Description
This large-scale work, My Life, On Stage, is a deeply personal reflection on the many roles we carry as we move through life. The artwork becomes both a stage and a mirror, capturing four figures that symbolise the different facets of my identity.
Each dancer represents a role I continuously navigate: the artist, immersed in creation and expression; the partner and wife, grounded in love and shared life; the leader, responsible for guiding a team and nurturing a creative environment; and the friend, mentor, and listener, someone who offers support, compassion, and understanding to those who seek it.
Rooted in my own history as a professional dancer, this work carries both nostalgia and transformation. After a career-ending injury, I was forced to step away from dance, an experience that reshaped my path entirely. Yet, in that loss, something profoundly meaningful emerged. Painting became my new language, my way of moving, feeling, and telling stories. Through art, I found not only healing, but purpose.
The figures in this composition exist in a quiet, intimate moment, behind the curtain, where preparation, vulnerability, and truth reside. It is here that the performance of life reveals its most honest form. The stage is not only where we shine, but where we gather ourselves, reflect, and begin again.
At its core, this artwork speaks to the universal human need for connection and guidance. We all seek someone to look up to, someone who reflects parts of ourselves back to us, and someone who inspires us to grow. In this spirit, the work is dedicated to Barbara Lenhard. my mentor, business partner, and art agent—whose belief, guidance, and unwavering support have played a defining role in my journey. It is also a tribute to the broader community of South African artists, whose resilience and creativity continue to inspire.
My Life, On Stage is ultimately a celebration of transformation, resilience, and the beauty of embracing every role we are called to play.
