Antoinette van Breda is a ‘transplanted local’, as in she’s not originally from Grahamstown, but, like many artists has chosen to live and work in Grahamstown with her husband. She’s a talented illustrator, artist and designer who was brave enough to create her first solo exhibition at The National Arts Festival this year! Her intricate and detailed paper cut-out work on show was something to behold … I kept thinking wow, how patient she must be, as well as picturing myself getting to almost complete on a piece like hers and blapsing it in the last few cuts … shivers!
In Antoinette’s own words here is a description of her exhibition work: ‘Advancing Backwards is for all South Africans, either to create a custom made Coat of Arms for you family, or to redo your traditional one. It’s to make you proud of your family and of where you come from, it’s to showcase it in a new, modern way and to show that you are looking not just in the past, but to the future. It allows you to embrace your inheritance even if unfortunate sometimes.’