Joy, The 40 Over 40 Women’s Portrait Campaign
Joy, 75
I have been described by my friends and family as…
Kind, caring and nurturing.
My best qualities are…
Patience, happiness, optimism and loyalty.
I am most proud of…
My three children. I know that I have raised them well and instilled strong core values in them.
They are kind, thoughtful and have integrity, and I feel completely adored by them. We all keep in contact daily.
My favourite quotes…
“We don’t remember days, we remember moments.” Cesare Pavese
What advice would I give my 20-year-old self…
I would advise my younger self to be more self-confident and self-assured. I would stand up for myself more and not be afraid to voice my own thoughts.
We all experience many lifetimes in this one life. What did you find were the most poignant changes as you entered your 40s?
I was widowed a month before my 45th birthday. I then relocated to the Eastern Cape with my son, Gareth who was in his last year of junior school.
My two daughters were living abroad. And so began my new life taking care of my parents until they passed away.
Thoughts on aging…
The older I get, the younger I feel. I’m more at peace within my soul. Age is really just a number.
A story I’d like to share…
I am a ‘material girl’. Ever since my junior years, I have loved working with fabrics. I have been a seamstress for over 50 years. When I returned to Cape Town in 2014, I built up my home business.
I’ve created a life that I love, working for myself, and I have the freedom to work my own hours.
I love doing alterations on clothing, and I have built up a loyal clientele in Sea Point, Cape Town.
I was so excited when my daughter Monica asked me to make the gold pillowcases for the 40 Over 40 Women’s portrait Campaign gift bags.
I wrapped up the 40 Over 40 Women’s portrait campaign photographing my beautiful Mom, who turned 75 in July!
My mom has supported me on this journey, and It felt so right to have the campaign end with a shoot of her.
My mom’s not one for the limelight, but I guided her through all the poses, and then she really got into it and loved it.
I took some portraits of my brother and mom at the end of her shoot, and then some portraits of my brother on his own,
which I’ll be blogging separately. Keep a lookout too, for photos of the exhibition event!
Hair & Makeup: Donna Hay
