Shany van den Berg’s artist’s eye has transformed her historic home into a working studio that features a unique blend of eclectic decor pieces and personal artworks Artist Shany van den Berg's home is situated on a leafy, shaded street in the old part of Stellenbosch. Like many houses in the area, it has a long history - and intriguingly, that history has some key medical connections that are echoed in Shany's artistic work.Dr Jacob Versveld, the first South African-trained physician, constructed the H-shaped nucleus of the original Cape Dutch structure. Then the region's district surgeon, Dr JH Neethling, acquired the home in 1890 and is credited with adding the upper storey, the balcony, and Victorian embellishments. His daughter lived in the property up until the early '80s.mini_story_image_vleft1Today the house has been subdivided into four separate apartments - all occupied by successful women - making it a dormitory of sorts, with a central dining room that the residents use communally for a group dinner.Shany is the artist in residence and her work adorns all the public areas. Born in the tiny town of Riversdale, about four hours east of Stellenbosch - and where there were no galleries and art - Shany nevertheless knew from an early age that she wanted to be an artist."My mom used to buy me colouring books, but I would gravitate towards the blank pages," she says. Shany also credits a visit to painter Vera Volschenk, who also hailed from the Riversdale area, as having made a favourable impression on her in terms of becoming an artist herself.After a brief stint of nursing and rearing her family (she has four children), Shany finally turned to her first love and for the past 25 years has worked full time as a self-taught artist with residencies in Germany, China and the US. And now her studio is also her home."One of the reasons I'm in this apartment is because it's one of the few places big enough to fit my easel," she says, and indeed, the very large easel reaches right up to nearly touch the ceiling."It wouldn't fit anywhere else. I also love that this studio space is large enough that I can walk back for perspective on the piece I'm working on," she adds.story_article_right1Shany often has many pieces in various mediums on the go at any one time, but presently all her energy is being poured into a gigantic head that dominates the room.It's a huge, wire-framed representation of a head based on old medical diagrams and Shany has literally been in and out of it for some time, weaving 180m of hessian around the skull. Ultimately, the plan is to have a bronze made of the woven piece."Aside from the incredible light that pours in from the studio's two huge sash windows, they also offer the additional benefit of allowing me to move my larger artworks in and out of the studio," Shany says.The house is situated on a relatively busy road for this country town and tourist destination, and Shany says she loves having her studio connected to the hustle and bustle of the street."It's been my hourglass many a day. I can get so lost in my work that the increased traffic of people and cars reminds me that another day has ended and it's also time for me to stop."Having lost all her possessions in a fire in the early '90s, Shany says she has learnt the importance of letting go and renewing oneself.mini_story_image_vleft2"For me, decorating is all about layers. I'm constantly trying to weave a story; trying to make a narrative, and as such I am constantly moving things around," she says. "I like buying something new because it brings a fresh energy into the place and makes you appreciate things you already had anew."These "layers" are readily apparent in her living room, which features a diverse mix of items all artfully displayed - a skull candle, a Victorian mannequin and a Scandinavian lamp, to name but a few of the odd bedfellows."I love to put certain aesthetics together," says Shany. "The truth is I get bored quickly and I get to a stage every now and then where I just want to give it all away, and often do - passing things on to my children."Reflecting this benevolence, her bedroom is a tranquil, monochromatic affair featuring a palette of earth tones."I prefer calm colours; they allow me to think, to create." Opposite her single bed, which has an old fireplace screen as a headboard, Shany's tiny TV is almost eclipsed by a wall of artworks."I try to retain a piece of my art each year for financial investment," she says. "But often I end up swapping my pieces for those by other artists I admire."..