James Thackwray (1919-1994) - Oil

Beautiful oil on canvas

Size (excluding frame): 715 x 610 cm

Above: Signed by the artist

Also note that there is a line crack in the painting above the signature (see top right of pic above)

Also note: Some cracks (in the oil) in the clouds in one area and specks of fly poo, see pic below

Even though one can hardly notice it (see main pic) I am mentioning it, so that you are aware.

Go to: http://www.sothebys.co.za   to see what smaller sized paintings by this artist sold for at Sotheby's (Cape Town) in Oct '08, Code "Darling" - lots 423 + 424

James Vicary Thackwray

(S.A 1919 - 1994)

A PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY

"I was born on my grandfather's farm "Catacre" in the district of Dordrecht in the Eastern Province where I spent the first few years of my life.  My father was a window dresser and draper and was trained as such at the Dordrecht store by the owner Mr. W.F. Fish previously of London.  According to my father Mr. Fish was a disciplinarian who exercised absolute control of those in his employ and allowed little latitude to his staff.

 After my father qualified he moved to East London, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg where he worked at leading retail stores and then moved to Cape Town where I spent most of my life.  Every weekend my father would paint show cards and as I was then about 15 years of age I would spend the rest of my school afternoons with these show cards under my arm and go from shop to shop from Cape Town to Salt River trying to sell them, priced from one shilling to two shillings and sixpence.  Show cards like "Be Wise-Shop Here" – illustrated with the wise owl.  This way we were able to supplement the family income as the depression was deep and even white men were digging up roads to earn a living.

 In 1949 I was married and within a few months we moved out of Cape Town where I was employed as chief copywriter and visualiser for a Cape Town Newspaper.  We moved to a holding in Stickland about 3 miles from Bellville and I think that this move gave me a new dimension for my art – for here I saw people working in the fields, planting, reaping, sowing and I think my paintings of the peoples of the rural areas started then and I loved the country area.  It was then quite undeveloped –but the people I found to be friendly, good humored and industrious.  After a few years I was reluctantly compelled to move back to Cape Town for I became more heavily involved in the advertising game which gave me the living I could not get from my art – but I yearned for the rural areas – the joy of working the soil, sowing, planting, reaping and prayed for the day I could get back.

It has been my experience that nothing comes easy in art for "Art has a  mistress" and in order to achieve a measure of success it needs "More perspiration that inspiration" to quote Professor Edward Roworth – one time Principal of Michaelis.

I have held over fifteen one man shows in Cape Town, Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Pretoria and Johannesburg as well as several group shows.  Several of my shows were real flops mainly I think because of the subject matter – for some reason or other my paintings of the peoples of the rural Cape areas did not go down well –sometimes I noticed people walk in and walk out of the gallery where I exhibited.  Strangely in some of those major towns my work has been selling well now, but it has taken a long time. Now that my family is all married, my wife and I have moved to Riebeeck West for this area offers me tremendous scope for my work – yellow wheat fields – hill after hill covered with vines and mountain ranges as far as the eye can see – truly a haven for painting for any artist.   While I have done many things in order to provide the necessary for the pursuit of my own art these things were only a means to an end for my driving passion is to paint my country – my people and to achieve an essentially South African character in my work."

Written on the 22^nd November1993

Passed away 22^nd January 1994

   CURRICULUM VITAE A painter of landscapes, seascapes and portraits, still life, genre and abstract pictures. Works in oil, acrylic, watercolour and charcoal.  A graphic artist producing monotypes.  Known for his paintings of rural people of the Cape in their environment. Studies 1937 extra-mural classes at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, under Professor Edward Roworth and Melvin Simmers, studied life drawing under Maurice van Essche and Alfred krenz.  Profile A member of the SAAA.  Works as an art director for a textile company.  Exhibitions 1948 Ashbey Galleries, Cape Town, first of 10 solo exhibitions held in S.A, he participated in numerous group exhibitions from 1952 in S.A.  Represented Willem Annandale Gallery, Lichtenburg