Ester Venter, formerly Chief Make-up Artist for the multi award winning soapie, “7de Laan” (from 2000 to 2014), has been a make-up artist since 1992.
Ester started her career life fresh out of school by obtaining a Higher Diploma of Education in 1984, and has been a school teacher on and off for only three years. After the first year of teaching she went to the United States of America for six months where she worked as a groom at a couple of stables, and was also trained to train American Saddle Horses.
Back in South Africa she tried to follow her passion for working with horses, but was then offered a teaching position in Gobabis, Namibia, where she stayed until early 1992. During that year she decided to change her career and went to Johannesburg where she obtained a Certificate in Make-up Design at Face to Face, Houghton. She left for Cape Town and started working in the Film and Television Industry doing numerous jobs as a freelance artist. In 1996 she was appointed Senior Lecturer at City Varsity Film, Television and Multi Media School, where she started their Art Department, whilst still working as a freelance artist in the industry.
Among her many jobs in the industry she also worked with director Annie Basson, which linked her to Danie Odendaal, father of “7de Laan”. When Danie Odendaal Productions was looking for a make-up artist to head up the Make-up Department for his new television production, she applied for the position, and in 2000 moved back to Johannesburg to fill the position of Chief Make-up Artist for the new soap, “7de Laan”, and has been with the company until 2014.
Whilst in Johannesburg she developed her many other artistic talents by taking classes with Rona Zwarts in Fine Art, and also developed as a mosaic artist.
In 2014 she resigned from Danie Odendaal Productions to pursue her dream to write and paint full time.
Ester Venter can be contacted on ester@estarbasics.com.