Celebrating The Womens Cortez 23

Elléna Lourens

@ellenalourens, www.ellenalourens.com

I’ve always wanted to be in a creative field, initially film.. director or actor, I’m not over that yet, I just focus on art at the moment.

Multi-disciplinary artist.

The first time I ever painted a wall of my own design was on a rooftop, in 5-degree weather, and It was the hardest thing I had ever done, and I loved the whole process. That's when I realised.

The best this about being an independent creative is having the option to allow your creative voice to grow organically and honestly.

The best skill I’ve learned to cope in the hard times is … to remember, that if it's really what you want, you don’t have a choice, so back yourself, and don’t stop making things that you like.

Have confidence in what you’re doing, and don’t be scared to explore different avenues - you’re not going to be amazing at everything you do, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

My name is Kayleigh-Anne but you may also know me as buzzcut barbie.

@buzzcut.barbie, kaylighanne.wixsite.com

As a child, I always knew I wanted to be doing something creative. My dream was to be a pop star but unfortunately, I have no musical talent throughout the years I realized I have a passion and talent for photography and filmmaking.

I would call myself a photographer filmmaker/creative.

During my first year of studying filmmaking, I realized I was more passionate about photography and creating still images. More recently I've fallen back in love with filmmaking and would like to pursue that more.

This might not necessarily be a skill but the true meaning of perseverance but also how to hustle and create work for yourself.

For me, I love that there's more representation of women, POC and LGBTQ people in the creative industry making waves and pushing their narratives and taking up space as they should! What's also exciting is how creatives have more opportunities to network and have their work seen by a wider audience because of the internet and social media.

I would tell a younger version of myself to believe in myself more and to take more risks outside of my comfort zone. As cliche as that may sound I think believing in yourself and seeing your worth as a creative is very important and has an impact on your career. I definitely turned down opportunities because I felt like I wasn't good enough or because the job was outside of my league. It's important to remember that even if an opportunity seems scary and out of your league these things wouldn't be coming your way if other people didn't believe in you and your work and what you have to offer.

My name is Anita Hlazo, a lot of people call me Afro, after my brand Afrogrunge.

For personal chats you can find me on IG as @anitahlazo_ for my work or portfolio you can view @afrogrunge

I wanted to be a businesswoman. I looked up to my cousin who at the time was doing Business Management at University. I imagined her in corporate wearing suits, calling shots. I modelled myself after her and that idea. We both didn't follow that path though. She's now a radio sports commentator and I'm definitely not in corporate.

I am a creative entrepreneur. A generator of creative ideas that can facilitate an income for myself and in the future, others.

I do! I remember it clearly. Towards the end of my high school years. I just wanted to pursue fashion. I didn't wanna be a businesswoman anymore. I wanted to design clothes. I even asked my mom if I could go to a design school to learn about design before the tertiary level. That didn't happen but I still made it to University and learnt design there and then.

I've been watching a lot of Virgil Abloh and DJ Black Coffee interviews on YT and they reiterate being able to create freely without too many restrictions or pre-approval. Being Independent in your creativity to me means you can break the rules - or not even that because you construct the rules yourself. So the best thing is being able to create however and whatever you want. Any advice you get is guidance rather than restrictions. When you work with people it's through collaborations. You're in a position to join forces with people instead of following a structure that's preset (which isn't wrong, this is all perspective).

I'm answering this Q&A during a very hard time. A part of my sewing machine is broken and I've been fixing it for 2 days now. I've had to take off my fashion design hat and put on my machine servicing hat which is a brand-new hat I have no experience with. Basically being resilient - actually nah lol - breaking down, giving yourself time to experience a hard time than picking yourself up and moving on to finding a solution to it. I've recently heard a phrase and I've been using it ever since which is: START WITH THE END IN MIND. That keeps me going. Knowing all the challenges I'm facing now and will face in future is temporary because I know what the end will look like. Challenges are a passing part of a permanent end goal.

Honestly - nothing. South Ah is in an electricity crisis. But - I think what's exciting is that with every problem, (similar to the question on top) each generation or just people, in general, are challenged to come up with solutions to fix that problem so that they never experience it again. So I think the most exciting thing - which can also be quite challenging - is how fast-paced change is happening compared to previous generations. We are at a point as a society where change is accepted quite faster therefore change is created quite faster. There's a quicker reaction to things, and issues and solutions come as fast. Give one piece of advice to a younger version of yourself reading this now. Everything is going to be okay. If I could, I would hug my younger self. Just know that all the negatives you held on to you finally outgrow, work on and forget. Know that the world does not revolve around you. Other people's actions were not because of you. People are going through their life. You didn't have guidance but you're doing okay. I love you. Afrogrunge turned out to be a clothing brand and people get it. You imagined it and it happened, they get it.

Erin Simon

@___eee_________________, www.eeestyling.com

I always knew I wanted to work with clothes but didn’t know much about the industry. To be honest - I’ll still not big and I’m still open to the idea of anything as long as it’s got to do with creating :)

I guess for now I’ll go with a wardrobe stylist.

I was working at Woolworth's head office in the buying department as a trainee - every day someone would question what I was doing there because I guess I stood out. By this time I’d already dipped my toe in styling so I decided to jump in.

Every job is a new opportunity to create something new and meet new exciting people while doing it. Also having the freedom to take time off on your own time to create whatever you want to create.

The growth of freedom to be who you want to be. I know we still have a long way to go but it’s exciting to know we’re headed in the right direction.

Never stop being fearless.

My name is Hana Sho :-)

@hanajaynesho or Hanajaynesho.work - I’m quite proud of my website!

I can’t say “I am big” yet! ...But growing up I wanted to be an animator. After university, I learnt that I didn’t want to be confined to a desk, bringing someone else’s vision to life. I’ve always struggled to focus on one medium, or field, and realised that I am more excited about the ability to collaborate and be involved in every aspect of the creative process, rather than just a fraction of it. I’ve found film and photography to be the perfect outlet for that, giving me the freedom to explore and express myself in endless ways.

Umm...Filmmaker & photographer.

Hmm - I remember the first time I worked on an ad with a director who was a woman. At that point, I had been doing commercial acting for a few years, and it was a revelation. For the first time, I could see myself in someone else - someone who communicated in a strong, kind and confident manner. It was a powerful moment for me because if you don’t fit a particular mould, the world often makes you believe that certain things just aren’t meant for you. But working with this director reaffirmed my belief in myself and the idea that you can be both strong and sensitive at the same time. That experience really shifted how I felt about myself. It reminded me of the power of representation, and of the importance of having diverse voices and perspectives in positions of leadership. It also reinforced my belief that being true to yourself is the key to success in any creative field. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to show us what’s possible...

I think for me the best thing about being an independent creative is the opportunity to bring my own unique voice and vision to projects, and importantly having the freedom to own my time, and to do so in my own way and on my own terms. Although it comes with many challenges! It also means having the chance to collaborate with other creatives whose values align with mine; being able to have the space to take risks, make mistakes, push boundaries and challenge myself to explore and grow wherever and with whoever I choose. Ultimately, the best thing about being an independent creative is the sense of possibility that comes with it, and although risky - I think that’s an exciting place to be.

Haha! It’s never easy, and there are certainly moments when I question whether it’s worth it... especially when work is quiet. I don’t know if this classifies, but I try to monetise off of all my skills, which allows me to do what I love on the side. I think if you love something, you will find time for it. And even when it feels like the world might not be interested, it’s important to keep trying, failing, and trying again. So I am in the process of learning to not lose touch with who I am and what excites me.

Oh dear, that is a big question. Hmm...We are progressing incredibly rapidly in technology, I mean we have seen huge strides in Artificial Intelligence (which I am quite excited about), which is changing the way we live and work. But I think, as people, we are more connected (or disconnected as some might argue) than ever. This is a BIG question, jeez. We’re really pushing for more inclusivity and representation, challenging old stereotypes and creating new narratives that are more reflective of the diverse world we live in. I think we’re seeing all sorts of new voices and perspectives that are challenging the status quo, and we are being introduced to new ways of working that are perhaps different to what we are familiar with. So I think what we don’t really know or understand yet is exciting to me. However, I think we have a lot of work to do and a long way to go...

Hmm...Creativity thrives in moments of uncertainty and vulnerability, so embrace the fear and use it as fuel to push yourself further. Everyone’s journey is unique; so become friends with patience - your success and failures are all part of what shapes your story.