life and landscapes

Johan Coetzee’s journey to becoming a full time artist began long before he went to college.

He was never very good at school but always consoled himself by saying that he was going to become an artist. “Today, looking back at my abilities then, I think that I was somewhat over-ambitious. But one of my saving graces was that I have always believed in my artistic abilities. I admit today that I didn’t have any particular talent then but I obviously had a lot of determination.”

After completing an art matric at the Pretoria Technikon, Johan studied Graphic Art at the Cape Town Technikon from 1966 to 1969. He then started working as a freelance illustrator and was also painting plants and flowers in watercolors which he tried to sell. “I then got a job in an advertising company in Johannesburg and earned enough money to be able to save. I also started working in oil paints. Not having been trained in fine art I was not influenced by anyone and subsequently through tried and error developed my own style. After having saved enough money to keep me going for a year or more, I resigned from my job and started painting full time. I joined the S.A. Arts Association in Johannesburg and held my first one man exhibition at the S.A. Arts Association Gallery in the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg in 1977. Most of my work consisted of landscapes that I had made from photos that I took on field trips.”