Gerrit Roon

Gerrit Roon (South African, 1937 - 2017). Dutch-born, self-taught painter celebrated for his vibrant and textured South African landscape paintings. He was particularly known for his Post-Impressionistic style, which used the impasto technique of thickly layered paint to capture the country's unique light and scenic beauty. He emigrated to South Africa in 1958 and immediately fell in love with the new country's unique scenery and quality of light. Roon was largely self-taught, which resulted in a distinct and unique interpretation of his subjects. After experimenting with various media like watercolors and pastels, he settled on oil painting as his primary medium. Though his style was heavily influenced by Impressionism, elements of Expressionism and Cubism. His work is characterized by bold brushstrokes and rich colors. The impasto technique he used meant that his paintings appear abstract up close but reveal a clear subject from a distance. He passed away in 2017.