• Ntombephi works with ndwango, a beaded cloth tapestry, in South Africa
• In her community, she holds the title of Induna, which translates to leader
• Each completed work is a narrative and conveys the maker's philosophy

Ntombephi Ntobela considers herself to have been born an artist with a love of beads and beading, further taught the craft by her grandmother. She co-founded Ubuhle: Beautiful Beads with Beverley Gibson, where they created the ndwango whilst experimenting with stitching beads onto fabric. The ndwango is considered a new art form developed by Ubuhle, as it allowed beading to move beyond body adornment. Created in many dimensions, ndwango artworks have spiritual significance, acting as a memorial or capturing a joyful memory. "The finished work is never just decorative, it is painstakingly stitched, coloured with meaning, patterned with significance, to transcend boundaries," explains Ntombephi. Named one of 31 women worldwide at the Elle 80 Paris Artcurial celebration, her work is held in 21 permanent collections worldwide, including the Smithsonian. "Nature is my inspiration," she says. Storms of sea and emotion, trees and flowers are recurring motifs in her work.