I don’t profess to be an art fundi or even remotely expert in this field, but in all my recent years of being active with interior design and decoration, and more recently through the magazine articles I wrote, my passion for art is on the up and up.

So, last Friday, it was with great excitement that I trundled off (mitt hubby) to an exhibition held at the Westlake Gallery of Contemporary Fine Artist, Gavin Collins.  Gavin and I go back about 6 years. During this time, I had been a huge fan of his work, regularly including his work in our projects.

Some of those projects include the large number of pieces which we installed in the Irish hotel projects, leaving us all extremely Proudly South Africa being able to display abroad such a fine SA Artist.

Over the years I have watched Gavin’s work evolve and what I saw at the Exhibition was really very pleasing to the soul.  He captures contemporary colours and textures, remaining faithful to the Fine Art Genre.  Colours such as silver and hints of that jewel blue we see emerging into our accessories more and more lately.

He has that skill of being able to capture horses on canvas, including those in motion. Putting such a touch of reality into those images, that it leaves me feeling a part of the scene so completely.

This exhibition delivered his latest “Horse” image. Due to the enormity of its size, the painting holds a very prominent place in the Gallery.  When I approached it, I felt as if I should turn on my heels and run, so realistic looking is this image – I could almost hear the snorting of these horses.

Then, Gavin did something that I have never encountered at an exhibition yet (not that I go to that many mind you). On a big wall there was a huge blank canvas, with a table full of artist’s tools and paints.  Well, was not too long before Gavin whipped up his brushes and his grubby towel to set to work, filling that blank canvas.

It was totally awesome and inspiring to watch him go about his work so effortlessly and to be able to watch the image unfold before your very eyes.  Needless to say, we were all total converts thereafter.

A quickie Bio on Gavin:

He grew up the son of a farmer, not much into the academics of the time, choosing rather to work with his hands, drawing and painting. At age 16 (after already having his first exhibition at 14yrs) his encouraging parents sent him off the Ruth Prowse School of Art.

Gavin who has a passion for past maters of Art, studied their styles and techniques. Over the course of time and much experimentation (like a true master) he achieved a style of his own.  He uses pleasing pastel colours, thinned to create an almost water colour effect.

Words of Wisdom spoken by Gavin:

“If the important elements such as depth, form, contrast, light and space are not present, then call it what u want, but do not call it art”.

Gavin, like all good men, has a truly amazing lady by his side – pop into the Westlake Gallery where you should meet Amanda – his greatest supporter.

Please do yourself a HUGE favour and click on the various images to view the paintings on a bigger scale – the detail is simply amazing!

Visit his website: www. gavincollins.com