Meet Artist Nelis Singles

Based in the picturesque village of Napier in the Overberg, South Africa. Nelis Singels works from his home studio and boutique art gallery and focuses mainly on wildlife sculpture. He combines his knowledge as a trained ecologist with a lifelong passion for creating art. His art blends his sculpting skills with an in-depth knowledge of the natural environment and
archaeology, resulting in an intriguing marriage between his passions.

His sculptures are explored using experimental texturing and he believes in creating many of his own hand tools. This results in unique and challenging surfaces. He has a nuanced approach to patination. Utilizing a wide range of chemicals, oxides and harvested pigments and combining them with precision and an eye for detail. The finishes are reminiscent of the natural
world. His ceramics makes use of incorporating casts of wildlife tracks, leading to unique and curious surfaces. His pieces are intended to be functional, creating a link between everyday use and humanity’s connections to the wild. Some pieces highlight single species found in the Overberg while other pieces have been described as “Ecology on a plate”.

For more information, contact Greyton Art Walk.