South African Artist Birthday of the Month: Erik (Frederik Bester Howard) Laubscher
3 February 1927 – 22 May 2013 Born in Tulbach, Laubscher’s father was physician with a strong interest in psychiatry. His mother was the daughter of an Edinburgh music professor. In 1940, Laubscher’s primary school art teacher identified his artistic talent. However, when Laubscher applied to study art at UCT, he was rejected and told that it was “because he could not draw”. He instead took private arts lessons with Belgian painter Maurice van Essche, who persuaded him to study in London. Afterwards, he studied in Paris where he fell in love with a young French artist, Claude Bouscharain. They married in Cape Town in October 1951. Laubscher sold paint for 15 years in order to support his young family. He later become the founder of the Ruth Prowse Art Centre and was its director for 25 years. Now he is best known for his vibrant abstract landscapes and still-life paintings. During a prominent career of 60 years, he represented South Africa at São Paulo and Venice Biennales. His work was also included in many major collections; but his crowning achievement was becoming the first living artist to fetch over R1 million for a painting at a South African auction, in 2009. Laubscher died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 86. He is survived by his wife, son Pierre and daughters Michèle Human and Francesca Gayraud-Laubscher. » Fiona Chrisholm. Artist Erik Laubscher, dies (23/05/2013), Cape Times: http://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/artist-erik-laubscher-dies-1.1520672#.UtPxS_QW30s.
Norman Rockwell 3 February 1894 – 8 November 1978
Claudette Schreuders 6 February 1973 –
Born in New York City in 1894, Rockwell became a celebrated caricature-style illustrator of everyday American life. While still in his teens, he became the art director of the official Boy Scouts of America publication. At 22, Rockwell painted his first cover for ‘The Saturday Evening Post’. Over the next 47 years, 322 Rockwells would appear on the magazine’s cover. In 1943, inspired by President Franklin Roosevelt’s address to Congress, Rockwell painted the “Four Freedoms” series, which toured the US and through the sale of war bonds, contributed over $130 million to the war effort. Between 1963 and 1973, he painted scenes of social justice and space exploration for ‘Look’ magazine. In 1977, he received his country’s highest civilian honour, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Schreuders was born in Pretoria and lives and works in Cape Town, where she graduated with a MFA from Michaelis School of Art. Soon after graduating she was snapped up by a leading international gallery in New York. Schreuders has revolutionised the traditional use of wood carving and enamel paint. Her work deals with her Afrikaner family history and status as woman and mother living in a new South Africa. Schreuders’ most famous public commission to date is the South Africa’s Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Commission at Cape Towns Waterfront.
» About Norman Rockwell. 2014. Norman Rockwell Museum website: http://www.nrm.org/about-2/about-norman-rockwell/.
John Ruskin 8 February 1819 – 20 January 1900 John Ruskin was one of the most influential and dynamic art writers and thinkers of the Victorian and Modern era. From an early age Ruskin was an avid reader and universal scholar who was had the means to travel and become inspired by the world at large. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political economy. Ruskin was the main force behind the Pre-Raphaelite movement and painter, J.M.W Turner. At 51, Ruskin was appointed the first Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford. His lectures were so popular that they often had to be given twice and were then published.
» Claudette Schreuders. 2015. Stevenson website: http://www.stevenson.info/artists/schreuders.html. » Claudette Schreuders. Biography. 2012. Claudette Schreuders website: http://www.claudetteschreuders.com/bio/.
Christiaan Diedericks 13 February 1965 – Artist and poet, Diedericks completed his Masters in Fine Arts Cum Laude at the University of Pretoria in 2000. He has exhibited his monoprints, etchings, lithographs, paintings and drawings extensively throughout Southern Africa and internationally. Among numerous grants, residencies and awards, in 2006 Diedericks was the winner of the coveted Kanna award at the ABSA KKNK festival in Oudtshoorn. He also appeared on television show, “The Apprentice”, on SABC 3 in 2005. In 2013, he and Elton Faber opened Diedericks/Faber Fine Art, an Artists’ Collective/Gallery based in Cape Town and Johannesburg » Christiaan Diedericks. 2012. Biography. Chris Diedericks website: http://chrisdiedericks.co.za/about/.
» John Simkin. 2014. John Ruskin. Spartacus Educational website: http://spartacus-educational.com/Jruskin.ht.
Ansel Adams 20 February 1902 – 22 April 1984 Adams was born in San Francisco. His grandfather founded a prosperous lumber business. Later in life, Adams would condemn that industry for depleting the redwood forests. In 1916, following a trip to Yosemite National Park, he began experimenting with photography. His iconic black-andwhite images became known for promoted conservation, and helped to establish photography among the fine arts. His famous line goes, “When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” In 1974, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York hosted a retrospective exhibit of Adams’ work. He died of a heart attack at the age of 82.
Carol Brown 26 February -
» Ansel Adams Biography. 2015. The Biography.com website: http://www.biography.com/people/ansel-adams-9175697.
» About Carol Brown. 2014. Carol Brown website: http://www.carol-brown.com/about.html.
Carol Brown is one of SA’s leading art writers and curators, based in Durban. She covers a hugely dynamic and diverse portfolio of art and writing projects. She was director of the eThekwini Art Gallery/Museum (Durban Art Gallery) until 2006. Since leaving to establish her curatorial consultancy called Curate.A.Space, she has been a consultant to the Constitutional Court of SA Art collection, the Joburg Art Fair, the Ifa Lethu Foundation, the Moses Mabhida Stadium art collection, the International Convention Centre Dbn art collection, Artworks For Change USA, and the French/SA Seasons.
SA ART TIMES | FEBRUARY 2015