Artist Database

Andrew Verster studied design at the Camberwell School of Art in London (1955-59) and furthered his studies at Reading University (1959-60). Upon returning to South Africa he lectured at the University of Durban-Westville and the Natal Technikon until 1976 when he gave up teaching to become a full-time painter.

He designed sets and costumes for numerous stage productions and completed a wide range of public and private commissions. He undertook major commissions in various media, such as a series of hand-woven Mohair tapestries for Mobil Court, etched glass doors for the Brenthurst Library in Johannesburg, murals for the BMW building in Midrand, and an etched glass skylight for the University of Cape Town's education building. A noted writer of short stories, articles, and radio plays, he exhibited widely across South Africa, Europe, and the United Kingdom. He held more than 50 solo exhibitions and is represented in major public and private collections, including the South African National Gallery, Durban Art Gallery, and the Universities of Witwatersrand. He received two Art-SA-Today awards (1967 and 1979) and was honoured with two retrospective exhibitions at the Durban Art Gallery in 1997 and 2019.

Among his most popular works are those in the Fragile Paradise series, characterised by a vivid use of colour and descriptive line.