I was born on 28 May 1955 in Durban, South Africa and spent most of my youthful life there. I was very shy and withdrawn and avoided people and even friendships. (Why? -I don't know, but even today I admit I'm something of a 'weirdo' - I always seem to think obliquely in relation to the status quo. And it affects my art too.) I also loved working at home with electronic and mechanical things (Meccano - my staple diet as a boy)

But it was at high school (1968-1972) that I first became interested in drawing and art. I 'majored' in art and managed to win the art prize two years in a row (1971/2). (TBH, the second time, I won by default, because the actual winner unfortunately failed his preliminary exams and the rules precluded him from receiving the prize.)

After messing about at university with architecture and speech&drama, I achieved nothing. During that time, for one month (Dec.1975), I earned some cash as a stoker on SAR's steam locomotives at Empangeni/Richard's Bay in Kwazulu-Natal. (It was this unforgettable experience that first gave me a strong liking for this now-outmoded form of transport and possibly influenced my later decision to start a career at the railways.)

After that, I dutifully served as a conscript in the old South African army. (1976-1979) I was a sapper, eventually attaining the rank of staff-sergeant. Interestingly, my art talent, immature as it was then, became noticed as I often sketched cartoons of things and people. The commanding officer made me sort of the camp artist, but I did not really like the subject matter, especially when I had to paint road signs!

After military service, I messed around some more, taking on diverse jobs such as private detective, shipping clerk and supermarket cashier! After that I started on my career with the national railway company (SA Railways & Harbours) as a clerk (1978).

I did not pursue any art interests in those days beyond casual drawing, but my existence was actually fun and interesting and I learned many other things about people and life in general. (I had to - my shyness needed to be repressed and eliminated. So that seemingly wasteful period was, I reflect in hindsight, quite necessary.)

After having an easy time as a 'truck-tracer' at the railways, I met my future wife, Ann,(1978) through circumstances I now see as providential. And it was through her that I was inspired to make something of myself. I became ambitious and with zeal, trained as a pupil draughtsman then later qualified as an engineering technician. By then I was married to Ann (1980) and we were expecting our first child. On 27 November 1982, I became a Christian, one reason being that I feared I was not capable of being a good father and I needed help from someone who really was!

In 1986, we moved to Krugersdorp, where I worked at the railway's (today it is called 'Spoornet'- ugh!) electrical department, where I spent thirteen years with electronic R&D, including computer programming, becoming a chief engineering technician with them until winning (yes, winning!) a voluntary severance package in 1999.

It was during that time, that my parents, living in Mafikeng, encouraged me to seriously start painting again. And I did, beginning with steam locomotives and also fishing trawlers, buildings, etc. I preferred to paint images of man-made structures and machines rather than wildlife, portraits or landscapes. In those days, I used to think that abstract art was pure rubbish. (What an unthinking nerd I was then!) I started to sell paintings then and found that steam was quite popular as a theme. I exhibited some of them at the railway-hosted "Brush with Steam" Exhibition in Johannesburg in 1992.

In the meantime our family was growing. Bridgette our firstborn was born in 1983, James in 1985, Megan in 1987 and our 'laat-lammetjie' Stephanie in 1996. Ann nearly died from a fast-growing cancer of the jaw-bone late in 1986 but now thrives, thank God, and is no less beautiful, even with only half a jaw. She was pregnant with Megan then (there must be a link): Megan fell victim to leukaemia at age 4 in 1991 and this took six years of our lives before it finally killed her in 1997. We will see her again, one day, God promises.

Slowly but surely my interest in art changed. I lost the enthusiasm for exclusively steam locomotives and other machines. I started to become curious in what all the fuss was about 'abstract' and 'modern' art.

My behaviour as a Christian has not been completely exemplary, I confess, as I still smoke cigarettes and had a tendency to over-use liquor and codeine pain tablets. Ann thus says I have an 'addictive' personality. Hmph. I do have bouts of depression, but I try to "enjoy" them when they happen and to make the best of it. Actually, depression is not always a bad thing- it motivates me mostly to do good, and it doesn't last forever. Plus, there's always that encouraging bible verse: ...perplexed, but not in despair. (2Cor.4:8)

After leaving the railways, I called myself an inventor and began to develop a whole lot of ideas of all kinds. But being an inventor is one thing. Earning a secure salary is another. So as my desire was to never work for a (human) boss again, my thoughts turned back to my other talent: Art.

When I began my first abstract painting in the new millenium (from 12 May 2000), I felt exhilarated. What a sense of freedom! Yet I controlled the brush with every stroke. It felt that I was painting from my deepest being, my heart, my spirit - 'abstract' is an emotional style. And every stroke has a beginning, a meaning, a cause, an effect and an ending.

And who is my favourite artist? Why, Vincent, of course!

As you have seen on my webpage, I have painted several abstracts, enjoying the work immensely, with a continual inner urge to paint more. However, I also enjoy rendering real or impressionist representations of usual and unusual subjects.

UNDER REVIEW TO COVER FOR 2001-2010 New job at Cathtect 2001JUN to 2008SEP. Change of everything, new job at UKZN Durban 2008OCT...

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