Anico Mostert grew up in Fish Hoek and graduated from the Michaelis School of Fine Art in 2017 with BAFA (Hons). Growing up in a family full of intuitive thinkers, creativity was always encouraged and played a big role in how she learnt to look at life and the environment around her.
Her approach to making is versatile, seeing her producing across ceramics, textile design, animation and painting. Her works exude a calm quietness, illustrating unexpected details and unassuming scenarious that verge on the mundane but are illuminated through her attention and careful colour choices.
Using reference images from social media, Mostert’s imagined and created worlds depict still lifes, interactions and scenes that feel familiar and comforting but are also somewhat inverted and distorted to feel fresh and unexpected.
“I tend to pay attention to details that might come across as mundane or insignificant in the bigger picture but when isolated are given the opportunity to tell a story.”
Quarantine self portrait 2020. Picture: Anico Mostert
EC: How has your artist process changed during the lockdown and working in isolation?
AM:
I usually only have time to paint over the weekend and in between part time work. Since isolation I have had some time to play around with new materials and paint without feeling rushed to get a lot done before having to get back to other work. I like to work on a few paintings at a time so Its been nice to be able to experiment without feeling stressed to make the most of the little time I usually have to spend in the studio.
EC: Tell us a little bit about the art you are currently producing?
AM:
I've been experimenting with new materials. I found some old wall paint and Acrylics in our garage which I've been using a lot over the last few days. I'm used to oil paint and didn't realise how tricky it would be to try and work with paint that dries a lot quicker!. I have also been trying to figure out ways to incorporate ceramics with my paintings. There are a lot of images of vases and ceramic shapes in my latest paintings and I think that has been my way of figuring out how the two can eventually work together.
Let’s kiss 2020 Picture: Anico Mostert
EC: What would you say is the role of the artist in times like these?
AM:
I think its important for artists to find creative ways to make people feel connected during these times. Even if its just through sharing how you have been staying creative at home or sharing how you are adapting to creating during stressful times. There is a lot on really stressful news and content online right now and I think I feel like the only thing I can do is try and share something a bit lighter.
My friend as an interior 2020 Picture: Anico Mostert
EC: What is one way you'd like the public to support artists and the art world during this time?
AM:
Support your artist friends by sharing their work. Share the Instagram posts! share the Facebook links! share whatever you can because the more people see it the better.