Marian Bantjes

Marian Bantjes describes herself as a graphic artist. In her years as a graphic designer she used strategy in her work, but now as a graphic artist she follows her heart and interests. She involves her ego in her work. Her work is unexpected and invokes curiosity. She has designed in all types of mediums including sugar, pasta, and tinfoil. She contributed to the blog entitled "Speak Up!" which helped to launch her rebirth as a graphic artist. She sends out ornate valentines every year ranging from hand painted heart letter forms spelling out the recipients names to used Christmas cards laser cut into heart shaped doilies. After watching her interview on Lynda, I watched a Ted Talk that she did and she said, "I'm very interested in wonder, in design as an impetus to inquiring. To say I wonder is to say I question, I ask. And to experience wonder is to experience awe." I feel as if this reads very clearly in her designs. Everything she does is so thought out and imaginative that it evokes a certain magic and whimsy. I agree with her idea about the importance of imaginative visual work in society. She says in the aforementioned Ted Talk "I'm mystified as to why visual wealth is not more commonly used to enhance intellectual wealth." I feel the same way. Bantjes's unique design style is inspirational and definitely makes me want to be experimental and make very beautiful, impactful things.