The moment she uncapped her pencil, the clock began ticking. Five minutes. One portrait. Then another. And another. At this year’s Clarens Arts Festival, visitors witnessed true artistic mastery as Loezytha took on a breathtaking challenge: creating detailed pencil portraits in just five minutes each, for a full hour without pause.

Eight brave models stepped forward, curious if she could truly capture their essence in such a fleeting moment. They left with personalised artistic mementoes that had onlookers in absolute awe. The artist’s booth quickly became one of the festival’s main attractions, keeping her pencil moving continuously throughout the spectacular four-day celebration under the big tent.

This remarkable demonstration was just one highlight of the wildly successful Clarens Arts Festival held May 1-4, 2025. The event, meticulously organised by a dedicated 15-member team, showcased an exceptionally high caliber of visual artists who all exceeded sales expectations while delivering on the festival’s promise – allowing visitors to experience the authentic heartbeat of South Africa’s vibrant art and culture scene through both traditional and contemporary expressions that wove together diverse voices and stories from across the nation.