Cape Town Artist Opens Up About Dad Inspiring Her, Taking Part in Around 20 Exhibitions and Comic Con

• Talented Cape Town artist Taahirah Luddy is dismantling archaic stereotypes about exhibitions being aimed exclusively at rich and older people
• The 23-year-old has taken part in close to 20 exhibitions thus far, despite only publicly showcasing her work two years ago
• Briefly News had the honour of engaging with the young trailblazer, who shared that her dad, a talented artist himself, inspired her

A multi-talented and beautiful Cape Town artist with an expansive repertoire is proving that exhibitions are not exclusively for older and wealthy individuals.

Taahirah Luddy explains to Briefly News that she is relatively self-taught and simply refined her skills by studying Art and Design at the College of Cape Town in 2018.

The 23-year-old notes that she's always loved art and had a keen eye for drawing, with her father, an artist himself, inspiring and encouraging her.

Read also

KZN baker who makes beautiful cakes shares favourite winter treats, offers advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

In conversation with Briefly News' Women Empowerment Editor, Taahirah reflected on her journey and future aspirations.

Cape Town artist had to drown out a lot of noise to find herself

The young woman, who is a graphic designer by profession, having worked for many well-known magazines, notes that people often perceived artistry as a 'poor person's career choice':

“Growing up, there was a lot of talk of ‘being an artist isn't a stable job or career’ being thrown around, which heavily influenced my decision to study graphic design. This was a way for me to still be creative and have what was seen as a stable job.

“But as I got older, I realised how uninformed people are, and that being an artist can be more than stable, despite the term ‘struggling artist’ [propagated by many].

Read also

Gauteng trainee accountant shares advice for young people who want to follow the same career

“It definitely takes a lot of work to reach those heights as an established artist, but it’s doable and I wish more people knew that instead of trying to squash the dreams of aspiring young artists.”

The inspiring artist states that she is always trying to improve her craft:

“At the moment, I'm still working full-time whilst also trying to master my craft and doing exhibitions.

“Luckily for me, my family is extremely supportive and haven't missed one exhibition, no matter how small or big the exhibit may be.

“So far, I've been part of almost 20 group exhibitions (since starting publicly in 2021), with two of those being an auction at which my work sold out.”

The talented artist shares some of her career highlights

This year, Taahirah was afforded an amazing opportunity to showcase her work:

“I had the luxury of being an exhibitor at Comic Con Cape Town, which was such a thrill. I met other amazing artists and collectively got to know an audience, which was more than happy to be there.”

Read also

Pretoria woman slays as nail technician, painter and tiler after being unable to complete her studies

Taahirah notes that her industry influences are Cuban-born artist Magdiel Lopez and street artist Alec Monopoly:

“They influence both my paintings and digital artworks as it ties in with my interests and style. My style is more urban art and pop artsy, because I'd like to attract a younger audience.

“The reason for this is because I want our younger generation to know that it's okay to go to exhibitions and that it’s not just for [people of wealthier demographics and older audiences]. This is something I came across a lot when trying to invite younger friends to some art pop-ups and exhibitions.”

The creative shares her future ambitions, explaining that there is so much she still wants to master:

“I'd like to evolve my style and my skill set by learning 3D. Other than having my art displayed in galleries and being a recognised artist, it’s always been my dream to further my studies and go into character and game design. I hope to one day fulfil that dream and grow as a designer, as well as an artist.”

Read also

Vegetable farmer in North West Province with accounting degree from Unisa thrives in agriculture

Taahirah, with her enigmatic spirit, talent, and love of design thinking, is a true inspiration from whom many young women can learn.

Talented woman from Johannesburg hand-paints sneakers

In another inspiring story, Briefly News wrote about a highly skilled lady who resides in Johannesburg and is wowing peeps with her creative grind.

Thobile kaNjinji Ntuli customises sneakers by hand, painting them with care, with her business called Luthi Creatives.

Source: Briefly News