Hetsie is originally from the Free State and now lives in Cape Town. Her work has evolved from her own personal experiences. She grew up in a strict household with very specific ideas on how things should be done.
“As a child I was controlled, suppressed and restricted; life was about rules. I had to work and learn to find my own voice and art really helped to set me free.”
Pushing Boundaries
Hetsie has learned that her true creativity comes out when she pushes the boundaries.
“Today, I love to break rules and push boundaries because that sets me free. In both my paintings and photos; I like to do abstract and blurry work because it has no restrictions and allows my emotion, creativity, imagination, passion and excitement to be. That, I learned, is the joy of being me.”
Lights, Shadows and Textures
Hetsie has always loved the way light, shadows and textures appear naturally and how it can affect and/or create a mood. People, human anatomy (bone structure, shapes, curves and lines) and the human psyche has always fascinated her.
“For me I love to look at art and enjoy art that keeps me busy with the complexity or simplicity of the feeling, lines, shapes, and mood of it. I want to be able to look at it over and over again and always relating to something more in the art, being a constant interactive process.”
She paints with acrylic paint but also uses other mediums like charcoal, pastels, pencil, paper, perspex, glass, etc.
“I love to use my camera to take photos that look like it was done by brushstrokes. I love abstract art and to capture the illusion of what I see rather than what one actually sees.
Art is about Emotion
“Art for me is about emotion. I express my emotions and where I am in my life. It is an interactive process between me and the viewer. I want people to feel and not just see when they look at my art.”
“I also like people to get involved in the art in a way which is just not emotional but also using their vision and imagination to complete what is not visually there. In that way the art becomes so much more personal, intricate and absorbing and makes you keep going back to look at it.”