Paul du Toit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul du Toit
Paul du Toit, 2005, Cape Town studio
Born	Paul Johan du Toit (1965-10-31)31 October 1965 Johannesburg, South Africa
Died	9 January 2014(2014-01-09) (aged 48)
Nationality	South African
Known for	Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Mural
Awards	Medal from Florence Biennale, nominated for Daimler Chrysler Sculpture award 2002

Paul Johan du Toit (born 31 October 1965 – died 9 January 2014) was a talented South African artist. He created amazing artworks using painting, sculpture, paper and mixed materials. His art was shown all over the world. Three of his sculptures were even chosen for a big art show in Florence, Italy, called the Florence Biennale in 2001.

He won many awards, including a special medal from the city of Florence. This was from the Biennale Internationale Dell'arte Contemporanea. He was also nominated for the Daimler Chrysler Sculpture Award in 2002. Paul was even invited to work with former president Nelson Mandela on the 46664 campaign. This campaign helped raise awareness for HIV/AIDS.

Paul du Toit's Early Life

Paul Johan du Toit was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 31 October 1965. He grew up in a place called Mayfair. Paul spent his time learning from two important people. His aunt, Elizabeth van der Sandt, was an artist who taught him how to paint with oils. His father had a workshop where Paul loved to create sculptures from old electrical parts.

In 1984, Paul finished school. The next year, 1985, he joined the South African Air Force. During this time, he learned carpentry and made his first bronze sculpture of an airplane. He also studied computer science part-time. After leaving the army, he worked as a computer programmer.

A Turning Point in His Art

In 1988, the company Paul worked for closed down. He took a boring job at a bank to earn money. But every night, he kept painting to keep his artistic skills alive.

A trip to Florence, Italy, in 1992 changed everything for Paul. He was so inspired by Michelangelo's famous statue, David. This trip made him truly committed to making his own art.

Two years later, a trip to Paris added to his inspiration. He saw sculptures made from foam, metal drums, and plastic behind the Louvre museum. This really spoke to him. He returned to South Africa and started making sculptures in his garage. He used discarded materials. One of these sculptures won him an award for 'Best Artist with No Formal Training'. This was at the Association of Arts in Bellville, Cape Town.

In his studio in Hout Bay, Paul started using a special painting method. It was called the impasto technique. This meant using thick industrial paste. He would scratch lines and images into it. This became a big part of his unique style of automatic scribbling. He also used his computer skills to connect with artists around the world through the internet.

Paul du Toit sadly passed away from cancer in 2014. He was 48 years old.

Paul du Toit's Art Career

In 1997, Paul sold his first paintings in South Africa. He also launched his own website. A gallery owner in Paris saw his work online and invited him to exhibit in 1998. Paul decided to become a full-time artist. He joined a group exhibition at the Groot Constantia Art Gallery.

International Recognition

The year 1998 was when Paul's art became known internationally. His paintings were shown in many exhibitions both locally and overseas. He even appeared on CNN International Art Club. He also had his first solo exhibition in Paris.

In 1999, interest in his work continued to grow. He had shows in Moscow and Edinburgh. Local companies in South Africa also started buying his art.

The year 2000 was a big success for Paul. He was chosen as one of "70 over 2000" by a professor. This was a very important achievement. It led to solo and group exhibitions in Cape Town. His art was also shown in the Netherlands and France. This year also marked the beginning of Paul creating sculptures from wood.

In 2001, he was chosen to show his artworks at the Florence Biennale of Contemporary Art. He won 5th place in the sculpture section! He was also nominated for the Daimler Chrysler Award for South African Sculpture. He held two solo exhibitions that year. One was at the Holland Art Fair in The Hague. The other was in Cape Town.

Gallery

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  PlanetPaul logo

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  Well travelled, 2000, Acrylic on canvas, 2m x 2m, Paul du Toit