Hi, I’m Zalea.

South African by birth, Dutch by adventure, artist by heart, and human (very) by experience.

I mostly paint people — honest, soulful portraits in oil that tell a story. I love capturing not just a face, but the laugh lines, the softness, the mystery, the realness behind it. You know, the stuff that makes us human.

When I’m not painting, I’m probably writing. Little stories, messy reflections, humorous ramblings — sometimes profound, often not. It’s all part of Brushstrokes & Bread, my devotional blog where I talk about life, faith, and what it means to stumble through both with a paintbrush in one hand and a crumb of hope in the other.

My faith sneaks into most of what I do — not in a preachy way, but in that “God, are You even seeing this mess?” kind of way. Spoiler: He usually is.

I’m also a mom of two teenage girls, a part-time teacher, a sometimes-secretary, and a full-time chaos coordinator. Life’s busy, a bit crazy, but deeply beautiful.

What you'll find here:

• Original art & commissions (portraits are my thing)
• Brushstrokes & Bread – my blog/devotional series about life, faith & creativity
• A shop for prints & originals
• A chance to sign up for emails that (hopefully) make you smile, think, or breathe a little deeper

So welcome. Have a scroll, take a sip of something warm, and make yourself at home.