Philiswa Lila has stayed the course to weave some interesting forms hovering on the brink of abstraction. In this feature I present her to you in her own voice,  weaving for us a tale of triumph against obstacles which are pertinent to the artistic journey. Her triumphant winning of the prestigious Absa L’Atelier art competition: Gerard Sekoto Award in 2018 represent her major breakthrough. What interests me historically .is her journey towards that nexus point. Her journey is intricately linked to cumulative experience that gained traction prior to her completing her B-Tech Degree with Tshwane University of Technology Fine and Applied Arts Department around 2010. This episode sets the tone for the probe into her life story in an effort to lay bare her-story.