The Absa Laat Jou Kuns Wen Mentorship Programme 2019
What we're about | Written by Absa Staff Writer
26 March 2019
At the 2019 KKNK festival, Absa will be launching the Laat Jou Kuns Wen Mentorship Programme. The programme aims to empower, develop, uplift, upskill, and create opportunities for up-and-coming artists from Oudtshoorn and surrounds. Talent is the foundation for any aspiring artist – but without mentorship, resources, business skills and exposure, the odds of their full talent being shared with the world are incredibly slim.
Well-known local artist, graphic designer and creative consultant Madeleine Miles assumes the role of mentor to three talented young visual artists, Colin Meyer, Earlyn Cloud, and Zietske Saaiman. Together, they will work with Absa’s Art Curator, Dr. Paul Bayliss, and draw on Absa’s powerful business and training programmes to help the mentees’ artistic talent shine. The culmination of the 12-month programme will be a joint exhibition at next year’s festival, with a host of other Absa-linked opportunities for them, along the way.
The mentor
Madeleine Miles
Known for her creative thinking and ideas, Madeleine is a local artist, graphic designer and creative consultant in Oudtshoorn. She studied design and technology at Goldsmiths University of London and is currently busy with a master’s degree in psychology, specialising in creativity and critical thinking. She is devoted to creating a future of 'creative problem solvers', and enhancing creativity in both adults and children. She is passionate about art, creating, design, psychology, teaching and investing in Oudtshoorn and its people, and was the perfect choice to lead the Absa Laat Jou Kuns Wen programme and bring possibility of the young artists to life.
The students
Earlyn Cloud
The 33-year-old Earlyn is from Toekomsrus and hopes to be known as a master pencil artist one day. He currently makes a living through commission work for portraits. Besides pencil, Earlyn also enjoys working in ballpoint pen and recently started experimenting with abstract work. He is fascinated by poverty, street children, gangsters and their daily struggle to survive.
Colin Quinten Meyer
Colin, 27 years, lives on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn with his alter ego, called Mr Eye (an anagram of Meyer). Colin is the reliable, good guy, and Mr Eye, the darker, riskier one. Apparently they make a good team. Colin enjoys many art forms including pencil and fine liners, and is currently exploring painting. He hopes to use his art to push boundaries. He loves photography, drawing comics and he is fascinated by meditation and mandalas.
Zietske Saaiman
Zietske holds a BA degree in visual arts. The 23-year-old Oudtshoorn local is comfortable working in most media, but her passion lies in steel and installations. Zietske wants to create installations that are functional and that people can interact with, move within and feel “free”. Zietske is currently working as an intern for the KKNK in the visual arts, and even though she’s the youngest of the three, brings much experience to the team.
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