The 10 best living artists in South Africa

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The 10 best living artists in South Africa. 7 By Andries Loots 2 April 2000 This week artist Dylan Lewis is featured.

	Dylan Lewis ( 1964 - )
Born 1964 Johannesburg Dylan has always had a deep and abiding interest in the natural world. He worked at the Rondevlei Nature Reserve, Cape Town, for four years (1985-89). There, amongst other things, he painted the backdrop of the diorama in the Field Museum, illustrated a field guide and worked as a taxidermist. His skill in taxidermy has greatly benefited his painting and sculpting. A sculptor of animals figures. He also does some drawings, paintings and graphics. Studies: 1982 - Cape Technicon, Cape Town 1985 - Four Year Taxidermy and display art, Rondevlei Nature Reserve, Cape 1989 - Ruth Prowse Art School, Cape Town
	"I sketch continuously, sometimes for weeks, until an understanding of form and movement emerges, then I sculpt small compositional studies followed by the final sculpture. Under the surface often lie fully sculpted skeleton and muscle studies. The discipline gives me the freedom to concentrate on the abstract sculptural aspects of the work while retaining the animal form." - The artist
Exhibitions: 1985 - "International Wildlife and Natural History", The Everard Read Gallery 1989 - "The Directors' Collection", The Everard Read Gallery 1991 - "International Wildlife and Natural History", The Everard Read Gallery 1992 - "The Directors' Collection", Delta Park, Johannesburg 1993 - "The AGRED Collection", Little Brenthurst, Johannesburg 1993 - "Society of Wildlife Artists", Mall Galleries, London 1993 - "The Aquatic Environment", The Everard Read Gallery 1995 - "Wildlife", Christie's, London 1995 - "International Natural History", The Everard Read Gallery 1995 - "Society of Wildlife Artists", Mall Galleries, London 1995 - "African Fine Art", New York 1997 - "Autumn Exhibition", Houston, Texas 1999 - "The Cat Exhibition", Everard Read, Cape Town 1999 - "The Cat Exhibition", Everard Read, Johannesburg 1999 - One man exhibition, Isle of Man, U.K. 2000 - Exhibition at Everard Read, Cape Town 2000 - Art London Fair, Chelsea, London with Everard Read. 2001 - Art London Fair, Chelsea, London with Everard Read. 2002 - Duke of York's Headquarters, Kings Road, London, with Everard Read. 2002 - " The Cat ", The Everard Read Gallery, Cape Town Represented: First National Bank Collection, South Africa Fedlife, South Africa Escom, South Africa Nissan South Africa President Nelson Mandela Private Collection Mr A. Oppenheimer, Private Collection Mr N. Oppenheimer, Private Collection Mr C.D. Palmer-Tomkinson, Private Collection Dr J. Rupert, Private Collection Mr B. Sangster, Private Collection Sir Richard Storey, Private Collection Collection of H.R.H. The Duke of York Afrox, South Africa Anglovaal, South Africa Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Harvard Capital Management Worldwide Earl of Derby Collection, UK. Singer & Friedlander Ltd. Collection, Isle of Man Rupert Collection, South Africa

Working drawings	Originals made in plaster ready for casting
Dylan is a young wildlife sculptor who is experiencing unseen success at the moment, he is prolific and is constantly working on ideas for new works. His relative short career has started well with the help and promotion of The Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg, one of the largest and best known Galleries in South Africa. " Dylan Lewis is a young artist who is showing other artists of wildlife that it is not the detail of the animal that is paramount, but the excitement of being there and sharing the environment with the animal; what he has achieved is impressive." - Nicholas Hammond, the British author of 'Twentieth Century Wildlife Artists'

Cat Exhibition - 1999	Detail on Leopard III, 70 X 158 X 68 cm

Dylan Lewis, Recent Cat Sculpture, British Offshore Island Exhibition, Singer & Friedlander : Isle of Man