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Ilse de Villiers South African Wildlife Painter
Ilse de Villiers is a South African artist known for her paintings and drawings of wildlife. Born and raised in South Africa, de Villiers has a deep interest in the country's diverse and abundant wildlife, which is often depicted in her art. Ilse currently resides in Tzaneen, Limpopo, South Africa.

Ilse has been drawing and painting wildlife full-time for the last 22 years.

After studying to become a teacher at university and marrying her husband, who works in agriculture, de Villiers settled on the family farm and started a family. However, following a tragic incident, de Villiers turned to painting as a form of therapy and eventually realized that it was her true passion.

De Villiers is inspired by the contrast of light and shadow and the variety of colors found in nature, and she often portrays animals and birds in their natural surroundings in her art. Since 2008, she has exhibited her work annually at the DSC Expo, South Eastern Wildlife Expo in Charleston, South Carolina, among other shows, and has built a client base locally and internationally.

In addition to creating art, de Villiers is also committed to conservation efforts and has used her art to raise funds for various causes. In 2022, she became involved with Invicta, an organization that focuses on the conservation of animals and the education of local communities. De Villiers believes it is everyone's responsibility to give back and make a positive impact on the world, a sentiment echoed by the words of Jane Goodall: "You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."

Early Life of Ilse de Villiers
Ilse Kleynhans born in Durban, South Africa in 1965 and grew up in KwaZulu-Natal, mostly in Pietermaritzburg

Matriculated from Voortrekker High School Pietermaritzburg

Studied Language and Teaching and completed her B.A degree and Diploma in Higher Education at the University of The Free State, Bloemfontein

Met Abraham de Villiers at University and Married him in 1987 and lived for two years in Bethlehem, Free State where Abraham worked at the Agricultural Cooperation as an agricultural advisor & Ilse taught at a local high school. Two years later Abraham’s father asked them to help with the family maize farm & they relocated to Bethal, Middelburg, Mpumalanga area.

Ilse de Villiers inspiration for her Wildlife Art
Ilse finds inspiration in special scenes and settings of wildlife in the wild or through photos of wild animals. LIGHT, specifically the contrast between sun and shade “stirs and excites me and makes me run for my canvas and brushes”. Although she works from photographs as reference in her studio, “The animals on my canvas have to be ALIVE!”

Art Donation:
Three black and white paintings - Timbavati Foundation.

Exhibitions and Accomplishments of Ilse de Villiers in the Field of Wildlife Art
The DSC Convention and Sporting Expo 2023