Helen Martins & The Owl House: A Journey into the Heart of Outsider Art

In the heart of the Eastern Cape's Karoo valleys lies Nieu Bethesda, a quaint town distinguished by the Owl House, a creation of the enigmatic Helen Martins.

Born in Nieu Bethesda in 1897, Helen Martins, affectionately known as Miss Helen, was the youngest of six children. Her complex relationship with her father, Piet, a challenging character, and her adoration for her ailing mother, Hester, shaped her early life.

After receiving her teaching diploma in Graaff Reinet and a brief, unsuccessful marriage to atheist Johannes Pienaar, Helen's life took a turn. Post-divorce, she spent some time in Muizenburg, believed to be working in a restaurant, before returning home in 1930 to care for her sick parents.

Following her parents' deaths, Helen transformed her father's room into "The Lion's Den," a dark, sealed-off space guarded by a cement lion. This marked the beginning of Helen's journey to bring light and color into her life through art.

Helen's home became a canvas for her imagination, filled with real and fantastical creatures, crushed glass, and mirrors that refracted light and offered unique perspectives of her world. Her art was a reflection of her inner self and a stark contrast to her disappointing reality.

In 1964, Helen hired Koos Malgas to assist in creating the cement and glass statues that filled the "Camel Yard" outside her house. Malgas became Helen's closest companion, despite the suspicion of her Apartheid-era neighbors.

Helen's art was influenced by Biblical texts, the poetry of Omar Khayyam, the works of William Blake, and postcards from her sister Alida. Over twelve years, she and Malgas created hundreds of sculptures and relief figures that filled her space, with the entranceway proclaiming, "This is my World."

The Owl House became the story of Helen's life. She died in 1976, at the age of seventy-eight, after ingesting a mixture of caustic soda and crushed glass. Despite her tragic end, she believed in living life passionately and to the full.

The Owl House was declared a National Monument in 1986. Malgas returned to Nieu Bethesda in 1991 to restore and preserve the world he and Helen had created. He passed away in 2000.

Helen Martins, the Outsider Artist, left a legacy that continues to inspire and intrigue visitors from around the world. Her unique art, filled with symbolism and personal references, offers a glimpse into her extraordinary mind and life.