Derek explores the primitive world of the ‘shape and space’ together with light, colour, texture and the spiritual world.

Born in London, Derek studied at Hornsey School of Arts & Crafts, the Central School of Art and the London School of Printing and Graphic Design. He began his career at Smee's Advertising in London before leaving for Africa, where he worked in the top agencies in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Nairobi as creative artist and art director.

Deciding to make Cape Town his base, he realised an ambition by forming his own agency, but found managing the business left no time for his art.

He traveled extensively in Africa, living simply, absorbing colours and shapes, the movement and rhythm of the African Landscape, and assimilating the symbolism and traditions of the people he encountered. He lived for a time in Kenya, Uganda. Tanzania and the (then) Belgian Congo, making friends along the way.

The experience of his African travels deeply influenced Derek's works and has had a lasting impact on his life. The simplicity is deceptive - there is so much implied - so much intricate meaning within the African shapes and the African culture.

Throughout his travels Derek made notes and sketches; on his return to South Africa he set about creating expansive canvasses. With design and texture being of vital importance, he so decided that another dimension was needed to convey all he wanted to express, and so began his series of sculptures, concentrating as always on African shapes and traditions; and again the simplicity of design belies the depth of symbolism contained in the work.

In the late ' 60s Derek was appalled at the decision to raze District Six (where he had a studio). He subsequently produced an evocative series of paintings and serigraphs of District Six, recording this once vibrant part of Cape Town.

"In my wanderings through the streets, alleys and lanes that made up this extraordinary area, I was amazed at the beautiful architecture," he says, "the people have a character and style of their own, always friendly and eager to invite you into their ever open doors. Save from the people of District Six themselves, there was no protest. Those who could and should have stopped the rape of Cape Town did nothing. I saw men working on Sunday nights by floodlight, demolishing homes.
I painted District Six as my protest in order to help keep them alive forever - a dear memory."

Derek believes strongly that the natural artistic talent abounding in Africa must be nurtured and brought to its full potential. "The leaders of the Renaissance in Europe were artists, sculptors, thinkers and philosophers - the African Renaissance should be driven by the same forces" Derek's ambition is to create an environment - an African Artists studio village - where talented African artists and sculptors can 'grow' their natural ability and develop their own individual style by benefiting from advice without artificial constraints.

Besides his paintings and sculptures, Derek also creates serigraphs, ceramics, a range of African traditional wear and hand woven clothes and garments.

Previous Exhibitions:

Santam Gallery - Cape Town
Lindbergh Foundation Cape Town
Baxter Theatre, Cape Town.
Solo Exhibition, Cape Gallery June 2000