Petra Sittig

In this inspiring conversation, artist Valeria Talian shares her journey from her birthplace in Bratislava, Slovakia, to building a life and artistic career in South Africa. Valeria moved with her family to Pretoria in 1990, where her father worked as a violinist. Although music surrounded her from an early age, her heart was drawn to the visual arts—spending hours visiting galleries and exploring...

In this deeply personal conversation, Magdalena Westman traces the arc of her life from her early years in a pastor’s family in Czechoslovakia to her transformative experiences in South Africa—where the seeds of her art therapy practice first began to take root. Growing up in a home filled with intellect, faith, and compassion, Magdalena’s childhood was shaped by both inspiration and challenge. He...

In this episode of The Artist’s Voice , we meet Stuart Mckenzie — an extraordinary Cirque performer, teacher, and founder of Aerial Fitness Bodies (AFB) . Born in London, Stuart began his athletic journey in gymnastics at the age of 12 and went on to represent Great Britain in Sports Acrobatics for a decade, where his Men’s Four team proudly achieved a World No. 1 ranking . After retiring from com...

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Pamela Power , a Johannesburg-based television scriptwriter, script editor, novelist, and former actor. Pamela’s journey through the worlds of acting, teaching, and writing offers a fascinating glimpse into the craft of storytelling in South Africa today. he has contributed to some of the country’s most popular television productions — Top Billing , Gen...

In this episode of The Artist’s Voice , I had the pleasure of speaking with Tanya Keggin, a Canadian artist who once worked for two decades as a marketing and advertising lawyer before following her true passion for art. From an early age, Tanya was drawn to painting and dreamed of a creative career, yet her many interests led her first into science and then into law. It was only years later, afte...

In this episode of The Artist’s Voice, I speak with Hendrik Hofmeyr, often described as South Africa’s most performed classical composer. His works span opera, orchestral, chamber, choral, vocal, and piano music, and have been performed across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. We discuss his opera Sara Baartman, which tells the true story of Saartjie Baartman, a woman of the Khoi community...

In this conversation with Hannah Morris, we explore how psychology, neuroscience, and creativity intersect in her unique approach to transforming spaces. With a degree in psychology and ongoing studies in neuroaesthetics, Hannah brings a fascinating perspective to the world of property design and management—one that goes far beyond aesthetics. She describes how a home or workspace can become a tru...

In this inspiring conversation, I speak with Petra Štefanková – an award-winning artist, designer, and illustrator whose work spans across graphic design, book illustration, and painting. Recognised internationally by Channel 4 and American Illustration, Petra brings a rich, multidisciplinary perspective to her creative practice. She shares insights into her career as a graphic designer, as well a...

In this interview, I had the pleasure of speaking with Shan Y. Chuang , a true triple threat whose artistic journey is as inspiring as it is multifaceted. Shan began her training as a pianist at a young age before discovering her passion for dance, which ultimately set her on a path toward a life in the performing arts. After graduating with an MFA in Musical Theater from National Taiwan Normal Un...

In this conversation, I had the privilege of speaking with Leanne Olivier, a South African artist who makes her home in the vast landscapes of the Kalahari, Northern Cape. Her artistic journey moves through the thresholds of human experience, where stories, symbols, and myths converge. Olivier’s practice lives in these liminal spaces — places of transition, in-between states — where the seen and u...

In this episode, I sit down with Bama Lutes Deal, a musicologist, consultant, and passionate advocate for the arts, whose journey has taken her across disciplines—bridging music, culture, business, science, and technology. Bama’s story begins with her deep love of music and her training as a musicologist, where she studied music not only as sound, but as a cultural and historical force that shapes...

Indre Viskontas has spent her life at the crossroads of two worlds that are often kept apart: art and science. An opera singer-turned-director who came of age during the “decade of the brain,” she has always felt a magnetic pull toward both music and neuroscience. Rather than choosing one path over the other, she has forged a career that beautifully integrates the two. With a Master’s degree in Vo...

In this conversation, we meet Eva Obodo, a visual artist from Nsukka, Nigeria, whose work spans painting, sculpture, and mixed media. From his earliest memories, Obodo has been captivated by the act of creating. As a child, he drew pictures in the sand at school—ephemeral sketches that vanished with the wind—teaching him the beauty of impermanence and the importance of process over permanence. At...

In this episode of The Artist’s Voice, I had the pleasure of speaking with Owain Park, composer, conductor, and artistic director of the award-winning British vocal ensemble The Gesualdo Six. The group was founded in 2014 in Cambridge for a performance of Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories and has since become one of the most exciting vocal ensembles of our time. Made up of some of the UK’s finest c...

This episode features Dorothy Di Stefano, Founder and Director of Molten Immersive Art, an international collective known for creating large-scale, multi-sensory art experiences. Her projects span the globe — including the landmark Noor Riyadh in Saudi Arabia — and she is recognised as a leading figure in shaping how audiences encounter art in new and unexpected ways. Dorothy’s journey into this f...

In this inspiring interview, I speak with Gabriel Gordon , an accomplished Music Director, conductor, and violinist whose career spans the United States, Australia, and Europe. Gabriel currently serves as Music Director of The New American Philharmonic and is a frequent guest conductor with Chamber Orchestra Ogden and The Nova Chamber Series . Gabriel’s journey began early — he started performing...

In this episode of The Artist’s Voice, I did an interview with Mbasa Tsetsana – a theatre actor, writer, and director whose journey through the arts has been nothing short of inspiring. Mbasa’s story begins in East London, South Africa, but his craft has taken him to some of the country’s most renowned stages and screens. From interning and writing for the beloved South African soapie Muvhango, to...

Meet Charles J. Limb, surgeon, neuroscientist, and lifelong musician — who’s just as comfortable behind a jazz piano as he is in the operating room. These days he’s the Francis A. Sooy Professor and Chief of Otology, Neurotology, and Skull Base Surgery at UCSF, Director of the Douglas Grant Cochlear Implant Center, and head of the Sound and Music Perception Lab. But before all of that, Charles was...

In this episode, I speak with Rico no Suave, an American talk show host and creator of both the Rico no Suave Talk Show and a popular YouTube cooking channel. Rico shares the story of what sparked his creative journey — a journey fuelled by his natural talent as a problem-solver and his unstoppable creative spirit. He began by doing casual Facebook Live sessions from his car on the way to work, ch...

In this interview, I speak with Michael Raynaud, ballet teacher for the third-year students at Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, UK. Originally from France, Michael began ballet at the age of seven and went on to train for six years at the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School. Upon graduating, he joined the English National Ballet, touring the world with Swan Lake before becoming a permanent...

In this interview, I speak with Sophie Zimmermann, a talented production designer and set designer who proudly calls herself a "Production Magician"—and rightfully so. Sophie shares her passion for creating immersive, unforgettable experiences for live theatre, concerts, circus, and large-scale events, all while making the impossible possible. From crafting intricate props and scenography to solvi...

In this fascinating episode of The Artist’s Voice, I speak with Anjan Chatterjee, Professor of Neurology, Psychology, and Architecture and Director, Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics A distinguished neurologist and cognitive neuroscientist, Professor Chatterjee shares insights from over three decades of research in spatial attention, language, and the intricate relationship between language and spac...

In this compelling and candid interview, Berny Martin—a Haitian-American fashion designer, style consultant, custom tailor, and founder of Catou—shares the inspiring journey that led him to the heart of the fashion industry. Berny launched Catou in 2005 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and has since built it into an internationally recognized line of men’s and women’s professional wear. Raised by his gra...

In this inspiring episode of The Artist’s Voice, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dilek Taptik, Founder and Artistic Director of DT Dance, about her journey in the world of classical ballet and her deep commitment to dance education. With a career rooted in rigorous training and a teaching style infused with warmth, humour, and technical precision, Dilek shares valuable insights into the world...

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Muneera Sallies, a remarkable South African film producer, director, and actress. Muneera shares her journey into filmmaking—from childhood experiments with a camcorder inspired by her mother’s encouragement, to discovering the emotional power of visual storytelling. She delves into her recent feature film Old Righteous Blues, South Africa’s official subm...