Rosalie Dace
South Africa
Like all of us, l am a product of my history, as is my work.
I was born, and now live in the Indian Ocean city of Durban, but I actually grew up in the tiny rural village of Umzimkulu, East Griqualand, South Africa. My childhood and formative years were colored by a mix of both rural and city South African sounds, languages and colors. However, traveling and living in several other countries has left its mark in my memory too.
As an artist I am obsessed with light and color, loving the rich contrasts that result from the juxtaposition of cottons, silks, velvets, brocade, and sheers. I love traditional quilts and textiles with their variety of patterns and stories, but want my works to say something about their time and place in history, and to come directly from my life. They are a response in fabric and thread to what happens around me, what excites me, what makes me think and fills me with wonder.
My work is mainly machine pieced and abstract, often incorporating the linear and textural thread work that I love and find meditative. It has been exhibited and published nationally and internationally and can be found in collections worldwide. I have travelled and taught for many years, and am now enjoying the new challenges of teaching online.