Lowveld - NOV 2020

Mariana de Jager was born to be an artist, and has been
creating things ever since she can remember, including
drawing on her grandfather’s floors with crayons.
Mariana de Jager
Text: MELLISSA BUSHBY
“I
got into so much
trouble!” she laughs
at the memory. “But
then I got clever,
and drew inside the
cupboards, so my
parents wouldn’t
see. I just wanted
to make pictures!” Unfortunately, as
is so often the case, she strayed from
her calling, thinking she couldn’t
possibly make a living from painting.
The siren call was strong though. In
2018 Mariana made the decision to
become a full-time artist, working
from her studio on the beautiful
Claremont Road outside Mbombela,
where there is no shortage of
inspiration. “I paint every single day of
my life, or at least draw something if I
don’t have a lot of time. And believe
me, you do need time!” she laughs. “I
always say I’m just going to paint for
10 minutes, but then find that four
hours have passed!”
Mariana studied art as a subject at
school, but found it extremely boring.
She went into fashion design at the
Technikon Pretoria and obtained
her national diploma. She worked
as a designer for a couple of years,
but then decided to change careers.
Mariana started working at a printing
company as a graphic designer -
this prompted her to do a course
in it. “I love to learn new skills and
techniques,” she smiles, but painting
is ultimately where her heart lies.
Her medium of choice is oils, which
she has been using since her school
days. “I love how the paint glides
smoothly over the canvas; it’s almost
a sensual feeling. Every now and
then I use watercolour, but my first
love will always be oils.” Mariana also
adores Chinese ink sticks - you have
to make up the ink before you can
use it, but she finds it extremely
therapeutic.
“Working in the art field is a calling,”
she muses. “It’s something you have
to do to keep sane, certainly in my
case. It makes me whole. But you
also have to treat it like a business;
otherwise you would never sell
anything. Actually, you straddle a bit
of both worlds, but it is never ‘just a
job’, I enjoy it way too much. I do have
‘bad days’ where nothing I do looks
good, and I just have to stop and let it
1+ Get It Lowveld November 2020