Juanita Oosthuizen

Juanita Oosthuizen, born in Calvinia and raised in the Cape platteland, has always been a creative explorer from a young age, experimenting with paper, cloth, and plastic. Unsettled by aesthetically displeasing elements, she began her creative journey questioning, directing, and observing.

In the 1990s, while working for a corporate gifts company and after a transformative visit to Europe, Juanita discovered sheet polypropylene, incorporating it successfully into packaging designs. In 1998, she founded Pepper Plum Designs, focusing on manufacturing and designing for corporate and retail markets, utilizing materials like PVC and sheet polypropylene. Her designs, spanning stationery and household items, were regularly showcased at Design Indaba.

Since 2013, Juanita has transitioned into a professional artist, creating minimalist works that capture the essence of time and experience. Her recent works incorporate miniature figures in carefully planned scenarios, mounted in box frames to create 3D environments. Working predominantly in black, white, and grey, she occasionally introduces splashes of color for a surprising touch. Her compositions tend toward the surreal, wistful, pensive, and playful.

Juanita often employs old photographs as backdrops, infusing an element of nostalgia and tender memory into her pieces. Paper weaving has become another medium she skillfully incorporates, enjoying the challenge of weaving without disturbing the image's recognition—a process that leaves the new woven image "broken but healed."

Her work ranges from playful to serious and emotional, with each piece telling a unique story through the body language or interaction of the figurines. Juanita creates a space for spectators to interpret and connect with her art. Her inspiration derives from various sources, including nature, daily life, cityscapes, and books on illustration, photography, and design.

Currently, Juanita Oosthuizen's captivating art is on display at The Artists Gallery in Cape Town.