Born in, what is now, Zimbabwe but rooted through family in South African. Petru grew up in a coal mining town called Witbank but left for Johannesburg soon after. Artmaking came late.

Petru enrolled in an art program at the Johannesburg Art Foundation from years 1989 to 1990 achieving a Diploma in Fine Art. Having been convinced through inspiration by an art teacher who worked there. After two years of visual arts training, she later gained insight through Unisa in 2008 and proceeded to open avenues of exploration in art making in 2009.

“I also loved taking close-up photographs of water” she states. Her process involves constantly looking and searching for ways to fill the brim with nature. Materials such as plants, paint, pastings of grass, leaves, moss, lichen and soil are used within her pieces, giving an unpredictable outcome. “Nature is where the truth lies”. Having been faced with many challenges, its what’s keeping Petru on track as an artist.

Disclaimer:

Actual colours may vary slightly from the images shown, due to lighting when photographed, and colour variations in monitors and on phone screens.