ARTISTS

Bazil Kriel is a Wildlife and Aviation artist who concentrates mainly on leather pyrography. He started practicing art in the 1970’s with pastel and oil paintings and leather pyrography in the 1990’s. After retiring as a Colonel in the SANDF he has done over 500 paintings of which many have ended overseas. His passion remains aviation art, wildlife art and occasionally portraits.

The photo shows a burned leather picture he recently created and donated to the project for fundraising.

Antique & Diecast Models and Toys

Bazil operates alongside us at all the Museum Flying days as well as independently at other shows. He donates generously to our cause on a regular basis. You may have seen him on the front page of the Friends “Stringbag” magazine, and he certainly deserves all the publicity we can give him for his ongoing contributions.

Ben Jonkers, an artist, from Hillcrest in Kwazulu, Natal contacted the Project and offered a beautiful painting, depicting Spitfire 5518 K-AX, as a gift to the Spitfire Restoration Project. Ben and Colleen donated a framed version of AX-K, to the Project. Ben’s extremely generous donation includes the framed depiction, as well as a collection of prints, signed by Lt Col Knoesen, as well as a pencil sketch of 5518’s restoration. We hereby wish to thank Ben and Colleen, for their support and very generous donation.

Brent Best has collaborated with the historians at the museum to produce a stunning set of images of the liveries that TE213 has worn through the years. They trace all the colour schemes since delivery to South Africa in 1947 to the AX-K markings when it returned to the air as part of the museum fleet, including the aircraft’s time with 1 and 2 Squadrons. This has been a painstaking process and has included help from former pilots and their families – a photo from a logbook allowed the 2 Squadron markings to be added to the list.

Brent has always had a passion for the military and aviation. His particular interests are World War 2, The North African Campaign, South Africa’s involvement, and the Spitfire. From a young age Brent loved building model aircraft and tanks. He was always particular about making sure the details and decals were correct. In adulthood the internet made it so much easier to research the history of particular aircraft though he still has quite the book collection. When he ran out of space for models and after several run-ins between the cats and the models, Brent looked into profile drawings and the computer software needed. From that point on profile drawings became his passion. Brent could easily spend hours making sure the colour scheme was correct, the aircraft had the right number of rivets in the panelling (even though you can’t actually see them when the image is reduced in size) and each profile represented a specific plane or pilot. As his researcher, many evenings and weekends would find the two of us at our desks (side by side) him doing the drawing and me researching the details he was looking for. Every profile drawing had to be specific on colour scheme, numbers and letters on the fuselage and there needed to be details of the battle or event the plane was involved in. Profile drawing led to Brent making friends online with several other people who do the same thing and often led to an exchange of ideas and information. Conversations could go on for hours. Unfortunately at 54 Brent is no longer able to indulge in his passion for profile drawing. After suffering an ischemic stroke in June 2020, the right-sided hemiparesis, cognitive deficits, and expressive and receptive aphasia are permanent. See some of his profile work here . The Spitfire Restoration Project, and all Brent’s colleagues in the Friends of the SAAF Museum express our enormous gratitude to him for all his support over the years, and wish him all the best in these trying circumstances which he now has to endure.

The aviation art of Darryl Legg, has been circulating South Africa for the past 27 years and has attracted clients both locally and internationally. His interest in aircraft, together with his passion for art, inspired Darryl at an early age, to pursue his talents and to emerge as one of South Africa’s leading aviation artists. On completing his training, he became a full time professional artist at the age of twenty, choosing acrylics as his medium. Although his subject matter includes portraits, landscapes, automotive, locomotive and marine art, Darryl is a recognized Aviation Artist, and the majority of his time is devoted to working on aviation commission work. Painting as a full-time professional, it is indeed a full-time career, requiring many hours of research and detail applied to each portrayal of his aviation subject, with emphasis on colour accuracy and realism.

Each of Darryl’s works, is done on a gesso-primed canvas. Acrylics are his choice of medium, as this paint has fast-drying qualities, which compliment his style and enables him to attain a high level of detail. With hundreds of aviation books, magazines and photographs in his library, Darryl can create works which are accurate and authentic, relying on his reference to ensure that each artwork is in line with his high quality standard which he maintains for each client.

Darryl Legg was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1975. After having matriculated in 1993, he went to the Technical College in Port Elizabeth, where he completed his art course. He is currently living in the Karoo town of Middelburg, from where he sends his work to various clients, both locally and internationally.

Darryl’s contact details:

Tel: 082 820 3406

Website: www.aviationartsa.com

E-mail: dlegg@aviationartsa.com       

Devon Kroon was always interested in drawing and designing cars and motorcycles, among other subjects, but realised he had a long way to go after seeing a class-mate’s sketches he’d done of WW2 aircraft, where you could see every rivet! His only formal training was in graphic design which helped in his work as an artist for silkscreen printers, although he had always gravitated towards oil painting and for a short time produced silk art. Now he hopes to make a living producing commissioned art (classic and contemporary racing and WW1 and 2 aircraft are his speciality) and also portraits, pet portraits or landscapes. He has a page called Devfine art and photography attached to his Facebook page for anyone wanting to see his previous work

Devon completed this beautiful art piece, called “Defending the Island”, depicting a Spitfire in flight during the Battle of Britain. He has very generously donated it to the Spitfire Restoration Project, for which we are extremely grateful.

Should you wish to contact Devon, to commission further works, his email address is boyscout.dk@gmail.com

Our sincere gratitude to Devon for his generous donation.

Don Bell is a multi-faceted artist, illustrator, Senior Professional Architectural Technologist, former advertising executive and a keen photographer.

His creative works include oils, watercolours, charcoal, pencil, pen and mixed-media as well as digital art. Subject matter includes aviation, wildlife, landscapes, seascapes, portraits, architecture and contemporary art. During his school years he was privately tutored in fine art by well-known artists Andre’ Vancoillie and Paul Lavender.

He matriculated in art at the Port Elizabeth Technical College in 1968 and joined an architectural firm as in-house illustrator. He was then trained in architecture and eventually opened his own design firm, expanding into graphic design marketing and advertising at which time he opened his own business which handled local, national and international clients.

Don is a Senior Professional Architectural Technologist based in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa and still runs an architectural practice.

His aviation studies are well researched and the aircraft and locations are as accurate as possible so as to provide an historical record for others to appreciate.

He is a Member of the South African Guild of Aviation Military & Maritime Artists (SAGAMMA) and The American Society of Aviation Artists.

AVIATION ART GALLERY

Don has an exclusive aviation art gallery based in the Port Elizabeth SAAF Museum where he displays his works.

COMMISSIONS & PRINTS

Don accepts commissions from all over the world and all his works are available as prints.

MEMBERSHIP & CONTACT INFORMATION

All his works can be viewed at http://www.southafricanartists.com/home/DonBell

As well as his Facebook page: @DonBellArtist

T: 27-41-367 3999 | C: 27-82 691 8755

John Edmond is a legend around campfires from Zambia to Zululand and from Walvis Bay to Vilanculos. Singer, songwriter, entertainer, storyteller, author and bush pilot. On Saturday 14th July 2018, John and his son John Ross performed at the Swartkop Air Force Base to support the restoration of the South African Air Force Museum Spitfire. The concert was fantastic: a truly memorable afternoon. For many, it was a flood, which took us back to our younger days, serving within the military and remembering John’s songs which were played on the radio. Our honoured guests included General Denis and Beth Earp, now sadly both deceased.

John’s musical career has taken him through the 60s and 70s pop, country and TV eras with seven smash South Africa hits in a row, along with Dave Mills, the only other man in South Africa ever to do this. John is still very much on life’s journey and is still as creative as ever – he still writes, composes and performs.

He is an icon in Zimbabwe and to this day has dominated their charts. His Zimsongs CD was No 1 for the whole of 2001! John is also the creator of “Tales of the Game Rangers” Series — a four album set of bush songs and stories that have been selling steadily ever since their release in 1989.

Other well-known albums in campfire circles are “Circle of Life” (Long before Elton!) “Wild and Beautiful and Free” containing songs like “Jock of the Bushveld” (the original before the movies) and “Campfire ‘n Jamboree” for Scouts and Guides.

John’s CD “Born in Africa” has been selling internationally following his tours to the USA, U.K, Australasia and Zimbabwe. On it are stunning new songs along with revivals of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”, “Skokiaan” and “Meadowlands”. John has represented South Africa at the World Song Festival in Tokyo, he is a regular at the International Game Rangers Convention held at Berg ‘n Dal in the Kruger National Park and at almost every Rhodesian and Zimbabwe reunion held around the world.

John is at home in venues from Tokyo’s Budokan Hall to Berg ‘n Dal’s outdoor boma, Bakobung Bush Lapas to Mabula conventions.

“Bushcat – Minstrel of the Wild” is available on his site as well as from bookbaby.com.

For more information visit www.johnedmond.co.za.

Pieter H. Grobbelaar, has been creating custom made aircraft models for the aviation industry and private clients for almost 25 years. Models are sculptured from wire, and presented in classic wall frames, or contemporary Perspex frames. There are five frame sizes available, closely resembling standard sizes A4, A3, A2, A1 and A0. Frames of a unique size can also be manufactured, if required. The models can also be purchased loose, if so required. Models are made from Copper wire, and available in four finishes, namely natural Copper, Nickel, 24Ct gold or Rhodium/white gold plate. Models are also made from solid sterling silver wire, solid 18Ct gold wire, or solid platinum wire. Almost any aircraft or product can be presented in this unique style, and customised to suit your companies need for exclusive corporate gifts or decorative artwork. Models can be shipped to anywhere in the world, and are packaged accordingly, if needed. Clients include Boeing, Bombardier, ExecuJet, Airbus and Airbus Helicopter, Absolute Aviation, Fireblade Aviation, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. and many more.

Click here to visit Pieter Grobbelaar’s website. Pieter can also be contacted on +27 83 675 3147 or by email at Flybywire49@hotmail.com.

Pieter also offers a framing service for cast models, or any other 3D sculptures or items. Most items are framed with our unique 3D mirror layout, to enhance the visibility of the piece. Feel free to bring your own models to be framed in this unique way.