21 September 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
I was lucky enough to have been hired straight after my studies.  My then employer scouted me from the careers event hosted by Open Window in 2013.

Who inspires you in your practice?
All films, artists, people and nature inspire me.

A favourite Open Window memory?
My film lecturers with Pluto always inspired me, to open my mind and gain perspective.

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
Be brave, say yes to all opportunities, and trust the process.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
My job is remote and last year I was lucky enough to work from Italy with my producer.

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
A coffee shop in England called “bean about town” outside Kentish Town underground.

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
Collaborating with like-minded individuals.  

What is a work mantra of yours?
I’m a compositor,  so I believe there are always multiple ways to fix a problem. If you get stuck, step back and change your perspective.

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
I always have a ton of ideas in my head, it’s getting started that’s the problem.

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
That you need to master one thing to be good at it.  Just because I do compositing/VFX doesn’t mean my profession in illustration, crochet, garment construction, painting, and motion graphics aren’t also valid.
I don’t believe an artist should only have one passion/profession.  Mix, match, combine and do it for yourself.  Be a “Jill” of all trades!

What is a dream you are still working toward?
Good question.  Just like my art; it is ever-changing.  I  always wanted to work on the biggest and best films and have my name in the trailers, but that has changed and now I prefer advertising, the quick fast-paced lifestyle, working with artists and collaborating.
I see my career also moving towards motion graphics and 2D animation.  I have had my name in the trailers, and I enjoyed the thrill but it’s important to adapt your dreams and move toward the creative you want to become.  

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
I double majored in film and animation.

Where do you currently work?
I currently work for myself, I work from London and run my company from South Africa.

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
To be honest, before Covid no one knew we could accomplish remote Online sessions.  I miss sitting next to the directors and collaborating but with technology, we can still get pretty close to those in-office sessions.  Being remote has given me the time to pursue my passions but I will be looking into office collaborations as I do believe a good mixture is necessary for optimum creativity.

Your go-to creative snack?
When I am “in the zone” creatively I get so into it I forget to eat.. I know … terrible… I work actively to change that.

How do you get past a creative block?
I am most inspired when I walk through markets, galleries, and exhibitions.  Here in London, the museums are all free to the public, so it’s important to take a break and get out of your head.

Follow Simone De Ruyck
@simonederuyck 
@suikerbekkie_art

16 September 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
The transition to tight deadlines, restrictive briefs and lack of holidays was a culture shock. But since taking the leap to work for myself and to run Kiffkak full time I have never felt more fulfilled. Open Window was an invaluable foundation to my career, I didn’t feel like I was being thrown into the deep end when first tackling industry work, the lecturers and classes provide a great foundation for the working world.

Who inspires you in your practice?
Growing up as the only caucasian person in a school in Crystal Park, my passion for other cultures grew from a very young age. Before every formal school event, braiding my hair in cornrows was a must! Moving to a school in Benoni later on, the unique humour we have as South Africans (especially when making a small town like Benoni the brunt of our jokes) became a big part of my creative outlook on life. Going to varsity in Pretoria surrounded by Afrikaans culture, I quickly realised that I don’t identify with any single culture; at the core of it, I’m a South African. As a creative, South African culture has truly become my biggest inspiration. We have such an amazing mix of people in this country, all working and living together to create the ultimate Ubuntu!

A favourite Open Window memory?
One of my favourite Open Window memories by far was being part of the SRC and buddy initiative. We got to engage with so many students on a more personal level, went on more first-year camps than I think is legal (Thank you Yolandi 😉 ), and made awesome friends that I still keep in touch with today.

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
My biggest piece of advice to young creatives would be: Never discount the importance of celebrating your own story through your art. For me, the reflection of one’s story always draws me to a creative’s work. By presenting an unapologetic, unique perspective on how you see the world- your personality can shine through, solidifying what you can offer as a brand. There are so many eclectic mixes of people in South Africa, and so many personal stories yet to be told. When it comes to owning a brand (whether your brand is you as an artist or something you start like Kiffkak), something I have found is that people are much more likely to become invested in your craft when they also have a story to invest in.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
Once every few months I try to take part in expos and markets where I sell my products. It’s awesome to be able to engage directly with the Kiffkak customers (and get a break from being chained to the Macbook).

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
As a person that doesn’t drink coffee, Kiffkak is strictly fueled by chappies. (Sorry, it’s the company policy).

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
It’s a strong competition between the whole 8 weeks that you get to work on a single project and the creative freedom that every brief offers.

What is a work mantra of yours?
Don’t be a d#%s be lekker.

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
I’m sure that every business owner would share a similar sentiment, but I truly have the kiffest customers! Besides the odd tannie that gets offended by the name (and some of the colourful language on the products), the response has been nothing but encouraging. Keeping my customers engaged with the Kiffkak brand through new illustration/design-based products keeps me motivated to stay creative.

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
Don’t cancel me… but I’m not a fan of cheese.

What is a dream you are still working toward?
The long-term dream is to open up a chain of Kiffkak stores in South Africa that directly serve the local market by providing access to proudly South African gifts and merchandise while helping communities and aiding job creation within the BBBEE spectrum. The plan is to have distinct sections in each store, namely Kiffkak Cares, Kiffkak collabs and the Kiffkak product range.

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
I double majored in Illustration and Communication and am still working within both disciplines.

Where do you currently work?
I am currently self-employed. I am a freelance illustrator and designer and I run my own brand called Kiffkak.

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
Whatever the client requests (gotta make that bread).

Your go-to creative snack?
You can never go wrong with some lekker tea and biscuits :).

How do you get past a creative block?
For me, the best creative block cure is to walk away from whatever idea I am struggling to unpack, I often return with a new perspective on what I’ve been working on. If all else fails, asking friends and family for their insights on what I’m working on usually helps me pinpoint what to keep and what to change.

Follow Courtney
@kiff_kak

12 September 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
Open Window did a terrific job at preparing us for the challenges that come with working in demanding and high-pressure environments. As third-year degree students, our compulsory time as interns at a company in our perspective field was especially informative and exhilarating.

Who inspires you in your practice?
A few fellow students, who I follow to this day, inspire me to keep working on my dreams and to never give up on my passions no matter what challenges arise! Paperplanery and Imile_illustrates in particular, have proved that with hard work and persistence, coupled with extreme talent – you can achieve all your goals.

A favourite Open Window memory?
Chain-smoking and chats with my friends before class, creative drawing events, tequila festivals where my band got to perform, our student council trip, painting murals on the OW walls and our first-year film arts lecturer/classes.

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
There will be many roadblocks ahead and times when you feel like giving up. Push through it! The biggest breakthroughs are created through challenges and adversities.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
Anywhere outside.

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
I am not a coffee snob (Any coffee is good coffee!)

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
The freedom to explore different styles and the process of finding what works for you as a designer/illustrator.

What is a work mantra of yours?
Never forget to enjoy the process! (In work and life)

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
Meditation and music are my lifeblood! Without it, the anxiety will surely take over.

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
It is ok not to have refined your style when you are done with your studies! Not everyone moves at the same pace and experience can do wonders for your art!

What is a dream you are still working toward?
Moving abroad and living in a place that screams art and culture like Montmartre, Paris.

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
Illustration. Yes, I am lucky to still be working in my chosen field!

Where do you currently work?
I had the privilege of working for great companies such as Chrystalace Stationery and Green Grass Design where we worked with clients such as Telkom, Doppio Zero, Canine and Co and many more renowned companies. This year I have ventured out on my own and started a design and décor company named Fox and Flora, specialising in kids’ décor, murals, wallpaper and stationery

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
I prefer online work, as it allows me to stay in my creative bubble when working.

Your go-to creative snack?
I sometimes forget to eat when I am really in the zone with projects. So I basically run on caffeine!

How do you get past a creative block?
Whenever I am faced with a major creative block, it helps to step away to gain a broader perspective. The discipline comes in when having to return to those projects later and not just leave them unfinished. If I am working on a time crunch and it isn’t possible to step away, it helps to break the project down into parts. This helps me to see what is immediately achievable at the moment and to work on the project one step at a time. It is quite often overwhelming to face a big project as a whole – so when you break it down into smaller projects, it no longer seems so intimidating.

Follow Miqnon van der Merwe
Personal Facebook
Business Facebook Page
Personal Instagram
Business Instagram Page

09 September 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
When I started working in the industry, it was genuinely hard to find my footing. Early on, I missed the consistent learning environment of being a student, though, with time, I found my own way of appreciating and enjoying work in the industry. The higher stakes and shorter deadlines force you to trust in yourself a lot more.

Who inspires you in your practice?
I am inspired by my amazing friends, but creatively I am inspired by James Jean, Mattias Lindstrom, Ori Toor, Bao T. Nguyen and Stepan Solodkov

A favourite Open Window memory?
One of my favourite memories was working on and painting a group mural at Thrashers skate park in the second year.

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
Don’t stress about style too early, trust in the fundamentals of your practice, push yourself outside of your comfort zone regularly and identify creatives that inspire your work.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
I can’t work away from my desk and pc, but every hour or so I go outside to soak up some UVs and get fresh air.

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
All are welcome!

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
I miss the freedom to experiment and push creativity as far as possible from my studies.

What is a work mantra of yours?
Momentum is key.

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
I can be pretty competitive, so I look at other creatives, including my peers, to try and stay consistent in moving forward.

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
Bananas are nasty.

What is a dream you are still working toward?
Making a well enough living in my creative career so I can do what I love while living a meaningful and fulfilling life.

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
Communication design and Illustration. I work mainly in branding/marketing, though I occasionally get illustration commissions.

Where do you currently work?
SalesCollab

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
I love them both for different reasons. If I don’t have to drive more than an hour to work, then in-person wins for sure.

Your go-to creative snack?
Ouma rusks with a cup of coffee or chilli cheese NikNaks.

How do you get past a creative block?
I start drawing small and I create anything to get my juices flowing, even if what I make is trash. In my experience, waiting for some divine inspiration merely leads to stress and procrastination. Hell, you could even watch one of your favourite movies or shows that inspire you.

Follow Kris-Jan on Instagram
@krisjan.anagram

04 September 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
OWI truly prepares us for the working world! As with any new adventure in life, it takes some adjustment and time in order to find your groove!

Who inspires you in your practice?
Maggie de Vos and Maaike Bakker for sure!

A favourite Open Window memory?
Meeting my best friends, as well as winning a Loerie for one of my Honours projects 🙂

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
Find and claim your space! The rest will follow.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
My desk at home. It is surrounded by plants and gets lovely sunlight.

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
Plato, for sure! Do yourself a favour and order the Bombón!

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
The HOLIDAYS!

What is a work mantra of yours?
Always find time for play. Playing allows for the exploration of boundaries, and amazing things always happen outside of your comfort zone.

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
The people around me inspire me immensely!

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
Instant coffee is truly the worst. Also, FRIENDS is the best show.

What is a dream you are still working toward?
Making a name for myself in the creative and design industry! And as always, to continuously improve my craft.

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
I majored in Visual Communication and I am currently working in that field as a graphic designer. #designforever!

Where do you currently work?
DarkMatter!

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
I prefer a mix of the two!

Your go-to creative snack?
Definitely a crunchie or fruit of sorts. Gotta have balance, you know?

How do you get past a creative block?
Passion projects, passion projects, passion projects! Collaborations, too. It’s the perfect way to exercise unrestricted creativity.

Socials
@chanelslabbert
@wednesday.design

01 September 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
It was not so intimidating since we did so much practical work at Open Window. I think the challenging part is to adapt to a company’s own structures and approach, learn to deal with different personality types and develop people skills. As I started freelancing and growing into a business it was very challenging to value my work and know how to set up a pricing structure that is right for the market without compromising myself.  Everyone has to go through some growth, make a few mistakes and learn from there.

Who inspires you in your practice?
As an entrepreneur, I tend to find more inspiration from successful influencers on social media like Gary Vee, Elena Cardone and various entrepreneurial podcasts. I am more interested in growing a business than developing my design skills at this stage. As a designer, I can only sell a few hours a day so I have to be innovative in order to scale and grow a successful business. 

A favourite Open Window memory?
I think one of the things I value most when looking back at my student years is the amazing friendships I got to build at Open Window. I was a small-town girl coming to the big city. It was terrifying. I was so grateful to meet friends that share the same values and morals as I do. We got to share our hardships as students and I found so much encouragement and support from them. I am forever grateful for that.  

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
There will be times you feel like you are going nowhere, maybe you’ll feel stuck, or you will feel discouraged because everyone keeps speaking about how bad the economy is and that there is no future in South Africa. All of the above conditions are not based on truth, it is only based on your own and other people’s fears. Your nervous system might respond to it but it doesn’t mean it’s true. We can only perceive 1% of reality with our 5 senses. THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE! THERE IS ALWAYS A SOLUTION. Everything will work out. I have been in the depths of despair and I have also found myself in the most invincible state of being, but it was always based on my own perceptions and point of view. Stay open for change, stay resilient and stay innovative. Change is hard for us all but it is inevitable so the sooner you can make peace with it the easier life will be. Also you can have joy in the hardest times and peace in the middle of the chaos. That reality exists for all of us. We just have to train ourselves to maintain it.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
I love sitting somewhere with a view. Whether it is my dining table looking out in the garden or a restaurant with a beautiful natural landscape.

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
Tribecca. (Interesting face, I only drink decaf. Caffeine makes me anxious.)

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
Creating memories with friends.

What is a work mantra of yours?
It seems impossible until it’s done.

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
I am not very good at this. I simply do it out of discipline. I sit my ass down and do my research. If I have time I will try to rest my mind like grab breakfast with my husband or a friend, spend some time outdoors, exercise, and maybe do something exciting outside of my usual environment. Balance helps the most.

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
It shouldn’t be hard to be successful and make money. 

What is a dream you are still working toward?
To build a successful scalable business.

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
Communication Design. Yes, I am.

Where do you currently work?
I am self-employed.

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
I enjoy both.

Your go-to creative snack?
A smoothie. 

How do you get past a creative block?
Rest and balance.

Social Accounts
Facebook
Instagram 

31 August 2022

Students know that a powerful portfolio could be the difference between a hire and a pass. Students also know that Behance is the world’s leading network for showcasing their creative work. But how do they know if their portfolios are any good? The answer? Feedback!

Hosted by Vega JHB, the annual Behance Portfolio Review invited final-year students from the University of Johannesburg, Vega, Greenside Design Centre, and Open Window to showcase their portfolios to esteemed industry experts and creative heads for specialist feedback. Saturday 20 August 2022 marked the return of the event after a two-year hiatus under Covid, and it was both a joy and a relief for students to mingle and expand their networks while learning how to improve their portfolios.

We are thrilled to announce that five out of the Top 13 portfolio spots were taken by Open Window students!

• Kara Meyer (Visual Communication)
• Arno Farmer (Creative Technologies)
• Amantle Nkwanda (Visual Communication)
• Dylan van der Merwe (Visual Communication)
• Izelle Zehnder (Visual Communication)

Sponsors and generous prizes included:

An invitation to the Loeries Student Awards ceremony for the Top 13 students.
A R500 voucher from Printique for the Top 10 students.
A Wacom Intuos Tablet for each of the Top 3 students, courtesy of Learning Curve.

Congratulations to everyone who participated! A big thank you to Vega JHB who did a magnificent job of hosting the event.
Gratitude to our schools of Visual Communication and Creative Technologies for preparing our students for the experience, and to lecturers Maaike Bakker, Nina Torr, Nina Honiball and Jorina Botha who supported them at the event.

Find out more about Open Window’s degree and certificate qualifications here.

29 August 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
It was a bit of a wake-up call, moving to a professional environment, but I feel the foundation of skills I gained at Open Window helped me get up to speed quickly.

Who inspires you in your practice?
My first mentor was Jim Petrak. He made me believe I could do this professionally. My peers at The First Order and our Head of Audio, Charles. As well as the numerous re-recording mixers across Hollywood, especially every year’s Oscar Nominees.

A favourite Open Window memory?
Establishing, running, captaining and winning a gold medal with the Open Window Action Cricket team.

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
Stick to your guns. Be prepared to do the grind and eventually that will pay off.
Love your job and you’ll never work a day in your life.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
On location, especially travel shoots. I also enjoy taking a recorder with me on holiday and building up a sound effects library of my own.

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
Seattle Coffee

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
The freedom to experiment within the arts and the engaging conversations with peers and lecturers on campus.

What is a work mantra of yours?
Be on time, hahaha. If you don’t know, don’t be afraid to ask.

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
I set myself medium and long-term goals. I also try and look at the bigger picture and draw inspiration from things happening in the industry and world around me.

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
Too many to list.

What is a dream you are still working toward?
To work on a feature film, a SAFTA nomination and eventually work in Hollywood.

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
Sound Design. Yes.

Where do you currently work?
The First Order

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
In-person

Your go-to creative snack?
Nothing beats a Jungle Oats Bar

How do you get past a creative block?
Try and switch off from work, and do something you love that is removed from your creative block. Journaling helps (thanks Jaco), meditate, exercise, wash the dishes, or play an instrument if you can.

Your socials
@gabriel_malherbe
@thefirstordersa

26 August 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
Sho! It was a large jump that left me in mid-air until I finally landed on my feet. I feel that the industry is difficult in terms of limiting your creativity to aim for a much shorter deadline. I had to learn to be less precious.

Who inspires you in your practice?
My friends and family, but besides being cheeseballs. I would say, Will Bryant, Stefan Sagmeister and Art Spiegelman.

A favourite Open Window memory?
There was one that shaped me as a person. We were given an ongoing task in Creative Development (in the first year) to do things out of our comfort zone. I decided to dress the way I normally wouldn’t, and when I got praised for dressing different I realised I could be ME!

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
Don’t be scared to do things you have always wanted to do just because you are scared of what others will think.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
In a sunny spot outside. Fresh air equals a fresh mind.

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
Any! Coffee is love, coffee is life.

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
The pressure. I know this might seem weird, but I work well under pressure and love keeping busy.

What is a work mantra of yours?
A good old Y2K playlist.

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
I eliminate all stresses, pressures and goals. By doing this you don’t have an expected outcome and can let yourself explore your creativity.

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
Chocolate ice cream is absolutely disgusting.

What is a dream you are still working toward?
Being a full-time comic artist. I have always been a storyteller in social situations and feel I have many stories to tell even if people don’t necessarily need to hear them.

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
My majors were Illustration and Graphic design. Currently, I am an illustrator and graphic designer.

Where do you currently work?
It’s ironic. I am The girl with no job, however, I have two jobs! I work as a Marketing Intern at The Open Window and I am a Freelance Contractor at Torque Marketing Solutions.

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
Being an introvert, I prefer online work a little more for productivity purposes. However, I do like seeing people’s faces every once in a while.

Your go-to creative snack?
Lightly salted Lays and cream cheese. Do not raise that eyebrow, try it.

How do you get past a creative block?
I ride the unpopular wave of creative block. I am unsure if I am crazy, but I think the creative block is necessary to help you grow and find your groove again.

Social handle
@the_girl_with_no_job_

22 August 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
I haven’t dived directly into industry work yet since I’m doing my honours at Open Window, but the commissions and wholesale supplier opportunities I’ve completed have been a dream come true. Open Window’s high work standard and diverse skillset-learning prepared me for the world of freelancing in monumental ways.

Who inspires you in your practice?
My biggest inspirations would be my lecturers and some past students. Nina Torr, Maaike Bakker and Zinhle Zulu have laid the foundations of what I want to be as an illustrator. Other illustrators like Neil Badenhorst and Imile Wepener, who also studied at Open Window, also inspire my creative journey on the regular.

A favourite Open Window memory?
My favourite memory at Open Window is when I met my best friend and soul sister (@claudiasomethingferreira) during first-year orientation in 2019. We have been inseparable since and dream big creative dreams together to this very day.

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
Not everything has to be a masterpiece. Take the time to play with mediums and explore new and scary ideas without putting pressure on yourself – the results may surprise you! Growing the balls to play with gouache unlocked a whole new traditional medium passion in me.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
I love working in my room – I have a huge desk, my walls are covered with prints by other illustrators. I also have four big windows and two novel-filled bookcases which creates a perfect atmosphere for being creative.

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
I wouldn’t say I have a favourite coffee brand or supplier, but the cappuccinos at Clay Cafe, Red Barn are HUGE and GOD-TIER.

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
Although I am doing my honours, I miss the diverse briefs that came with each term when doing my degree. I was always challenging myself in new ways and learning about things relating to the creative industry that I didn’t know.

What is a work mantra of yours?
“You’re doing great, sweetie!”

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
Being creative is my passion so I don’t necessarily need the motivation to be creative. When I do need to push my creativity when I’m tired or burnt out, I motivate myself by making “mini-goals” so that it feels as though I am constantly succeeding.

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
That pasta is gross (fight me)

What is a dream you are still working toward?
I hope, wish and dream to be an independent freelancer who produces an array of illustrated merchandise and who has epic fantasy-based commissions lined up. Owning a physical store (similar to Brunch Shop) that is part cafe would also be a dream come true.

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
I double majored in Illustration and Communication Design (Visual Communication). I am currently doing my Honours in Illustration too. All the freelancing jobs I do are still illustration-based! (From time to time I have helped with a logo but illustration is my true passion)

Where do you currently work?
I currently freelance part-time whilst I do my honours! I recently had an incredible opportunity to do a commission for Amaranto Collection, in addition, I supply Brunch Shop with illustrated merchandise.

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
I prefer online work – I like to be in my own space and away from people as they tend to distract me from my work.

Your go-to creative snack?
Milo Cereal or Bovril on toast

How do you get past a creative block?
I take breaks! I see a creative block as a sign that I need to do something other than creative work for a while. Once I return from my break (a walk, a cafe, reading a book, watching something). I always have fresh ideas that pop up!

Social handles and website.
@fairyangieillustrates
Behance Profile
LinkedIn

18 August 2022

How did you find the jump between being a student versus industry work?
I did not find it a difficult jump. Maybe I haven’t made the full leap yet, though! I started freelancing while I was studying, which helped me when I finished my Bachelor’s and Honours degrees as I already had some experience under my belt. But I am still studying! I am now onto my Master’s, which I am enjoying because I still get to live that freelance/study lifestyle.

Who inspires you in your practice?
My two biggest inspirations are Hannerie Visser from Studio H and Morag Myerscough. Studio H is a brilliant food design agency that does not let things like practicality get in the way of their work. Hannerie constantly inspires me with her innovations, playful experiences and homages to our local flavours. On the other side of the world is Morag Myerscough, a colourful, imaginative and participatory designer that has been an inspiration to my post-grad studies for a long time because of the collaborative nature of her work which inspires community-making and belonging.

What’s a favourite Open Window memory?
I have so many lovely memories during my short time as an honours student. On my final day at Open Window, I walked through campus and looked at everything I had been a part of in my one year there. It astounded me to see multiple murals, installations, exhibitions, and posters that I had personally been a part of, and that helped connect me to my peers and the campus.

Do you have any advice for an up-and-coming creative?
Push the concept! I think conceptual, well-thought-out designs can beat any surface-level work because designs are our creations, they don’t have to be practical – they can be conceptual and playful.

What is your favourite spot to work in besides your desk at work?
I can only work at my desk! I can’t work around noises or people. Unless I am illustrating, then I can work while I watch Netflix but that’s it.

Favourite coffee brand/supplier?
Anything with a milk alternative! Seriously, I am not a coffee snob so if the coffee shop has a nice place for me to sit, big windows and oat milk then I will be there.

What is one thing about studying that you miss the most?
The thing I liked about studying for my Bachelors and Honours degrees was the structure. I knew when I had classes, I had set deadlines and could schedule things very easily. When you freelance and study for your Master’s it’s all about planning, juggling clients, studies and getting things done quickly.

What is a work mantra of yours?
Make it, now simplify it. I tend to go overboard and sometimes it’s better to just let the design breathe with more simple shapes, more negative space and fewer, bolder colours.

How do you keep yourself motivated to stay creative?
I just surround myself with other creative works. Books, music, artworks, films, poetry and even furniture that feels inspiring to me. That way even when I am relaxing then I feel content in the space I have created so when I do start working it is with intent and motivation.

What is an unpopular opinion you have?
It’s not about 10-hour work days or working until 3 AM, or even working on weekends. At 5 PM, maybe sometimes 5:30 – I close my laptop and that is it for the day. If I still feel inspired then I might illustrate or do something creative for myself like embroidering, but my work ends at 5 PM and I do not touch it on weekends for anyone. Night time and weekends are for going out, seeing friends, seeing live acts, relaxing and allowing myself to recoup. Some weeks I even take a 3 day weekend if I feel a bit burnt out because 4 productive days are better than two weeks of burnout.

What is a dream you are still working towards?
I want to become a music festival designer. I love gig posters and event posters like the brilliant work Elio Maovero is doing and it combines my two biggest passions – live music and design. I want to someday design not just posters but experiences for music events and festivals. The South African music scene is inspiring and I look at the organisations like Bunk Events and Psych Night and they make me want to be a part of that space where design and music collide.

What was your major, and are you still working in that field?
Communication Design and yes, I still work in the design field.

Where do you currently work?
I am a freelance communication designer and illustrator. I am doing my first-year Masters in Visual Arts at Stellenbosch and I also work here part-time, at Open Window, with the Marketing team.

Do you prefer online or in-person work?
In-person! I love going into an office, playing a good song in the car, using the coffee machine, packing a cute lunch and being a bit more social. It gives a bit more routine to my otherwise very up-in-the-air days.

What’s your go-to creative snack?
Rusks with lots of seeds, or any cookie I can dunk in my tea.

How do you get past a creative block?
I am lucky enough to be a visual person who is very inspired by the written word. So if I feel stuck I might go read some quotes, maybe some poetry or write the copy first and then create the visuals from the written elements.

Socials and Website
@Thesomnambulistza @ohweetie and you can check me out at ohweetie.com 🙂

04 August 2022

THE OPEN WINDOW MAKERSPACE:

Welcome to the Open Window MakerSpace, our advanced fabrication and technology facility located on the Open Window Campus. The aim of the MakerSpace is to give students and staff access to affordable advanced technologies, in order to spur creativity and innovation within the creative industry!

Machines
The MakerSpace has a wide range of advanced fabrication technologies, and the following contains all the information you need to start accessing the MakerSpace machines!

1.FDM 3D Printing
Full Deposition Modelling 3D printing is the most common form of 3D printing.

2.Stereolithography Printing
SLA or Stereolithography 3D Printing used for high detail prints, such as jewellery design, or character models.

3.Laser Cutting
The C02 Laser cutter can cut and engrave several materials ranging from paper to 5mm MDF, perfect for projects that require precision!

4.CNC Machine
The CNC Machine allows us to cut out and carve simple or complex designs on wooden surfaces. It is also used to create custom PCBs for our electronics classes.

5.Vinyl Cutter & Large Format Vinyl Cutter
The vinyl cutter cuts self adhesive vinyl to any design that students need.

6.Large Format Printer
The MakerSpace houses our large format graphic art printer, which is capable of printing up to A0, as well as print directly onto self adhesive vinyl for custom sticker printing!

7.Sublimation Printer
The MakerSpace houses our new sublimation printer, sponsored by Epson, which allows students to print their design onto a number of different materials and objects. Print applications consist of T-Shirts, Mugs, Fabric*, Mosaic Tiles, Peak Hats, Coasters and Aluminium Sheets. This tool is great for branding across a wide range of physical media!

Electronics & Digital Library
The MakerSpace also offers a wide range of Electronics components and Digital devices that students can book out and use for free. Bookings are made by request from the MakerSpace Technician.

VR Headsets
The MakerSpace stocks a number of Oculus Quest 2’s for VR exploration and development. 3.2 Electronics library
The MakerSpace also provides students with a comprehensive Electronics library. Students can book out or purchase a number of microcontrollers and electronic components.

16 May 2022

3D ARTIST / GAME DESIGNER / GAME DESIGN LECTURER

Paulo Vilela lives and breathes Game Design! After extensive industry experience in design, animation, and VFX, he now practices and shares his passion as an avid and independent game artist and Open Window’s Game Design Lecturer.

GIVE US A QUICK BIO.

Originally, I studied Graphic Design, since no one offered a course: “Comic Book Artist – The Career”. A few years later, this led me to a 3D Animation degree which ultimately offered me a foot in the door of the game industry. To wrap it all up, I completed my Honours in Game Design.

The first stage of my professional career was filled with commercial work in design, animation, and VFX, especially for commercials. Some recurring clients included Sasol, Discovery Health, Sanlam, and SANBS. I’ve also had the opportunity to work on broadcast television on Innocent Times, Van der Walt’s Fault, Hopla, and Lappies.

The second stage of my career has been dedicated to games! Bounty Arms was a small team that got some interest from GAG magazine, a cool chat with Epic, and eventually landed with an American publisher. Bladeslinger is local, by studio Luma, and takes a look at the Wild West.

WHAT ARE SOME RECENT PROJECTS YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN?

I have two projects in development at the moment. The first is a wacky third-person sandbox game filled with comedic reflections of society. The early vertical slice got a Pangolin Awards Nomination, so this is good?! The second project bouncing around is set in the same world as project one but plays around with management and simulation.

Links to some of my work below!

Bounty Arms
Bladeslinger
Innocent Times

WHAT IS YOUR LECTURING PHILOSOPHY?

• If I love what I do, that passion will spill over. 
• Students are individuals, and if you acknowledge that, their world becomes less scary.
• Lead by example, and embrace the fact that we are all learning new things all the time. That’s what makes it exciting.

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU?

Check out recent work on my website!

04 May 2022

The surrealist style and nature of @lauren_opia animations will leave you feeling mixed emotions. Opia’s animations and illustrations have a deeper narrative that makes a greater impact on all audiences. You do not need to speak the same language or have the same cultural background for the animations to leave you slightly uncomfortable – and in awe.

Opia is a multi-disciplinary animator and illustrator that graduated from Open Window last year and continues to create at Opia, her personal creative studio.

#TheCreatives

1. What’s your favourite cake flavour?
Carrot – my tastebuds are as old lady-esque as I feel.

2. Who or what inspires your practice?
I’m heavily inspired by music! I love getting a feel of the visuals and aesthetics that are portrayed through sounds and lyrics. I’m a big King Krule fangirl. He, his hands and his music have inspired about 80% of the art that I’ve made in the last year!

3. What are your favourite tools or resources that you actively use?
To animate I usually use Procreate > TvPaint > AfterEffects. They’re my trusty, holy trifecta.

4. What is your favourite season?
Autumn and Winter because it means people cancel plans so I get to stay in more! 😊

5. What is your favourite project to date?
Definitely my animations “I’m Not Here” and “My Mind Seeps”. I felt like I really started to come into myself in those projects. I was able to find my style a bit better and they also helped develop my number one passion and love which is frame-by-frame animation. Those projects are very dear to me.

6. What are you listening to or watching at the moment?
Always listening to King Krule! But also Men I Trust, Clairo, Blood Orange, Black Marble and Boy Harsher. And then I’m just watching a lot of reality shows to unwind but I’d rather not expose myself by naming them!

7. If you could work with anyone in your field, who would it be?
@ramandjafari for sure! He reignited my passion for animation last year so I’m really grateful for him and his magical work.

8. If you could give any aspiring creatives advice, what would it be?
Don’t overwork yourself! You will become mentally ill and take 5 years to finish an undergrad!
Share your work! We are really privileged to create our own platforms that can be viewed by anyone, anywhere in the world.
Just create. My animations used to be ugly, robotic, and jagged just two years ago. The more you create the faster you’ll find your voice.

03 May 2022

Good sound design should be invisible. Not inaudible, obviously, but so seamless, subtle, captivating or convincing that, for most, it escapes a mention. 

That said, when prompted, what self-respecting movie watcher could dismiss Ben Burtt’s iconoclastic acoustic world-building for Star Wars? Or claim not to have heard the haunting heptapod vocals of Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival (2016), for which sound designers Michelle Child and Dave Whitehead hiked for days through New Zealand forests, to capture the rare kōkako, solving for a sound Villeneuve termed ‘sacred’. When engaging with a well crafted audiovisual experience, we should remember that we are listeners, just as much as we are viewers. Audio guru Michel Chion puts it like this: “Vast is the sea of hearing around the raft of vision”. Recent critically acclaimed films like The Sound of Metal (Marder 2019) and Memoria (Weerasethakul 2021) skilfully use sound design as central storytelling elements. In the exciting burst of innovative new cinema and television currently being created in South Africa, sound designers are playing a prominent role in elevating locally produced media to new heights.

Nêrens, Noord-Kaap is a meditative Afrikaans drama adapted from a play of the same name. It tells a story of three estranged brothers who find their way back to their childhood farm, Nowhere, to uncover the secrets, sadness and truth about their mother’s death. Written by Nico Scheepers, who co-directed alongside Johan Cronje, Nêrens, Noord-Kaap is deliberate and human, deserving of a sound landscape that authenticates its place in the world and brings the reality of the farm, its family and their fates, to life.

Open Window’s team of Sound Design lecturers — Jozua Loots, Dawid de Villiers and Louwrens Ferreira — along with one of Open Window’s recent Sound Design graduates, Alessandro Turchino, took on the challenge to sound design and final mix the 13-part series for kykNET. Jozua (who also fulfilled the role of supervising sound editor for the series), Dawid and Louwrens all happen to be musicians as well as audio professionals, and all three hold Master’s degrees in music.

To quote Jozua, “The world’s quite noisy.” Creating a world on screen that is at once cogent and compelling requires dedication to sound as medium, commitment to collaborative process with director, composer and production team, spectacular attention to detail, and more often than not the incurable habit of taking your field recorder on holiday, to gather ambient recordings that can be woven believably into the world of the story. The cold, distant Atlantic Ocean would be remarkably alien on a balmy beach in Khao Lak, Thailand, and vice versa (see episode two).  

Thoughtful, story-focused sound design can be wielded to inform context, layer meaning and invoke emotion, allowing us to see and hear and feel beyond the screen. As with other crafts, sound design may be elevated to a form of art, and, as is the case with Nêrens, Noord-Kaap, support and complement remarkable homegrown filmmaking.

Nêrens, Noord-Kaap was commissioned by kykNET and premiered in 2021.

Open Window prides itself on lecturers who stay alive in the fields in which they teach. Not only does professional practice maintain awareness of industry and nurture credibility of the academic staff, but live briefs often call for student assistance or involvement, providing enriching opportunities.

Open Window offers a 3-year Bachelor of Film Arts with the choice to major in Film & Television, Screen Acting, Screenwriting, Production Design and/or Sound Design. The Sound Design major is a stand-out in South Africa as it focuses specifically on the design of sound elements for audio-visual media, rather than on music technology. The major has proven to kickstart diverse careers, from Sound Recordist and Foley Artist, to Final Mix Technician and AV Sound Designer.

Watch: https://kyknet.dstv.com/program/nerensnoordkaap
Study: https://www.openwindow.co.za/sound-design/ 

Listen, always. 

26 April 2022

If you are active in the creative community then it’s extremely likely that you’ve heard of, stumbled upon or been awestruck by the brilliant work that is being created at Aurora Creative Studio. Lize-Marie Dreyer is the wonder behind the studio’s detailed, natural, mystical style that continues to raptor its audience. After graduating from Open Window in 2013, Lize-Marie has quickly established herself as a leader in the SA illustration space. While attending the world-renowned LUCA School of Art in Belgium, where she did 6 months of Masters in Illustration, Lize-Marie was chosen as the first All-Star winner of the Portfolio Night in South Africa and was sent to the Art Directors Club (ADC) in New York where she was the youngest competitor amongst 23 creative All-Stars from 23 cities across the globe. In the short few years since then, she has won a Loerie award, several Loerie Craft certificates and a South African National Stamp Design Competition. Lize-Marie is now an official freelance designer for the South African Philatelic Office as well as runs her own creative agency and her own homeware company, Aurora Homeware. During her time running Aurora Creative Studio the Children’s Book she illustrated was shortlisted in The World Illustration Awards by the Association of Illustrators in London. We had the privilege to chat with Lize-Marie and gain some of her wonderful insight.

#TheCreatives

1. What’s your favourite snack and are you more of a salty or sweet tooth?
Most people think designers are also coffee connoisseurs but I much prefer a cup of tea and a rusk 🙂 Rusks are my favourite snack of all time, but it has to be a rusk that’s full of bran, nuts, seeds, raisins and goodness.
50% Salty 50% sweet tooth. I love a cracker with hummus and salami almost as much as I love a rusk.

2. Who or what inspires your practice?
Nature, Storytelling, the ability to take something ordinary and add something magical to it.

3. What are your favourite tools or resources that you actively use?
Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign are my main tools

4. What is your favourite season?
Summer – I love to hike, play soccer, surf, garden and be in nature.

5. What is your favourite project to date?
Probably the current children’s book I am working on for M&C Saatchi Abel – no sneak peeks yet! Keep an eye on my Instagram for updates on that soon.

6. What are you listening to or watching at the moment?
Currently listening to 99% Invisible. Still one of my favourite podcasts of all time!

7. If you could work with anyone in your field, who would it be?
Ooh, good question. There are almost too many to list, but I’d love to learn from Victo Ngai. I’ve always been a huge fan of her work.

8. If you could give any aspiring creatives advice, what would it be?
1. Welcome constructive criticism, it’s the only way to grow.
2. Educate your clients about your design process to help set and manage expectations
3. Don’t work for free – People who value your work will be willing to pay for it.

22 April 2022

After graduating from Open Window in 2020, Josh Mc Donald has taken the Creative Technologies scene by storm! Mc Donald is currently a UX/UI designer at KRAFT Designsmiths® @kraftdesignsmiths where he pursues his creative endeavours. In 2021, Mc Donald was ranked 2nd in the Loeries official rankings for design students in Africa and the Middle East. In the same year, Mc Donald also took home a Gold Loerie in Digital Media. Colour us impressed. We had a little catch-up with Mc Donald to see where his interests lie. We cannot wait to see where his work takes him! 

#TheCreatives

1. What is your favourite cake flavour?
Chocolate Guinness cake! But generally, anything that has Guinness in it is a winner.

2. Who or what inspires your practice?
Mostly the people around me like those at KRAFT Designsmiths, as well as my close friends and family. Another big inspiration in my life is my mum; she is the reason I do what I do and one of the hardest workers I know.

3. What are some favourite tools or resources that you actively use?
I am a big Figma advocate! Part of my essential toolkit is also the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, Evernote, Slack and Google Meet. Last but definitely not least is Spotify — a must-have for all that good auditory experience! From podcasts to introspective beats, it is a critical part of my daily toolkit.

4. What is your favourite season?
Autumn for sure! The season of turning leaves signifies scarves, coats and building fires. Not to mention the increase of my caffeine intake.

5. What is your favourite project to date?
I would have to say it is probably CTC Africa, a project where I had the opportunity to improve and rework the experience and design of a platform that connects researchers to clinical trial sites around Africa. They are still waiting on funding but will hopefully be up and running soon!

6. What are you listening to or watching at the moment?
My favourite and most listened to podcast is Sh**ged Married Annoyed. Do yourself a favour and indulge in this hilarious, on-the-fly conversation between two of the funniest people I know. My music listening habits vary at the moment but I am currently listening to Khruangbin, a classic soul, dub, rock and psychedelia trio.

7. If you could work with anyone in your field, who would it be?
Definitely Tobias van Schneider. A product designer and all-round creative, who has worked on projects from Spotify to the identity of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission. A diverse and creative being.

13 April 2022

After graduating from Open Window with a BA in Photography & Communication Design in 2017, Shann Daniels has thrived within the fashion photography industry! She has worked on projects for local and international brands and aligned herself with key model agencies. Shann has worked with brands and names like Adidas @adidas and Detox @theonlydetox from RuPaul’s Drag Race. She continues to gain notoriety for her individual voice in image making and is internationally published, featured in the likes of Mob Journal Magazine @mobjournal and Harper’s Bazaar Singapore @harpersbazaarsg. We are so excited to see Shann continue to push the creative envelope!

#TheCreatives

1. What is your favourite cake flavour?
Chocolate.

2. Who or what inspires your practice?
I’m inspired by the elation of creating something, with feeling, out of nothing. From start to finish curating the creation of that image is my favourite part. 

3. What are some favourite tools or resources that you actively use?
Adobe for programmes. Pinterest and Behance are bomb for getting inspired.

4. What is your favourite season?
That sweet spot in Autumn when it’s windy and warm.

5. What is your favourite project to date?
Getting to work with Detox from RuPaul’s Drag Race. 

5. What are you listening to or watching at the moment?
I am almost always rewatching Kath & Kim. 

7. If you could work with anyone in your field, who would it be?
Nadia Lee Cohen.

07 April 2022

WRITER / EDUCATOR / FILM ARTS LECTURER / HOD, SCREENWRITING

Dr Stavros Halvatzis is a born storyteller. Also, a lover of cappuccinos. Educated and educator across the globe, Dr Stavros completed his Ph.D in narrative studies in Australia, while Head of Animation at JMC Academy. He has six novels on Amazon, the first of which went to number one in the hard science fiction category. He currently finds his home as Film Arts Lecturer and HOD of Screenwriting at Open Window. 

GIVE US A QUICK BIO.

My tertiary education began with a BA (Hons) at the University of Witwatersrand. I went on to acquire a Higher Diploma from the London International Film School (L.I.F.S.), and then my Ph.D on Multiform and Multistrand narrative structures in Hollywood Cinema, from The University of Southern Queensland, Australia.

DESCRIBE YOUR EDUCATOR JOURNEY.

I worked as Head of 3D Animation and Video at Open Window for six years, before taking the post of Head of Animation at the JMC Academy in Sydney, and then Brisbane, Australia, from 2007-2010. I have since returned to Open Window, to head up the Screenwriting department.

WHAT STANDS OUT IN YOUR WRITING CAREER?

I started my writing career as the resident screenwriter for Elmo de Witt Films in 1989, and hopefully have only improved my craft. I currently have six novels on Amazon.com. Scarab, my first novel, went to number one in the hard science fiction category on Amazon and remained on the bestseller list for several years.

WHAT IS YOUR LECTURING PHILOSOPHY?

I encourage students to find their own voice, while helping them establish good writing habits that will last them a lifetime. In an age of confusing narratives, delivering an artistic experience while having something of value to say is a gift worth cultivating.

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU?

Twitter. LinkedIn. Instagram. 

I have a blog, Stavros Halvatzis PH.D. and a Youtube channel called Get Writing, where I share education, insights and musings on writing.

06 April 2022

Thomas Walsh’s animations will leave you curious, emotional, and most importantly — wanting more. Walsh graduated from Open Window in 2021 and has become an independent 3D animator and designer, whose storytelling skills may just rival his impeccable work in the 3D field. Walsh won a Silver Loerie in 2021 for his animation Kung Pao, and continues to create engaging work which you can find at @thepotatothomas. We had a dainty chat with him to find out more about his work and creative process. Check it out!

#TheCreatives

The interview

1.  What’s your go-to snack?
Liquorice, but only the Allsorts kind!

2. Who or what inspires your practice?
Animation and storytelling that break the mould, especially the weird stuff.

3. What are some favourite tools or resources that you actively use?
Blender 3D, @blender.official. An incredible community!

4. What is your favourite season?
Winter. I love the cold.

5. What has been your favourite project to date?
Kung Pao, a short film. I worked with some really incredible people and had fun along the way.

6. What are you listening to or watching at the moment?
I am re-watching the amazing work of Love, Death & Robots.

7. If you could work with anyone in your field, who would it be?
Alberto Mielgo, @albertomielgo, is an incredible animation director.

01 April 2022

Tana believes that beauty is in the why of the beholder.

Tana is the first Open Window alumnus in our new The Creatives series, which follows the lives of Open Window graduates post-studies. Tana studied her undergraduate and Honours degree in Film Arts at Open Window and graduated cum laude in 2020. She is currently a multimedia designer at @darkmatterza where she is skilled in film direction, art direction, camera operation, editing and writing. Her work has been officially selected for @durbanfilmmart (2020), @rapidlion_film (2021) and @liftoffglobalnetwork awards (2020). Tana lives, laughs and loves film and we cannot wait to see the waves she continues to make in the film industry! 

#TheCreatives

Tana Interview

Tana lives, laughs and loves film.

1. What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?
Triple chocolate ice cream sandwich (Paul’s Homemade Ice Cream), because it’s cheaper than therapy. OR, vanilla. Not because I am, but because you can build on it.

2. Who inspires your creative practice?
The people who are dear to me.

3. What are some favourite tools or resources that you actively use?
Everything Adobe, and for editor hacks, Envato Elements.

4. What is your favourite season?
All, they inspire flow.

5. What has been your favourite project to date?
Probably Wanneer Meisies Swem or The Orange Couch. They are both sentimental to me.

6. What are you watching at the moment?
Pen15 and How to with John Wilson.

28 March 2022

Remember the name Balekane Legoabe! After graduating from Open Window in 2018 with a degree in Film Arts and Visual Communication, Balekane continues to soar in the creative industry as an artist, curator, illustrator, and motion designer. In 2019, Balekane won the @stateofthe_art gallery award, and in 2020, held her first solo exhibition. You can find more of Balekane’s work at @bale__kane. Alternatively, visit the Late Summer Exhibition at The Atelier, Johannesburg. Bale is exhibiting and helping curate it!

#TheCreatives

Bale Interview:

1. What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?
Vanilla.

2. Who inspires your practice?
My practice isn’t necessarily inspired by a person. It’s generally inspired by and focused on the elements of play and exploration. In terms of artists, it’s constantly changing — right now I’m loving the work of Mark Rothko, Cy Twombly and Stanley Whitney.

3. What are some favourite tools or resources that you actively use?
Anything and everything. I love to invest in good-quality paper and materials. As a mixed-media artist, I also enjoy seeing how different materials react to one another and determining which approaches are un/successful.

4. What is your favourite season?
Definitely Summer!

5. What has been your favourite project to date?
I recently did a project for MSF Doctors Without Borders. I had to visually interpret the emotional and psychological trials endured by migrants. To visually interpret what happens in the mind and heart, and have people engage and connect with that is pretty awesome.

6. What are you watching at the moment?
I don’t watch TV. My favourite podcasts at the moment are Know Thyself, which is about ancient philosophy and self-knowledge, and Huberman Lab, a podcast about neuroscience hosted by Stanford professor, Andrew Huberman.

04 March 2022

Product design and development is Welmarié Momberg’s true passion. She believes a meaningful product has the potential to create real, sustaining value on various levels. Empowering an individual or team to reach this goal provides Welmarié with enormous gratification. Thankfully, it’s what she does at Open Window.

Relevant and engaged in current practice, Welmarié has her own jewellery line and regularly consults for clients alongside lecturing. She was once awarded a top ten finalist position for Jewellery Designer of the Year for American Swiss. She won third place for a designer roof-rack for Holdfast in 2006. She was one of ten winners for a Point of Display stand for Xanita in 2006 and a shortlisted artist for Zepter International Design Award in 2013.

GIVE US A QUICK BIO.
Hello! So, a dedicated interest in design led to two design degrees. A BA Fine Arts degree (with Jewellery and Metal design) at Stellenbosch University, and a B.Tech Industrial Design degree at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Extra studies included a certificate programme in Innovative Facilitation of Learning through the University of Pretoria.

At the beginning of my career, I worked as an Industrial Designer at Edgi-Tech (PTY), which included design registration and IP portfolio administration, sourcing and liaising with suppliers internationally, funding applications and commercialisation plans. I stocked up on extensive industry experience, including work for Interbrand, who manages Polo, Cellini, Sissy Boy and others. This gave me an opportunity to draw-up tender documents, set quality control measures, formulate component specification sheets, liaise with suppliers and design physical products that made their way into the real world.

WHAT ARE SOME RECENT PROJECTS YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN?
I was honoured to give workshops in Saudi Arabia as a consultant for Global Systematic Incubation and Innovation Management.
Also undertook project management and production of office furniture design for CO Designs.
Consult regularly, and recently for MIC Distributors (Bidvest Group); a project geared towards kitchenware for Wilkinson Sword.
At work with bespoke design and manufacturing of my own jewellery and cutlery range!

WHAT’S EXCITING TO YOU AT THE MOMENT IN THE WORLD OF PRODUCT DESIGN?
Product Design is such a dynamic field with interconnected entities; people, processes and technologies. It is ever-evolving.
What’s exciting me is the growing awareness that governments and researchers need to pay attention to the lifespan of consumer goods, and the opportunity that product design brings for circular business models.

WHAT IS YOUR LECTURING PHILOSOPHY?
To create a learning environment for students to discover and to maximise potential through facilitation.

YOUR CREATIVE FOCUS FOR 2022 IN ONE-THREE WORDS:
Experimentation. Innovation. Action.

NAME A BOOK/SONG/MOVIE/PIECE OF ART THAT RECENTLY CAPTURED YOU.
The Pretoria–based artist Craig Muller’s work is inspiring to me. It encompasses brilliant linework, usually a combination of something mechanical and a natural element that provokes thought. 

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU?
In the CT classroom! And, you can follow @welmarie_momberg_design or my stream on Coroflot.

08 February 2022

A rehashed sitcom, a banal logo or a familiar lyric can be fine, but it’s neutral in the body. Something creative… now that ignites us. When we come across newness, or something that’s successfully alchemised ingredients and influence in an unexpected way, our eyes perk up, our hearts flip flop, our brains literally light up.

Some of you may remember a game played as a child, in which players took turns drawing sections of a body on a folded sheet of paper. The first player draws a head, then folds the paper for the next player, whom with perhaps only a hint of what came before, draws the torso. And so on and on, to create a creature that, once unfolded, is fanciful, funny or downright bizarre.

Surrealist artists created this parlour game in the 1920s, titling it the macabre but catchy Exquisite Corpse. It’s easy to see the appeal; the spontaneity, the element of chance, the thrill of unfolding a creative gift, the lack of pretension and preciousness that so often comes with creating what may serve to represent us, the individual (hello ego!).

The game touches on perhaps the foundational aspect of creativity — surprise. A honked blip in the ordinary; a disruption of the day-to-day. There is delight at a creation that could only ever exist because it passed through a number of startling minds, and became more creative because of it. Exquisite Corpse serves as a stellar reminder that creativity profits from collaboration.

“I’m not creative.” – Many people

Many people like to say they are creative, or they aren’t. 

But creativity is not inherent; an ever-spurting fountain for a few creative chosen. It is an ability, not unlike athleticism, cooking or accounting, that benefits from discipline. A muscle that strengthens with exercise. It is a way of looking at the world that welcomes and allows for tangential thinking. A person who may want or need to be creative will realise that the ol’ synapses get well-trodden, and tools (such as Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies) simple techniques, field trips or collaboration will force neural networks into non-default areas, and a maker to walk creative roads they’ve never known. 

Creative people use strategies, modes of play, dreamwork (!), self-imposed constraints and collaboration to see and combine things in a new way. This is creativity as behaviour.

Open Window, and the School of Visual Communication, are big fans of creativity — can you believe it! — and stand foundationally on collaboration. The annual Exquisite Corpse event was established to celebrate the Surrealists’ original game. The premise is simple. Students, staff, alumni, industry professionals and friends are invited to gather and make together. As participants or collaborators, the artistic outcomes are unknown. No one maker can control how the end product will turn out, and this loss of control is thrilling, terrifying, loosening! 

When creations are revealed at the Exquisite Corpse exhibition, the element of surprise is what makes engaging with the final works so exciting. Through the input of multiple creatives, mediums are tested and novel patterns emerge. New narratives form and perspectives expand. Makers try new things that might otherwise have been explored with less ease. One sees ideas as diving boards. The process offers us growth within our own practice.

When viewing the works alongside each other, a critical message emerges: creativity is for everyone. Just like yoga is for all bodies. And olive oil for all salads.* 

“When you sing with a group of people, you learn how to subsume yourself into a group consciousness … That’s one of the great feelings — to stop being me for a little while and to become us”. – Brian Eno 

When we work together and add to one another’s work (no matter what we’re given), a space for experimentation opens up and creativity gets excited. New ideas!

We’re reminded that our creativity as a collective is powerful. That we’re all creative. And when we’re feeling bereft and uncreative, it is not a personal failing. Rather, simply, a cue to take a cue.

This year’s Exquisite Corpse exhibition will take place on 3 August 2022, at the Now Gallery. Stay up to date and get the brief by following OW’s social media or our blog. Hope to see you there. ☺

*Unless you’re allergic to olive oil.

04 February 2022

Zinhle Zulu is a Gold Craft Loerie award-winning illustrator and Illustration Lecturer for Open Window’s School of Visual Communication. Zinhle has been featured in Visi, Between 10 and 5 and on the David Krut podcast. She is a contributor to galleries and events such as David Krut, Gallery 2, Art Lovers and the Turbine Art Fair. Her work centres on the honest and contemporary capture and communication of culture, particularly her own Zulu culture.

GIVE US A QUICK BIO.

Hey! I was born in Kwazulu-Natal and grew up in Johannesburg. I’ve wanted to be an illustrator since about Grade 5, when I realised I couldn’t draw. Drawing was difficult! Frustrating, challenging, intoxicating. I attained my Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Visual Communication, majoring in Illustration, from Open Window. I’ve recently completed my Masters in Visual Communication with University of Johannesburg, (hopefully) soon to be conferred.

WHAT ARE SOME RECENT PROJECTS YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN?

The Jewel City Mural — I was one of five artists chosen to design and illustrate an area of the Maboneng precinct. I got to meet (actual!) street artists and work with a team to bring my illustration to larger-than-life.
The Curious Five — I’ve been partnering with the David Krut gallery in Johannesburg ever since I knocked on their door in 2018. The Curious Five is a screenprint series inspired by African stories told and sold to tourists and foreigners.
Gallery 2 — Right now I’m contributing to a group show called Through the Window: A collection of Visual Narratives.
Wanderland Collective — I’m a contributing artist to this luxury, local textile brand which has printed my illustrations on scarves, purses and coffee cups, which is great!

WHAT’S EXCITING YOU AT THE MOMENT IN THE WORLD OF VC?

I’m thinking a lot about the metaverse. It’s philosophical and frightening, but there’s so much opportunity to create and make these new spaces. How will creator roles adapt from IRL? What new roles may emerge? What could this space mean for illustrators? Illustrators often find themselves in a sticky space between design and fine art. My hope is that the metaverse opens up the market. I’d like to see more hubs and spaces for illustrators to thrive in their chosen discipline.

WHAT IS YOUR LECTURING PHILOSOPHY?

• Respect is important and mutual.
• You are what you repeatedly do — your actions make you who you are.
• Be ready and willing to take each student as far as they can go in the time you have with them.
• We’re all on a journey on which learning never ends.
• I’m determined to prepare students to navigate the financial survival of creative work in the real world.

YOUR CREATIVE FOCUS FOR 2022 IN ONE-THREE WORDS:

Authenticity. Representation. Capturing current culture. (Yes, yes, more than three words).

NAME A BOOK/SONG/MOVIE/PIECE OF ART THAT RECENTLY CAPTURED YOU.

Song: Distance by Yebba
Art: Animals with Children Inside of Themselves, 2021, Balekane Legoabe

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU?

At Open Window a lot of the time. ☺
Also, you can follow @zhizulu

25 February 2022

We are beyond proud to celebrate a number one Top Educational Institution spot in the 2021 Loeries Official Rankings. It is a beautiful testament to our students, academic staff and all-round team effort, enthusiasm and creative courage!

Awards will never be what the work is all about, but to receive public recognition for the energy and determination that goes into every year at Open Window is a reminder that the work we make is meaningful beyond these walls. Creativity matters and always will.

“The truly wonderful thing is how Open Window staff constitutes one-third of the Loeries top 15 lecturer ranking. Great to be part of such company. Great to be part of such an institution.”
– Pluto Panoussis, Chief Strategy Officer at UXi Group

Join us in celebrating the individual students, lecturers, and alumni that grace the rankings pages!

Top Educational Institution
01 Open Window

Lecturer Awards
02 Pluto Panoussis
04 Morne Venter
05 Maaike Bakker
11 Nina Torr
13 Sean Viljoen

Student Awards
02 Josh McDonald
05 Luzanne Potgieter
06 Arne Boshoff
11 Jack Singer

Agency Art Director
11 Alumna – Kevin Radebe

Designer
09 Alumna – Lucinda Jordaan
10 Alumna – Wessel Mathews
29 Alumna – Lauren Mitchell

Congrats to all!

View and download the official rankings here.

03 November 2021

Our Game Design students and lecturers competed in the 72-hour SA Game Jam given the theme, “The urge to discover”. Good Boi, Puggo is an adventure RPG where Puggo must find out who the good boi really is.

Download available at
https://virtualwindow.itch.io/good-boi-puggo
SA Game Jam: https://itch.io/jam/sa-game-jam-2021

CREDITS:
Jared Brandjes- Lead Dev / UI
Christiaan De Jager- Level Design / Dev
Paulo Vilela- Lead Art / Dev
Anzel Larkins – Music / Narrative / Graphic design
Chris Solomon – Dev / Technical Artist / Rigging
Andre Terblanche – Dev / Sound
Bronwin Henn – Animation
Mark Shope – VFX
Willem Willemse – Dev
William Basson – Moral Support / Code / Models
Marnus Labuschagne – World Building
Jonathan Bala – QA

#SAGJ2021
SA Game Jam

25 October 2021

Rewarding creative excellence across Africa and the Middle East

The Loeries has been rewarding creativity for over 40 years.

As Africa and the Middle East’s premier award that recognises, rewards inspires and fosters creative excellence in the advertising and brand communication industry, winning a Loerie is the highest accolade for creativity and innovation across our region. The Loeries, a proudly not-for-profit company, promotes and supports creativity by helping marketers, agencies and consumers appreciate the value of fresh thinking, innovative ideas and outstanding execution.

Digital Media
Gold
Rooted (Own Brand) Mobile Application
Josh McDonald

General Design
Silver
011 Creative Club
Jack Singer

General Design
Bronze
What would happen if we went a different route?
Chanel Slabbert

Online Film, Short Film & Music Videos
Bronze
Short Animation Explorations of Femininity
Alexandra Botha-Green

Online Film, Short Film & Music Videos
Silver
Short Animation Kung Pao
Thomas Walsh, Ruben Venter, Celia Kumpf

Online Film, Short Film & Music Videos
Silver
Onvermydelik Short Film
Arné Boshoff

Television, Film & Video Crafts
Craft Certificate
Onvermydelik: Original Music
Barnardo Bloem

Television, Film & Video Crafts
Craft Certificate
Onvermydelik: Original Screenplay
Arné Boshoff

Television, Film & Video Crafts
Craft Gold
Onvermydelik: Cinematography
Luzanne Potgieter

10 February 2021

Olivier’s photograph was shot for a project that studied colour theory and uses a warm colour palette. The image further explores colour by analysing its socially constructed meaning – using the colour pink, which is often associated with femininity, to blur the lines between gender stereotypes.

Olivier is a 22-year-old second-year visual communications student at The Open Window Institue for Creative Arts & Technologies, South Africa. She never took art in school and only began her creative journey in 2020, when she left her studies in finances to study graphic design. She considers this a big leap of faith that led to her finding her true passion.

Commenting on her win, she said: “This award truly means the world to me. I shot this photograph at the very beginning of my photography studies, so the recognition from this award will unquestionably help me trust my creative instincts and to be more self-confident. I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity to showcase my work and to receive a voice through this wonderful platform. I hope that this photograph inspires at least one individual.”

As the South African National Award winner, Azelda Olivier receives Sony digital imaging equipment.
The overall winners in the Student, Youth, Open and Professional competition of the Sony World Photography Awards 2021 will be announced on 15 April 2021 via the World Photography Organisation’s digital and video platforms.

For more information about winners and shortlists, visit www.worldlphoto.org