About Johan Steyn, the artist:

"Art is intrinsically part of me.

Playing in my father’s studio (he was the well-known SA batik artist, Louis Steyn), the smell of wax and paint intoxicated me. I could paint before I could talk.

I started late in life to live my dream of becoming a full-time artist.

As a young child, I was fascinated with nature, colour, and form, which was intrinsic to the creative process surrounding me. I deeply explored the mannerisms and anatomy of the wildlife of South Africa by drawing them until I mastered these elements. This is crucial for a sculptor to be able to capture the animal’s personality and behavior and portray it to the viewer in such a way that the animal comes to life. I sculpted by using light and shadow to communicate form.

It is a natural process for me to create these animals and this is where the exclusive “Minky” range was created, where child and animal join to become one. By joining these two together, reality and fantasy takes over. A dialogue and a bond are formed between the artist, animal, and child. This is where mankind and animal become so close that the universe and the animal cannot live without each other.

My subject matter must resonate with me to enable me to create my art. I am passionately and emotionally involved with my craftsmanship.

I see the human figure and emotion as the ultimate challenge and I aim to use form and colour to create poetry in art in order to communicate emotion through my work."

https://www.johansteynart.co.za/