2010 Gallery destroyed in fire - A decade later...

22 June 2010... Bafana Bafana played France in a nailbiting game during the World Cup Soccer event. South Africa came to a grinding halt as we cheered our national team...

Little did we know how, on a personal level, this moment in our country's history was going to change our lives...

That evening we were alerted by local residents that smoke was seen coming from our Gallery. Peter rushed to the gallery but it was already too late - the historic thatch building was engulfed in flames and nothing could be saved.

The country came to a grinding halt as we cheered our national team... Little did we know how, on a personal level, this moment in our country's history was going to change our lives in ways we could not possibly imagine...

We lost everything that night but we learned a valuable lesson, that we CAN and would endure...




- 22 June 2020

No one could have predicted that 10 years later, the entire world would just STOP due to Covid-19 and the lessons learned a decade earlier would help sustain us through the dark and uncertain days that lay ahead.

Since then, we have survived another fire that threatened our home and destroyed all our neighbours' homes but we also experienced new places and embarked on adventures, encountering people and moments that have been stored to be brought to life later in the studio.

Perhaps our 'post-Covid' life will inspire another new direction. Being older and hopefully wiser, I have come to accept that with adversity we are not given the choice to ignore the opportunity to grow in a new direction.

"Being courageous in my approach and going into my studio each day gives me a renewed sense of purpose that is both liberating and invigorating.

I now see my career as an artist in a new light, I am honoured to share my passion for Africa, it's wildlife, people and even the magical colours and subtle nuances of the sunset, the textures in the rocks and trees.

Each memory encourages me to embrace originality in my subject, my brushstrokes, composition and colour choices... a reawakening of the spirit that drives the creative force within..."


Peter Pharoah

2020 06 22



"My new direction was perhaps inspired by the fire that tragically destroyed our gallery. Initially it was very difficult to come to terms with the loss of all the artworks, our print collection and computer back ups. But ultimately it resulted in a rebirth, a renewal of spirit," said Peter.

"I was more courageous in my approach and set to work with a sense of freedom and abandon that was both liberating and invigorating. I now see my career as an artist in a new light, embracing colour even more than before – using it to draw attention to the patterns and textures that are a hallmark of my style. Emphasising the manner in which these interact within the artwork and with the subject - revitalising my approach to enhance and reawaken the spirit that drives the creative force within..." he added.

"So this collection of works will forever have their place in the timeline of my career, a point of rediscovery, a rebirth and a new direction..."

View the Article:
http://www.peterpharoah.com

Article ID : 73