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MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay is simply blossoming with artists of many different kinds.
Riska du Plessis is one of these. One of her artworks was chosen by the bottled water company, Yes! Definitely, for its bottles.
Riska combines writing with her images.
She is a member of a group of poets and contributed to a book of poems which was published during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Black and white
Riska's artworks have a cartoon-like feel because she uses mainly black and white - doodling in black pen - and her text with the image also accentuates the cartoonlike character of her works.
They could be called "illustrations".
She says: "I have an irrepressible love for the truth in words, visual art and music.
See a gallery here:
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"I grew up in a home where there was enough freedom to live this out. My first poem was published when I was 16 and most recently my poems have been published in Digterstemme 2021, compiled by René Bohnen.
"My husband and I also write songs together."
Music band
Multi-faceted Riska is part of a music band, The Black Sams.
She sings originals and cover versions of songs and reads her poetry.
She and her husband and their two children live in Dana Bay.
'Doodle'
Simply put, Riska says: "I create a 'doodle' drawing with a pen and put a poem with it."
She prints her works on wood or books and sells them in galleries in Mossel Bay and Great Brak - The Town's House, Marguerite Art Café and Seeplaas restaurant and conference venue.
Riska expresses it perfectly in Afrikaans: "Ek skryf en geniet Afrikaans ook, maar hierdie krabbels wou graag Engels wees, want ek is mengels. Ek werk wel aan 'n Afrikaanse reeks op die oomblik en hoop om dit later in die jaar bekend te stel."
Share ideas
She is one of the "admins" of the Mossel Bay Visual Arts Community WhatsApp group.
These artists share ideas and support one another on WhatsApp and they get together for a social once a month.
"I can't say how long I have been an artist," Riska says.
"I think it's inherent in me. I think all of us are artists and creative; it's just that it looks different with each of us."
Riska is also working on a children's book with her daughter and she offers creative workshops in Mossel Bay. To find out more, call Riska (073 909 6558).
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