My journey with leaves began on a farm in the Burgersdorp district, where I grew up as a child.  Each year the trees would change colour and announce the start of my favourite season - autumn.  As I lay on the damp forest floor, I was intrigued by the withering of nature during this time of the year.  Each leaf changed into an astonishing masterpiece of colour, just for the colour to be erased and the leaf to wilt and die away.  As the skeleton-looking leaves dropped to the floor, I wondered what my legacy would be.  What will I be remembered for? Will I simply also wither away, forgotten?

In the Chinese tradition, autumn is associated with the colour white and the emotion of sadness.  Weeping is the sound of autumn, a time to weep for all that has been lost.  On the other hand, Chinese philosophy also associates autumn with courage.  Not only should you weep for what is lost, but you should use this season to gather courage for everything that lies ahead.  It is a time to re-evaluate, to reflect and to challenge yourself to live a life that will not be forgotten.

The highlight of my career was in November 2017 when I was invited to an Artist in Residency to Vallauris, France.  November is fall/winter time in France and I was greeted by fallen leaves everywhere.  I was once again confronted by the difficult question of withering and dying.  During my time in France I however came to the conclusion that autumn is but one season in my life.  As in nature, seasons come and go and it is simply a matter of interpretation that will determine what you see.  Will you see a masterpiece of colour or will you see withered and forgotten leaves?  Will you weep or will you be courageous?  Will you be forgotten or will you be remembered?

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” Albert Camus