David Chislett is a "Creativity Activator and Foursight Facilitator. An Ex-punk poet who knows the best ideas rarely show up politely."

He has been working across business, art, and innovation for the past 30 odd years in South Africa and Holland, where he is currently based.

We spoke about the discipline, structure and routine it takes to uphold a practicing and producing studio.

And please note we are not talking about being product-driven, we are talking about creating a space where artists can safely create and grow their creative practice.

Worth a listen!! He drops many pearls!

I would like to thank David and my patrons for making this work possible!

Ayala Gazit and I had a great in-depth conversation about her seminal projects, discussing what it felt like to have been mentored through the first one and then working more independently on the second one.

Ayala is a Berlin based photographic artist and educator. We are also close friends who were Tierney Fellowship recipients for 2009, Ayala from the School of Visual Arts, and myself from the University of the Witwatersrand. We met in a Starbucks in NYC.

We shared memories of the arc of our careers between graduating, working independently and what it takes to get into the role of mentor and teacher.

Image Credit:

I would like to thank Ayala and my patrons for making this work possible!

WELCOME TO SEASON FOUR OF STUDIO CONFIDENTIAL! In this episode Serge Alain Nitegeka and I met and talked about the philosophy of his practice and the use of materiality in his process.

Serge is a highly prolific Johannesburg based artist and is well known for his installation works which speak to displacement. His 2025 show at the Wits Art Museum draws on his own personal experience of forced migration which he describes in a sentence: "That displacement is a harsh and necessary affair"

He shared his inspiring insights on getting lost in the process and how he views re-meeting some his earlier works when he was exploring and finding is way as a young artist.

Image Credit:

Serge Alain Nitegeka

Identity is Fragile III 2021 Charcoal and paint on wood 120 x 140 x 4.5cm

I would like to thank Serge and my patrons for making this work possible!

Sikhumbuzo Makandula an Eastern Cape based interdisciplinary artist, and head of the Photography Department at Rhodes University, and I spoke about his new project.

The work looks at lesser known histories of the Amahlumbi tribes and is looking at the archives of Duggan-Cronin's photographs for the Bantu tribes of South Africa (1928-1954) .

He speaks about what it means to work with community, a slow photographic process in today's era of instant image-making and how being filmed making his work helps him to gain perspective of how he engages with the place and subjects.

It is with huge gratitude to Skums and my patrons for making this work possible! If you loved an episode and wish to support a future one please help me to keep these podcasts uninterrupted and AD-free by making a monthly donation on Patreon or on my website www.moniquepelser.com

Ian Grose a Cape Town-based artist spoke about a transformative moment he had on a residency that carved out a new trajectory in his career.

He is a Stevenson artist and currently has an exhibition on show. https://www.stevenson.info/exhibition...

He generously shared about his experiences and strategies how to manage his energy and focus in his studio and practice allowing him to be as prolific as he is.

Portrait picture credit: Johno Mellish

It is with huge gratitude to Ian and my patrons for making this work possible! If you loved an episode and wish to support a future one please help me to keep these podcasts uninterrupted and AD-free by making a monthly donation on Patreon or on my website www.moniquepelser.com

Nandipha Mntambo and I spoke about what it was like to be a student and engage in studio practice in the days before social media and what it is like to mentor and teach art students who have to navigate that space these days.

We discuss how important it is to have a space of experimentation where you can make mistakes and explore and find new ways of working.

It is with huge gratitude to Nandipha and my patrons on PATREON for making this work possible! If you loved an episode and want to make a donation to a future interview please feel free so do so via Patron or my website.

#nandiphamntambo #inconversation #moniquepelserstudio #artistmentor #artpodcast

WELCOME TO SEASON THREE OF STUDIO CONFIDENTIAL. Jonas Vansteenkiste and I discuss the importance of creating studio time, how art can perform as a mirror and the value of working in collaboration.

Jonas and I met in Paris at the Cité des Artes in 2018 and we went on to be participants in the GoGo Collective. Jonas speaks to how each country has it's own bubble and what he gained coming together as a group of international artists.

It is with huge gratitude to Jonas and my patrons on PATREON for making this work possible! If you loved an episode and want to make a donation to a future interview please feel free so do so via Patron or my website.