Mariaan Kotze - South African artist

From an upbringing on a mountain-cradled farm to her days as an art student and motherhood, every step along the way has shaped her artistic narrative and added to her arsenal of inspiration.
Born in a town bordering the Free State and the Eastern Cape and raised on a farm in the Aliwal North district, the intricacies of this environment have always been a source of inspiration.

Her childhood days were spent getting lost in the randjies that surrounded their farmhouse, observing the wildlife and scouring for bird nests.

Aligning her career path with her love for art, Mariaan went on to get her art diploma from the Free State Technicon in 1990, majoring in sculpture.

Soon after, she took on the task of motherhood but stayed engaged in art.

Since 2002, she has been a full-time artist.

Recently segued into a fresh direction, she's moved beyond her usual boundaries.

With her arsenal of inspiration, she still has many untold stories waiting to enter her art pieces.

"I seldom plan my artworks. I prefer to start with an element and allow it to evolve into a narrative with a feeling."

Piece by piece, her stories cover canvasses and spill into functional art objects.

Always itching to explore and experiment, she deep dives into her creations.

"I escape into a zone that I only get to encounter while working. Stories unravel and burst from my own subconscious. Symbols emerge from those memories," the artist explains.

"My approach is constantly taking detours. I'm always on a new journey and experience deep connections with the art pieces I'm crafting at the moment. Behind my easel is where I feel safest."

Mariaan also gives life to abandoned and vintage objects by turning them into new pieces of art. At the same time, she maintains their imperfections and signs of ageing. "It's part of their story."

Mariaan claims that it is her restless nature that steers he