ARTS AND CULTURE
“ I WANT IT TO TOUCH YOUR SOUL, TO BRING PEACE.”
she admits.“ South Africa is a feeling.” That sentiment runs through her work. Her paintings don’ t shout; they hum softly, full of warmth and reverence for the land.
CREATIVITY THAT NEVER CLOCKS OUT
Ask Vanessa when she feels most creative, and she smiles.“ Feeling creative is a constant thing,” she says.“ Even when I’ m not in my studio, I’ m still thinking creatively.” Working from home allows her to seamlessly integrate art and life.“ If I’ ve had to run around during the day, I can work into the evening,” she adds.
COLLABORATION AND SOUL
When asked which South African artist she’ d most love to collaborate with, her answer comes immediately:“ Chubby Cheeks!” She lights up as she explains.“ Her sound is so evocative of Africa.” Music frequently features in Vanessa’ s work – literally. Sheet music and lyrical references appear on her canvases, transforming sound into texture and rhythm.
Her playlist spans from metal to soul, each song evoking a different emotion.“ Music and art are intertwined for me,” she says.“ Both help me feel deeply.”
THE POWER OF FEELING
Vanessa doesn’ t paint to make statements. She paints to evoke emotions.“ I hope my work stirs something within people,” she says.“ I want it to touch your soul, to bring peace.”
Her art communicates through emotion rather than ideology.“ I don’ t create political art,” she explains.“ I create from feeling.” That authenticity gives her work quiet power.
A LIFE IN COLOUR
For Vanessa Mayhew, art and life are intertwined – both bursting with colour, movement, and passion. Her studio, her playlist, and her environment blend together into one living canvas.
If you see her paddling at dawn, surrounded by light and sea spray, know this: she isn’ t fleeing her work. She’ s immersed in it – body, mind, and soul. IB
DECEMBER 2025 / INBOUND SA 35