My story, + starts in a small town called Fochville, South Africa.

On the 13th of August, 1977.

Sun sign: Leo

My mother with me as a doll while actual me still in her womb. With her are my godmother. My aunt was 12 when my mother was born. She basically raised my mom. They also had 4 brothers.

Until this day I love dolls. Maybe it’s because they pretended I was one while still in the womb?

My aunt suffers from severe manic depression. Does her lack of childhood play a role?  It makes me wonder of how much of an influence our past have on us.

This is a group photo of my grandparents. This photo was taken on the wedding day of my paternal grandmother Ouma Elsie “Taute” with her 3rd husband, Oupa Bertie Horak. (middle)  With them, on either side are my maternal grandparents, Oupa Jan en Ouma Joey Kruis.

Ouma Elsie introduced me to fairytales. My aunt had Snow White and the seven dwarfs in her garden. I loved them all. I am still very fond of fairy-tales. To this day it serves as inspiration for my work.

This is Ouma Elsie age 16. She was born on the 12th of August, one day before me 60 years apart. She was my favorite person and typically Leo she also took great pride in her hair:

My parents. They got married at a very young age, maybe too young. Things starting falling apart in their relationship when I was a teenager.  Then my mom died tragically in a car accident. I was 18, at the height of my rebellious years. Luckily I went to study art.  I’ve used this photograph as inspiration for some of my works over the years.

Art is therapy.

Anyway….where was I,

I use to have an imaginary friend called: “High Chapparral”, but he left my side when I went to pre-primary school. I was never a ‘popular girl’ and I only ‘liked’ school until the age of 10. We moved around a lot from town to town while I was young. I always wanted to become an air hostess. It was only until age 17 that I considered becoming an artist.

In summary:

To be continued….