Wessel van der Merwe

 

ART CV

1964 and throughout my school career
My first introduction to the world of art was when my artworks were displayed on the wall of the classroom at Assumption Primary School in Pretoria North. This made a very great impression on me. My uncle the late Harry Charles van der Merwe was an impressionist painter and I watched him while he painted on his visits to our family.

1972 - 1978
I worked as a draughtsman and an apprentice often drawing all kinds of freehand and measured cartographic drawings. I also enrolled as a student in art through a correspondence college in South Africa.

1979 - 1998
Completed various drawings from time to time and got involved with computers, web publishing and graphic art.

1998 - 2002
Started to apply myself more and more in the art of oil painting - researched various techniques, collected books and I especially used the magazine American Artist which I found most useful in keeping trends with art materials as well as modern techniques and movements. I started to sell at various seasonal markets.

2003 - 2004
As a full time artist I settled for while in the little town of Parys where I gave art classes. Various galleries in Parys and South Africa started to accept and sell my work. I conducted art workshops in Parys, Warmbaths and Pretoria and held exhibitions in small towns where I sold various artworks to people in South Africa and also abroad.

2005 - 2007
Rented a studio in Silverton from where I gave art classes and conducted various workshops "en plein air". For 1 year I worked for ArtCoZa - a web designing business hosting the premium art website www.art.co.za. Since then I raised the level of my paintings and drawings and start to develop a 'concept' and my own style. Receive some commissions and sell more art.

2008 - 2009
Refined my oil painting style and worked with famous South African and International artists. Continued to increase and improve my art as well as art materials.

2010 -2011
Participated in mainly group exhibitions at Gallery on 18th, WHPS, Bolsmannonbrooks Fine Art Gallery, St Lourient in Brooklyn and also sold through Bernardi Auctioneers.

 

“It is a widely accepted notion among painters that it does not matter what one paints as long as it is well painted. This is the essence of academicism. There is no such thing as good painting about nothing.” - Mark Rothko