For Talitha Deetlefs, artmaking has been a form of self-expression from a very young age. She attended Tshwane University of Technology where she studied painting and printmaking. She subsequently set about a career in the film industry as a scenic painter and faux artist. It was during this time that she developed a keen interest in sculpture. Deetlefs soon accepted a position as a patina artist at an art foundry which was to be a catalyst for her sculpting career.
She became familiar with all production and business aspects of sculpture creation and bronze casting. Her body of work was well received when she started exhibiting in 2009 and can now be seen in select galleries and private collections worldwide.
Deetlefs has focused predominantly on the female form as her subject, and her sculptures embody the strength, sensuality, and sensitivity of the multi-faceted feminine archetype.
She explores the ways in which our identities as woman are formed by our personal and collective history, and how it relates to the notions of femininity expressed in modern society. Her work is inspired by mythology and the symbolic language; by the ways in which it can enrich our lives, enabling us to transcend popular culture and reveal our own beauty.
Working with images originating in the unconscious, Deetlefs creates female forms in clay and resin. The female forms are clothed in layers of sheet metal. Her attention to detail and interesting choice of design ensures that each piece is unique unto itself.