Sarah Britten facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sarah Britten
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Britten in 2012
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| Born | Sarah Jane Britten 31 August 1974 Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Occupation | Writer, artist, communication strategist |
| Nationality | South African |
| Alma mater | Wits University |
| Genre | Young adult fiction, non-fiction |
Sarah Jane Britten was born on 31 August 1974. She is a talented South African writer, a popular blogger, and even an artist who paints with lipstick! She also works as a communication strategist, helping people and companies share their messages clearly.
Contents
About Sarah Britten
Her Early Life and Studies
Sarah Britten grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. She went to Bryanston Primary School and then Redhill High School. After school, she studied Drama at the University of the Witwatersrand, often called Wits University.
She earned several degrees from Wits. In 1996, she got her Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Dramatic Art. She then completed a Master of Arts in Communication Studies in 1997. Later, in 2005, she earned her PhD in Applied English Language Studies.
During her university years, Sarah was very interested in what makes South Africans unique and how we use humour. For her Master's research, she studied South African jokes and the famous Madam & Eve comic strip. Her PhD looked at how advertising used ideas about the "New South Africa."
Before becoming a freelance communication strategist, Sarah worked in journalism and advertising.
Becoming a Writer
Sarah Britten has written several books. She has two young adult fiction novels, which are stories for young people. She has also written three non-fiction books. These books are all about local South African insults!
She once explained why she collects insults. She said that insults can show us what a group of people is like. She started collecting South African insults in 2004. She wanted to understand what makes South Africans who they are. She believes insults can give us a peek into our national identity.
Sarah often writes for Thought Leader. This is a news and opinion website. It is run by the Mail & Guardian newspaper.
Sharing Her Experiences
Sarah also wrote a chapter in a book called Should I stay or should I go? To live in or leave South Africa. Her chapter was titled How Not to Emigrate. She wrote about her own experience of moving to Australia in 2008 and then returning to South Africa.
The editor of the book, Tim Richman, said that many stories in the book are very personal. Sarah's story was honest and open. It showed how much moving to a new country can affect people and families.
When she lived in Australia, Sarah wrote about her experiences on her Thought Leader blog. She called her blog Gondwanaland. This name comes from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. It was a huge landmass that included Africa, Australia, and Antarctica a very long time ago.
Painting with Lipstick
Sarah Britten is also a unique artist. She creates paintings using lipstick! She paints pictures of cityscapes, which are views of cities. She also paints other things like still life (objects), bulls, bears, dogs, cats, horses, sharks, crocodiles, and even Nguni cattle and dung beetles.
Art Inspired by Cities and Animals
Her art is inspired by a science fiction novel called Zoo City. This book was written by another South African author, Lauren Beukes. The story is set in Hillbrow, a part of Johannesburg. It features characters who are mysteriously linked to animals.
Sarah loved how the book showed the wild, animal energy hidden in the city. After reading it, she started painting animals in city scenes. Some animals, like dogs and cats, are found in cities. Others, like sharks and crocodiles, are more like metaphors for city life.
She often uses black, grey, and red colours in her city paintings. The grey shows the gritty feel of the city. The red shows the vibrant, throbbing life within it. Her Zoo City series led her to paint Nguni cattle, which brought more colour into her art.
The first public show of her lipstick art was in July 2012. It was called Pulse of the City. The exhibition was held at the Velo gallery café in Braamfontein.
Awards and Recognition
Sarah Britten has received awards for her writing:
- 2000 Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature – Silver – for her book The Worst Year of My Life – So Far
- 2002 Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature – Silver – for her book Welcome to the Martin Tudhope Show!
