SHAUNE ROGATSCHNIG

I have lived most of my life in Cape Town under Table Mountain’s glorious shadow and Mediterranean climate. Surrounded by this World Heritage Site and its biodiverse fynbos, I have had my senses nurtured with exquisite colour and African light.

Looking as though with your arms wide open, mixed media and collage, 120 x 90 cm, M Oliver

A-girl-who-spent-so-much-time-longing-for-the-sea-she-was-only-a-shadow-on-land-J-Picoult-1303x2048

He-moves-along-the-paths-of-her-dreams-A-Doerr-1368x2048

There-is-no-home-like-you-R-Kaur-HIGH-RESOLUTION-1188x1536

Artist biography

I have always been interested in the natural world and its conservation, which had evolved by the time I graduated from the University of Cape Town with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Environmental Science and Archaeology. Soon after, I began working as an environmental consultant and then migrated into the NGO space.

Although I have painted since I was a little girl, it was only from 2013 that I decided to ‘love what I do and do what I love’. The prospect of going full-time while being a mother of two young children was scary so I dived into a series of classes to develop my skill base. The journey of learning has not stopped, with workshops now essential to my creativity and exploration.

Since my career began, I have been fortunate to learn from talented artists, and receive guidance from inspiring female mentors. I have discovered that staying true to my authentic expression can lead to fantastic opportunities.

Influence

I find endless inspiration in exploring new colour-ways for each piece and focus on the interplay of colour, texture and light, building up a piece with washes, deliberate brush marks and flamboyant palette knife strokes. Through the vibrancy of my style, I seek to draw attention to the indebtedness we have to our environment. Key milestone in my career are expressed on the Highlights page. I sell my work directly, exhibit locally and am supported by several galleries in South Africa and international collectors.

Subject

My work has been dominated by my love for South Africa’s indigenous flora, which continues to inspire me in the way each bloom captures light.