Lori Love is a breath of life into everyday things

Lori Schappe-Youens, an American originally from Wisconsin, has brought her charm and passion right here to the North Coast with Love Lori, a range of jewellery and artwork that she creates with soul.

The youthful looking and gorgeous 57-year-old follows her heart and captures feelings, emotions and images on canvas that often deliver a story of greater issues in small details.

Drawing inspiration from her life experiences Lori re-purposes everyday items she finds, sometimes washed up on the beach, to create beautiful necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

Despite having lived in South Africa for almost 25 years, Lori retains her accent, and the gentle woman recalls that her mid-western American siblings from Madison also have her creative blood with two of them being jewellers and one a ceramacist.

“I am primarily a fine-art painter and originally came to South Africa with Rotary,” said the former gallery owner.

After a five-week trip to South Africa, Lori fell in love with the North Coast and brought her kids with her. Lily is studying in Cape Town and Holden is in Grade 11 at Crawford North Coast.

“My art career was launched while living in Melville in Johannesburg, where I had an art gallery which was actually a horse stable.”

Lori attributes her desire to create from the synergy she picks up in the area, and owes her design inspiration to the people and politics that make up the beauty of South Africa, comparing the environment against her cold mid-western winter back in the USA.

Her hands are a tribute to what she does, with short nails coupled with a soulful smile that carries into her art and jewellery.

A painting on the wall of her house that Lori completed less than a week ago tells the story of humanity’s distractions and the world issues currently facing society, such as warfare and the wildfires in Australia, with the image of a ‘half man, half bird’ character Lori describes as leaving the world behind and exiting the damaging pressures of life.

Lori loves taking things that have been abandoned, such as washed up logs on the beach and creating furniture with her partner, and wants to share her creations with the community as jewellery with a tailored story and bespoke character that lands each item with a unique feel, look and charisma.

Contact Lori at 060 313 0254 or on her Instagram or Facebook page, Love Lori, or lovelori.co.za  for a slice of her creativity to give you a spring in your step.

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