistent work ethic combined with an acute awareness of the relationship between her psyche and that which is being created.

In 2013 Gordon Froud introduced Anthonissen to iconic artist Judith Mason. Mason became Anthonissen’s mentor and close friend until her death in 2016. Both artists’ work speaks of the changing roles and rules of women in society: womanhood, wifehood, motherhood and the artist within are all significant themes.

Currently Anthonissen is working with the female nude. “There is something very beautiful and pure about the female body. It carries a sacred soul that can create life and has the courage to embrace what is does not understand.”

The artist works at a studio in Rivonia with her mentor Michelle Kriek. Anthonissen is working towards a solo show.

Kevin Baloyi was born in Limpopo in 1995. He studied at The Fine Arts Workshop on 2017 and is currently completing the first of a three year course at The Artist Proof Studio.

I was born in Johannesburg in 1971 where I grew up and still live. I completed a Bachelor of Social Science degree in 1992 and worked in the marketing and communications field until I started a family in 2006. I am a largely self-taught artist and attend The Fine Art Workshop under the guidance of Taryn Millar.

I see the world predominantly through a photographer’s lens, further exploring my photographic images of people, nature and travel through painting, drawing and printmaking.

Tarryn Grunewald has always had a passion for art and had it as one of her main subjects at school. She also had a keen interest in human movement science. After graduating with a BA Honours Degree in Biokinetics she worked within the sport and health industry for approximately 10 years. About a year ago, her passion for art was revived by attending an art course run by one of her clients, who is an inspirational artist and teacher. Tarryn currently attends weekly classes at her art school, and is also doing a short course in photography.

Tarryn has a fascination for sketching portraits, and her artworks seek to display a deep sense of emotion and humanity within the subject. Inspired mostly by Impressionism, Realism and Modern art she has recently expanded her skill to include oil painting.

I have worked in a variety of mediums in the past, most notably in ceramics. I joined the Pottery Studio in Bryanston in 2007 as one of an informal group of dedicated and passionate studio potters, which led to a group exhibition in 2008 - Elemental: an exhibition of contemporary ceramics. I have completed several courses with potter Michelle Legg, focussing on Nesta Nala’s Zulu techniques with clay. I have also completed a sculpture course with Simon Cooley in Wales – focussing on both clay and stone.

More recently I have been concentrating on oil and mixed media. I love the versatility of oil and aim to explore inner spaces by exposing them through light, colour and symbolism. I recently showed my work at a join exhibition called Courage.

I continue to work in oils in large format – in direct contrast to the rather small pen and ink illustrations I do for children’s books. I am currently working on a rather delightful character called Winnifred…who worries – a lot.

I worked in a medical environment for 32 years but I have always held a huge passion for the arts. I particularly enjoy oil on canvas and have done numerous courses in S.A and Italy.

Ishmael Masingita Ngobeni was born at Limpopo province in 1991 and currently lives in Soweto. He completed a three year course at The Artist Proof Studio in 2017.

Ishmael has exhibited in numerous galleries including the Julie Miller Art Gallery in 2016, and in 2017 he exhibited at the Joy Alive Art Gallery in Soweto, the J.H Pierneef at The Turbine Art Fair and a group show at The Artist Proof Studio. In 2016 he was one of 134 artists whose work was selected to be made into totems that adorn the Johannesburg Council Chambers in Braamfontein. In 2017 he was selected to assist at the William Kentridge studios.

Early in 2018 he received sponsorship from Nokia to participate in their Brainstorm Calendar project and has participated in the Africa Shared Value Summit. He is currently an intern at the Artist Proof Studio and also an independent artist.

I was born in 1962 and grew up in Diepkloof Zone 5, Johannesburg. My love of art started whilst drawing cartoons at school. Later I studied at the Fuba Federation of Black Art exhibiting at the Market Theatre as well as the Fuba Civic Theatre.

I am an artist that enjoys working in a variety of mediums, watercolour, acrylic, pastel, wire and wood. Currently I am caddying at Glenvista Country Club to support my family, but continue pursing art at every opportunity that I get.

Nicci Olivier is a conceptual artist. Her art making practice deals with the narratives of land, water and the human psyche. Her art works are developed through extensive exploration of texture, movement and drawing. Layering and cut outs are also explored to further inform a concept.

Her art work is technically varied, and includes painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and installation.

During 2016 Nicci was selected to do an Artist Residency at Arteles in Finland. She was a finalist for the Tollman Finlayson Bouchard Art Competition Award in 2017. At TAF16 she installed a 10 meter suspended installation.

Nicci has exhibited extensively in South Africa and the United Kingdom. Her works have been included in the RMB (Rand Merchant Bank) and Nandos collections and private collections in USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Netherlands, Scotland, Croatia.

Nicci holds a BA (Fine Arts) degree from the North West University and a diploma in purchasing management. She resides in Bryanston.

Lee Pardini is a quirky, spontaneous, creative person. She recently rekindled her passion for art after a more than 20 year absence, which commenced with detailed pencil sketches of famous historical figures such as Einstein, Winston Churchill etc. She experiments and enjoys working in a variety of art mediums: pencil, oil, water-colour, clay sculpture, acrylic and charcoal.

The sketches of the famous historical figures provoked enquiring thoughts and questions in her young children; who is that; what did he do etc., “Both girls can provide detailed explanations of many great people who have walked the earth because of my sketches” she explains, “It’s incredibly satisfying”.

When you spend some time with her you find that she is in fact an introverted extrovert who battles to sit still as she finds herself constantly needing stimulation. Original thoughts and ideas practically explode out of her and with her new found confidence, she continues to grow, develop and experiment as an artist.

Allison Pilling is a South African born artist who grew up on a farm and went to school in Pietermaritzburg. She currently lives in Johannesburg, is married, and has two sons.

"As an artist I am influenced by the old masters. Taking references from their techniques and practices. Using only the best canvases and paints, I follow the grand masters’ traditional methods of priming and building up my artwork in layers."

"My passion is the creative use of colour and subject to create artworks of value that resonate with the viewer, and that can be passed onto future generations. I am continually striving to improve my work through increased knowledge, reading, tuition and interaction with other artists."

"My goal is to become a world class artist."

I am fortunate to be able to start this journey as a photographer at this stage in my life. I have always felt that taking photos is a powerful medium to communicate feelings and/or life. Capturing an emotion, composing an image, is how I best express myself.

Since early childhood, drawing and painting have played an important role for me in understanding the world.

In 1971 I went to UCT to study Architecture. I gave it up after three years, but in 2011 I completed an honours degree in art history at Wits University.

In 1976 I travelled around South America for 11 months where I was particularly interested in the colour and design of the traditional weavings of the Mapuche people of south-central Chile, and the Quechua of the Bolivian highlands.

Back in South Africa I worked as an art director in the advertising industry for five years. 

In 1981 I started a business with my wife in which I was a designer, illustrator and maker. The focus was on colour, pattern and graphics. For 25 years we ran a number of our own shops locally, and supplied products to prestigious retailers around the world.

While spending most of my career on commercial work in various media I have continued to draw, paint and take photographs.

I began my design career 24 years ago as a scenographer, creating the backdrops and visual worlds for numerous live performance pieces, and working within the iconic Windybrow, Market Theatre, and Dance Factory spaces. In 2006, I established my own practice, Activate Space, and extended my design palette to include the supply of interior and narrative design services. As Activate Space, I have been fortunate enough to work with many amazing and interesting people, in large teams, designing a wide range of unique projects.

In 2013, at the age of 41, I realised that even though I loved being a designer, ‘something’ tremendously important was missing from my creative working life’. I decided that I had to define what this missing element was. I spent two years in weekly workshops with the improvisation group “Causing a Scene”, where I learned much about the ingredients of successful and spontaneous creative process. I joined Taryn Millar’s open studio drawing class, where, as part of an incredible group of like-minded women, I was guided to re-discover the difficulties of looking, understanding, drawing and composing an image on a page. I spent many hours admiring plants, firstly speedily from my car window as they beckoned from the side of the road, and then in more detail from friend’s gardens, books and nurseries - what are these ones called and how do they like to grow? After 3 years I realised that I had obsessively (1 by 1) dug up, collected and replanted my entire garden into a wild blanket of indigenous flora. This slow process of actively searching for some of the most joyful, important and missing ingredients in my creative life has led to a complete humbling, re-awakening and re-purposing of my role as a person (wife, mother, friend), designer, artist (and gardener!)

In August 2018, I began to explore these themes in more detail by cutting into and arranging colourful pieces of paper in layers to present a part of a story / scene. I hope you like them and I look forward to making many more.