top of page

David was born in 1961 and grew up on the transitional edge of urban and rural Johannesburg - RSA. He has fond memories of roaming in the veld and visiting the canyons of the big city.

After studying Industrial design & engineering in Johannesburg, he embarked on a design driven career spanning near on 40 years. Artistic lines, proportion, balance, texture and colour captured in numerous commercial products with the odd occasion being a “real" artist doing illustrations & sculptures for corporate clients.

In 2016 the family relocated to RooiEls, a village nestled between the mountains & the sea near Cape Town.

His artwork taking inspiration from the surroundings & its people.

His work can be found in local galleries & have found homes locally & abroad.

When not sculpting he enjoys sea kayaking & exploring the dirt roads crisscrossing the region.

He shares the studio with his talented wife and daughter, Sonet & marketing guru Danielle.

 

Artist Statement

“Creativity is the ability to visualize an outcome – & to Do It. For me it’s an obsession - to see, to distil, to create & share”.

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing or modelling in clay. This has ultimately evolved to visions in bronze.

I strive to capture snapshots of nature & my imagination. The journey of realizing a piece is an intrinsic part of the artwork & is deeply rooted in my experiences as a professional designer. I strive to capture the character of the subject and by so doing elicit

an emotion from the observer.

As a keen conservationist I hope to encourage observers to see the positive in the 3rd planet from the Sun.

David van der Merwe

bottom of page