What better place to start a conversation about Africa than in Africa in a room somewhere in Stellenbosch at the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography? Where you reach out and touch Maputo, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Canada, Australia and even Mexico to just name a few on a Tuesday night in June.

And the message is clear: collaboration is something of the future. The challenge is finding new ways to work together and doing it in true African style. Deciding what that means and how to live it. Sharing it with the World: the identity of Africa. That is next level stuff.

And giving Africa the confidence to flaunt her colors and culture to a World who has become a bit bland with too much of the same thing everywhere…

This is where the future lies: in the hands of people who are brave enough to discover their own voice, listen to the silence of their own hearts and moving ahead to new frontiers of living 360 degrees in harmony with a new World: the way we designed it.

If you want to check out how Barbara Fassler and her team of visionaries engineers the future through arts you should keep an eye on it here … www.facebook.com/StellenboschAcademy/

Sr. Marthie Nel Hauptfleisch
Singer-Songwriter, Professional Nurse, Inspirational Speaker
“Find Your Purpose And Run With It”
[email protected]
083 767 2701
Womanonfire_1 instagram
#MondaysWithMarthie: goo.gl/9vbmfc
>Diabetic education and support for Stroke patients has been more on my list recently then footcare: although that is where it all starts … #Footcare
>I recently released a new album “Boelie” and Video with Afrikaans Ruk for children. Fingers crossed as we entered it for the Woordfees. This is the year I am learning how to move it on a new beat #Rappin
>Collaborating with Winston Siljeur on a new production “Katjiepiering en Anys”. He is a whizz in the piano, you’ll see.
>Song for the week is a cover “My African Dream” I roughly recorded with Vinny-Chantell Ortell as part of a Think Music production. It did not make the final cut though. If you are interested in what did make it onto the album here is the link bit.ly/2ZCwuDE It was produced by seven time SAMA winner Peter Pearlson.

Peonies! I love them: so bright pink(or soft pink) and the first thing that blooms after a minus 40 C Winter in Saskatchewan, Canada(besides the chives and Lily of the Valley) Their scent will fill a room.
I fell in love with them -when we had the four distinct seasons in Canada: of which Spring was definitely my favorite!

Now I know they symbolize more than just the changing of seasons: new beginnings, dreaming and finding something that withstands the test of time.

That is why Anja’s peonies struck a special chord with me. She really is a master at what she does: whether it is interior design, graphic design, photography, painting murals(the bigger-the better!) and graphic design…
And this is how we met! She had to put graffiti wings on me for my ‘Psalms van ‘n Huisvrou’ production.
The story goes: I had my make-up and hair done: waiting for my husband-photographer to (climb over the fence) and take the picture in front of the bus-stop graffiti wings, one day after work. But his main job as an anesthesiologist finished after 8pm that day- making it too late for an outdoor photo-session. So he took a picture of me against the kitchen wall, and I took a photo of the graffiti wings the next day.

Anja was the one who magically put it together after I met her at an Extraordinary Women’s event. I told her if she could put the wings on me we are going to be a great team! She did and the rest is history…

She has been doing all my graphic designs for albums, posters, playing cards and literally anything else you can think of! With her it is always possible… She is my wings on the days I really need them, need them painted on or for a project ready to fly fast!

So I asked her the other day: what does your peony/dream look like? And she said: I want to paint somebody’s wall… the bigger, the better. And might I add: she has a passport! If I knew this while I was still living in Canada I would have asked her to come and paint a BIG Table Mountain on my Saskatchewan house’s basement wall #VeryHomeSick.

So I don’t know what your peony/dream looks like: but just in case you want to remind yourself: you might consider giving Anja freedom to travel to any passport destination of your choice- even to your living room- with a permission slip to paint weird and wonderful things on YOUR wall next! #DreamBigger #BloomingWalls

Anja Black; 072 509 4343; [email protected]; Instagram @anjablack.art

Thank you for journeying with me.

Sr. Marthie Nel Hauptfleisch
Singer-Songwriter, Registered Nurse, Inspirational Speaker
“Find Your Purpose And Run With It”
[email protected]
083 767 2701
Womanonfire_1 instagram
#MondaysWithMarthie: goo.gl/9vbmfc

>The Peonie mural in picture can be viewed at Au de hex in Wellington. I made a collage of the pencil idea start to wall finish.
>Footcare as usual weekdays. I am into heritage music so expect some familiar tunes.
>Great excitement is building with new album I am collaborating with Afrikaans Ruk named ‘Boelie’. Also started rolling on a production ‘Katjiepiering En Anys’- all about coming home- back to your roots to superhero’s like my Oupa Louis.
>Song of the month is
How do you hang on to a dream? A song by Tim Harden I covered on my Think Music Album- Marthie Nel hauptfleisch youtu.be/vlG9XjXMA8c
I like this song and how Peter Pearlson produced it with singing wallpaper and Kevin Gibson drumming in a free-floating presence. Vinny Ortell recorded piano one late night at W Heuer Musikhaus on a real grand piano and Heinrick Abrahams added his flute. So it is a wonderfully romantic and sad song. All in all it fits perfectly in a weird bit wonderful mix of music from banjo & ghoema Afrikaans music to The Garden and The Doors song ‘Summers almost gone’…