So every few years, any self-respecting artist or photographer, has a website revamp, over-haul, call it what you will – mostly inspired by the fact that their current website has become extremely outdated in the face of the fast paced technological advances on the web, as well as design improvements, user-friendly platforms, blah blah blah – jargon that means zilch to me as one of the afore-mentioned ‘artists’ who hasn’t uploaded a new image in over 2 years, and who has fallen dismally behind the social media expectations and demands of a ‘modern and relatively successful artist’.

Shock, horror, alarm, alarm, ‘its time to get with the program Caroline’, my beautiful mother’s words have been reverberating in my head since the onset of 2016 – she’s clearly cottoned on to the relative importance of a healthy and representative web presence well before me. And so began the arduous task, a few weeks ago, of wading through a chaotic arrangement of hundreds of folders, on hundreds of hard drives, that have over time, disintegrated in to nothing short of a NON-filing system and maze of disorganized, ummmmmm, creative genius!!! But, as with most arduous tasks in life that require one’s attention and time, results, as well as rewards, are reaped. And in this instance, what started out as an almighty nightmare at the start of each week morning after school drop-off, that had to be fuelled by a robust caffeine dose (after finding 100 procrastination points like a lavish ‘health’ breakfast – which the caffeine then killed, an hour long shower, a little stroll around the garden and conflab with the neighbour) transmuted itself in to a very magical journey in to my past.

Thousands of images that I have accumulated over a ten year period, from my very first exhibition in 2006, revealed themselves like picture postcards and mini movie clips, from hundreds of trips, mostly in Africa and in India. And what an adventure it has been, all of it. So many lives, colours, textures, personalities, creatures, landscapes, have taken me down so many wild and wonderful paths and roads, some of them small single tracks, many of them wide open, triple-laned highways. It has been thrilling, real, authentic, alive, exciting and challenging. And all of these pictures, of beautiful places and spaces that I have found myself in, on reflection, are what make me, ME. In 2006, the beautiful poem by T.S Eliot, ‘At the stillpoint of the turning world’ inspired my very first series of images, which I exhibited, and which defined, in an instant, my decision to open my first tiny gallery in Cape Town’s Bo Kaap.

I have never looked back and have remained steadfast in my commitment to following my passion and pursuing a career that I love and that inspires me endlessly, as well as others. I am very grateful to my bird series, to the birds themselves, that emanate freedom and that touched something inside of me that was able to translate an emotive that people responded to, initiating my very first picture sales. As an aspiring artist back then, it was a profound moment. The birds gave flight to my aspiration and dreams and I am still flying on the back of their wings. For the grace and beauty of the swift tern, in their swirls and swarms, peeling off seaside rock islands along the cape coast, I am indebted. They relayed to me a freedom as tangible as the salty air through which they swooped. Nature is full to the brim with the most profound teachings……

T.S Eliot’s words are simply beautiful and will resonate with every one differently, no doubt. Read them, alongside the images…they will move you.

In adventure, passion, mystery and travel
Caroline

At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point,There would be no dance, and there is only dance.I can only say, there we have been: but I cannot say where.And I cannot say, how long, for that is to place it in time.