NEDBANK 

ART SUITE

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HERE, THERE & FORWARD

A Flea in Her Fur

Sheila Nowers

(1942 – 2022)

Artwork Details

Artist          Sheila Nowers 
Title            A Flea in Her Fur
Year            1988
Medium      Watercolour (14 x 11cm)

About the Artist

Sheila Marion Nowers (1942–2022) was a South African artist known for watercolour, charcoal and mixed-media works depicting landscapes, street life, animals and everyday scenes. She participated in the Cape Town Triennials of 1985 and 1988 and her work continued to appear in later collections.

About this Artwork

A Flea in Her Fur shows Nowers's ability to find character and humour in everyday subjects. The title immediately suggests an informal and observational approach, likely depicting a cat engaged in a familiar moment of irritation or grooming. Here, Nowers captures a fleeting and relatable incident.

Working in watercolour, Nowers demonstrates considerable technical control. The medium requires confidence and precision, as corrections are difficult once pigment has been applied. Her handling of watercolour typically allows for subtle tonal transitions and an economy of detail, enabling her to convey form and movement without excessive description. This approach gives the work a freshness and immediacy, as though the scene has been recorded directly from observation.