I am an Illustrator from South Africa with extensive experience illustrating children's books - with a particular specialization in African culture. My most recent series of projects has included illustrating books for Kindergarten, Elementary and High School texts as part of the Educational Upliftment Programs in Sub-Saharan African. These have mostly focused on Aids Awareness and Life Skills. I also have 7+ years experience in the Performing Arts, creating sets and stage props.

One of my more challenging projects was spending 1 month in the Central Kalahari Desert working with Dr. Carlos Valiente Noailles on his book about the indigenous San ("Bushmen") people. He required pen and ink sketches of the San people in their natural setting including work and social activities. As a result of this experience I held a successful Exhibition of portraits of the Bushmen.

All the illustrations I have done up to now have not been computer enhanced at all. I prefer to do any illustrations by hand as I find they tend to have more character and liveliness. The majority of the architectural paintings have been done on site. Saying this, it is not always easy, weather and interested onlookers doing their bit to disrupt concentration, but I find the artwork is always far more spontaneous and free.

Most of my research has been done through libraries as well as my fairly large reference ' collection '. These piles of books, magazines and cuttings should be more organised, scanned and filed and I have good intentions to get there someday and somehow it's worked up till now !  The internet can be wonderful but my old books are my friends and there are many things you'll never find on the www.  

I have had two solo exhibitions and recently had a joint exhibition with three other artists.  As the paintings are detailed architectural renderings done on site they are considered historically accurate will be of value in years to come, Simon's town being one of the first harbors used by seamen of old.

There have been a number of recent commissions to do much loved pets, a few portraits of children and I have also done a few paintings of houses and some interiors of houses where people were moving on and wanted a more personal memory of their home.  One challenging project was doing 17 portraits in soft pastels of past and present golf captains at Clovelly Country Club.  

I have recently completed two baby board book with an African theme in conjunction with a well known South African author.  These were launched at an international book fair in Cape Town in June 2008.  They are available in four South African languages, English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu. These little board books are the first in two African languages.  They have been published by Shooter and Shuter in SA, called Busy Baby and This Baby.

Not all the samples in my portfolio are show on the screenshow.  To view these click on portfolio and show all images. Hope you like them.

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