Pieter van der Westhuizen

Pieter van der Westhuizen was a  South African artist.

Pieter van der Westhuizen was  born in Pretoria on March 22, 1931, van der Westhuizen was orphaned at a young age and raised by his maternal grandmother. He turned to art for refuge during his youth, developing a passion that became a lifelong career.

He studied at the University of South Africa (UNISA), studying under esteemed artists Zakkie Eloff, Robert Hodgins, and Leo Theron.

He worked under Alfred Krenz in 1960 and Erik Laubscher in 1971. His work was influenced by extensive travel and studies in Europe and Japan, where he refined his skills in various mediums.

In the 1980s, he studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, the Stedelijke Akademie in Ghent, and the Ryks Centrum voor Grafiek in Kasterlee, Belgium.

He studied woodblock printing in Japan in 1983 and 1985. His work is described as having an introspective, often textured, and "quiet" style.

Van der Westhuizen exhibited widely, including a notable invitation to exhibit in Madrid, Spain, alongside renowned artists such as Marc Chagall.

His artworks are featured in major public and private collections in South Africa, as well as internationally in Britain, France, Belgium, the USA, Japan, and Israel.

 His 65th birthday exhibitions were among the largest and most successful held in South Africa. He passed away in 2008.