John Strickland, longtime member of Fish Hoek Art Society and artist from Clovelly: “You gotta have a dream – and if you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?”
Well – for me, this dream has come true.
From my earliest days of drawing on walls and phone books, to cartooning client’s faces on their files in the office, to now I, retired and truly blessed, am a painter as I always wanted to be.
What a privilege to stay in this wonderful part of our country – to go out regularly sketching and painting in such exciting areas as Kalk Bay harbour, the Bo-Kaap, Simon’s Town and the not too distant wine lands. I love getting among the ‘locals’ as they go about their ways, and painting the old boats and their reflections in the water. Children are also of great interest.
My first love is painting in watercolour, and when travelling I sketch avidly, using the pen-and-wash techniques. I photograph extensively as I go, and have the photos available for finishing my sketches and for my classes to enjoy. When captured on a lap-top they make wonderful ‘slide shows’ to show friends and groups about your art and travels. I sell paintings locally, have sold to folk overseas, and will shortly market via the Internet. Commissions are also undertaken.
I run weekly classes in painting and drawing from my home in Clovelly, and it is real joy to share my God-given skills with folk who now seem like family.
I am a happy man.
“Life is a great big canvas . . . and you should throw all the paint you can on it!” – Danny Kaye
For more paintings by John Strikland see
https://scenicsouth.co.za//attractions/