LADY SKOLLIE ON ART AS A PASSION AND A CAREER

For Laura Windvogel aka Lady Skollie, art has always been a part of life. At a young age, her mom enrolled her at the Peter Clarke Art Centre.

While in high school, Lady Skollie would often spend her time along Long Street, soaking up the city’s culture.

“Long street is where I learned to really be an independent person…I would just come and explore Cape Town.”

One of the places she loved visiting was Madam Taitou, a restaurant that specialises in Ethiopian cuisine.

With its mismatched furniture, and potted plants lining the restaurant, Madam Taitou is considered a hidden gem in Cape Town and has been considered by locals and tourists alike as the best Ethiopian restaurant in Cape Town.

After high school, she went on to study a Bachelors of Art degree at the University of Cape Town, majoring in History and Art in Dutch Literature. However, she always knew she wanted to be an artist.

“Skollie is someone that has always known that she wanted to be an artist,” she explains, “she has never wondered what she is going to do with her life.”

Although her family encouraged her art, they were worried about her pursuing it as a career.

“My parents just wanted to make sure that I was fine and in my young years, there were people that were not making money from art.”

However, things have changed since then as Lady Skollie has proven that art can be a passion and a career.

“Now I am in a position where I am represented and I am able to live everyday as an artist which is all I ever wanted.”

Over the years, Lady Skollie has had many solo exhibitions and has won numerous awards, including the 10th annual FNB Art Prize in 2020.

However, one of the most notable achievements in her career was being asked to design the face of South Africa’s new five Rand coin, commemorating 25 years of South Africa’s democracy.

“What I would like to be remembered for is that I helped younger brown women to feel that they can also be represented within this world that seems so unattainable.”