Becoming the Arts Foundation Fellow for Visual Art 2024, was the start of a very grounding moment for me as an artist. Working as an artist in any major city is a struggle, with studios being highly priced, residential rents soaring and the cost of caring for a child raising at ever increasing rates, the financial element of the award was a welcome life raft.
At the time of the ceremony I was in the middle of preparing for my first solo show and was struggling to give the making as much time as I wanted and the award allowed me to give as much time as needed to focus. Those moments in my studio, with both the rent for my home and studio paid, with time to make, was blissful and only possible because of the award. I remember feeling overwhelming waves of gratitude.
At the end of my fellowship year I find myself surer and more ready to develop my practice in the ways that feel most fulfilling to me. Thank you to The Arts Foundation and the Yoma Sasburg Estate for the support. It has aided my persistence.