I grew up between two places that pulled in opposite directions. A farm in the Cederberg — red rock, deep sand, the kind of quiet that has a sound. And the City Bowl under Table Mountain, all stone steps and slopes and traffic. My father was a diver and couldn't drive past a gravel turnoff without taking it; the road always seemed to end at the sea, or a rock pool, or somewhere we'd make a fire. I was the why child. On the long drives out to the farm I watched the clouds and found things in them — a dragon, once, that I never quite forgot. I think that's where the eye came from. I was paying attention to small things and slow ones before I could name any of it.

I came to ink (and art) sideways. For more than a decade I dreamed of being a writer. I finally started in March 2025 — terrified but excited. A few weeks in, my corporate job ended and a classmate from school passed away at 43. If this wasn't a sign to do, I thought, this was the moment. Truth was, I had time, space, and real reason to write.

But the writing was hard. It came until it didn't. My mother noticed, and made me a desk pad — to scribble down my thoughts and things, she said, and she knew how I'd always liked to doodle. I sat down to write. falling into the quiet magic of ink on paper. Not writing but drawings. Doodles turned into lines. Lines turned into patterns, marks became textures, and something, something laid long-dormant stirred to life. This was pen applied in a different way and it was like coming home.

I'm self-taught to this day, and though the path to here has been the largest learning curve, the curious kid has yet to yield to any challenge that's come my way. Truth is, I've always loved learning and the journey to here all and more. Neuroplasticity, anyone? So embracing all, I'll be starting up my newsletter again. Finding Wilder is a letter from me (and now, the studio), for people who care about small noticings and the messy business of being human. No fixed schedule; roughly once or twice a month.

I'm committed to keep delving further into my ink works. I feel like I have a couple more Mapping Cloudy Terrain's in me. Exploring further mediums like textile and, of course, paint more, and prove 14 year-old me wrong - that she can, well, paint and even paint well!

At the time of writing, we're still in wait of our new home construction so it's still random tables and spaces for my work but all aside, I'll still be happily living and working from the South African west coast, between the veld and the sea, with my mum/ cheerleader, two dogs and a cat.