Art In The Karoo

Artist Yvette Hess sometimes finds herself on the wrong planet

- MARIAN VOLKWYN

Free State-born Visual Artist Yvette Hess is a multifaceted creator who uses the pronouns she/they. In her Instagram bio, she calls herself 'the Karoo artist #notdoingmuch', which is the understatement of the year. Since I've been following Yvette's art journey, which dates all the way back to 2018, I know her to be someone who does a little bit of everything: from telling visual stories to motivational speaking, mental health advocacy and blogging - and those are just her professional duties. She's also a wife, mother, daughter, and so much more to so many people.

'I don't balance, jokes Yvette. 'But I am getting better at it by working through tightly wound conflicting beliefs around motherhood, being an artist, what being busy is versus being productive with my unique (and also not so unique) childhood experiences and conditions.'

↑ On Display

You can find the miniature art badges stocked in two local stores in Ladismith and at Prince Albert Gallery.

ART THAT SPEAKS SILENTLY

When asked how they would describe themself, Yvette says, 'I'd describe myself as an activist, and an opportunist, first. I use art as a tool to process my understanding as an individual, and I'm learning more about the power of visual language in nature and what it means to speak silently, as nature does'.

In the Detail

A snapshot painting within a wider work that echoes Yvette's miniatures.

Even as a mere consumer of art, the notion of art speaking silently makes absolute sense. If art can be loud, why could the contrary not be true? Yvette uses art as an opportunity to learn about herself and the world she finds herself in and allows it to take her on a journey of selfdiscovery and vice versa.