South African visual artist Gary Frier

Gary Frier

South Africa | 6 artworks for sale

  • Life Is Like A Dice - Collage Art by Gary Frier Life Is Like A Dice
    Collage Art / 72 x 74 cm
    R11 500
  • Look And See - Collage Art by Gary Frier Look And See
    Collage Art / 67 x 82 cm
    R11 500
  • A Bird Released - Painting by Gary Frier A Bird Released
    Painting / 90 x 90 cm
    R34 500
  • Here Comes The Sun - Collage Art by Gary Frier Here Comes The Sun
    Collage Art / 73 x 82 cm
    R15 500
  • Rousing Grace - Painting by Gary Frier Rousing Grace
    Painting / 100 x 100 cm
    R34 500
  • Packing Arrows - Collage Art by Gary Frier Packing Arrows
    Collage Art / 89 x 98 cm
    R15 500
  • Blue All The Way - Collage by Gary Frier
    Blue All The Way
    Collage / 81 x 98 cm
  • Darkest Before Dawn - Painting by Gary Frier
    Darkest Before Dawn
    Painting / 58 x 82 cm
  • Luminous - Painting by Gary Frier
    Luminous
    Painting / 60 x 90 cm
  • End Of Innocence - Painting by Gary Frier
    End Of Innocence
    Painting / 36 x 50 cm
  • In The Valley I Walk - Painting by Gary Frier
    In The Valley I Walk
    Painting / 120 x 120 cm
  • Walk On The Wild Side - Painting by Gary Frier
    Walk On The Wild Side
    Painting / 61 x 76 cm
  • Into The Distance - Painting by Gary Frier
    Into The Distance
    Painting / 90 x 120 cm
  • I Am Africa - Painting by Gary Frier
    I Am Africa
    Painting / 36 x 45 cm
  • Where Is My Mind - Painting by Gary Frier
    Where Is My Mind
    Painting / 85 x 90 cm
  • Amused - Painting by Gary Frier
    Amused
    Painting / 35 x 45 cm
  • Green Sprout - Painting by Gary Frier
    Green Sprout
    Painting / 60 x 60 cm
  • The Reader - Painting by Gary Frier
    The Reader
    Painting / 22 x 22 cm
  • Rhythm & Bass - Painting by Gary Frier
    Rhythm & Bass
    Painting / 21 x 21 cm
  • Enthusiasm - Painting by Gary Frier
    Enthusiasm
    Painting / 83 x 106 cm
  • Sleeper - Painting by Gary Frier
    Sleeper
    Painting / 76 x 90 cm
  • Eyes Wide Shut - Oil Painting by Gary Frier
    Eyes Wide Shut
    Oil Painting / 79 x 79 cm
  • Eye See You - Large Oil Painting by Gary Frier
    Eye See You
    Large Oil Painting / 106 x 126 cm
I find inspiration in many forms of media. Creating art for me is about constantly reflecting on my place in the world, discovering how to distill and interpret my interaction with what surrounds me and documenting that personal relationship.

Gary Frier was born in Cape Town and grew up in the then-segregated northern suburb of Kuilsriver in the Western Cape. He qualified as a Graphic Designer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2004. After working in various design industries Gary moved on to create art of a more personal nature.
He has exhibited extensively both locally and abroad at institutions and galleries.
 
He currently works as a freelance artist and teaches art at local N.G.O. The Observatory Neighbourhood Afterschool programme - which provides educational and cultural programmes for youth at risk - as well as with the Occupational Therapy department at Valkenburg Psychiatric hospital.
 
He lives and works in the Western Cape predominantly, from his studio at home in Kuilsriver, Cape Town.

 
Selected Exhibitions:
2020
Participated in a group show 'Kwaai vol3' at Eclectica Contemporary
Participated in a group show 'Grand5' at Rust en Vrede Durbanville
Participated in the' NOW NOW' group show at Gallery 114 in Portland Oregon
Participated Committees choice group show at the Bellville B

2019
Participated in a group show 'Kwaai vol2' at Eclectica Contemporary
Participated in a group show Palate Plate Palette at Rust en Vrede Durbanville
Participated in a group exhibition "A Festival for All"for the Suidoosterfees at the Artscape Theatre Complex
Participated in a group exhibition "Speak truth to power exhibition?The 6th exhibition for the Afrovibes Performing Arts Festival.
Participating in The Sans Fronteirs linocut project and group exhibition at Gallery F
Participated in a group show 'New Acquisitions of the Art Bank of South Africa'

2018
Participated in a group show " Ubuntu/Uhuru/Aweth Group Exhibition" at Eclectica Contemporary
Participated in a group show 'Kwaai' at Eclectica Contemporary
Participated in a group Print show at Ruth Prowse School of Art
Designed and executed social educational campaign for S.W.E.A.T.
Facilitation of community mural project in Delft Cape Town

2017
Participated in a group show at Ndiza gallery
Participated in a group show "Dialogues | an Interactive Group Exhibition" at StateoftheART gallery

2016
Participated in group show “beneath the skin” at StateoftheART gallery
Commissioned by Summitdogs decorated a fire hydrant replica for their annual fundraiser
Commissioned by the Bertha Foundation to do an oil painting
Commissioned Old mutual to do oil painting for their private investment offices
Commissioned to do illustrations and maps for the renovation of the South African Forces Museum at Delville Wood

2015
Participated in committees choice 30 x 40 at Bellville B gallery2014
Participated in The Cape Gallery Annual Wildlife Exhibition

2012
Participated in the Artscape resource centre’s Retrospective exhibition
Participated in the Engagements(working title) group exhibition at the Cape Gallery
Facilitated Thupelo workshop in Wellington

2011
Participated in The Cape Gallery Annual Wildlife Exhibition

2010
Participated in The Cape Gallery Annual Wildlife Exhibition
Invited participate in a group show for the S.P.C.A. trustees luncheon at The Vineyard Hotel, Newlands
Invited to participate in “A Slice of Life” exhibition at the Liebrecht Gallery, Somerset West
Invited to participate in “30 x 30” exhibition at the Gill Allderman Gallery, Kenilworth
Participated in the World Aids Day Benefit at the Audi Centre

Corporate and government/public collections:
Oliewenhuis Art Museum BP South Africa (Cape Town)
Joop van den Ende Theater productions – Holland, Embassy of USA, Nairobi
Bertha Foundation
Old mutual private investment
PricewaterhouseCoopers Cape Town
PPS Investments - Claremont
Benguela Cove Lagoon Coastal Wine Estate.
As well as private collections worldwide.

Which new trends or South African artists do you find inspiring at the moment?
There are artists and work I like but “trends” is a term that relates to fashion - a passing shallow phase and at this point in my life I have no time for shallow phases.

Which South African deceased artist do you most admire and why?
Peter Clarke- I see now how his pragmatism sustained him being an artist of “colour” with minimal resources.

If you could only have one piece of art in your life, what would it be?
It would be the artwork by Yvette Hess I was contemplating buying but had to buy groceries instead.

Pick three artists who you would be honored to exhibit with – and why.
I’m happy to exhibit with anyone with like-minded ideals, ideology and integrity as pertains to the connection with their craft. I am not really interested in adoration of anyone.

How did you get started? Did you always want to be an artist?
I enjoyed creativity from a young age and was lucky to have an art teacher that was supportive and tentative. I think I was always geared towards a creative life.

What are some of the key themes you explore in your work?
I think more and more my work has a basis in South African culture and specifically historical socio-political themes. However, these may be more subtle from time to time.

What should people know about your art that they can’t tell from looking at it?
They are looking at a lifetime of me honing my craft.

Tell us more about your creative process.
My process is ad-hock at times and sometimes ordinary and practical. I think in practical terms in order to maintain a constant creative flow which is probably the most difficult as a responsible adult with life’s challenges.

Do you believe an artist should use their platform to influence society? Why?
I think the whole point of art is to elicit an emotive response, having observed the art world however and how the galleries and stakeholders decide who will be commercially successful and who will not, plays a major role in what and how art influences society. Personally, I think art should be one of the tools that influence society for the better BUT I doubt that artists have much say in how where and when that happens.

Do you have a favourite or most meaningful work?
Usually the latest piece I’m working on is my most meaningful work.

What is your greatest achievement as an artist to date?
My greatest achievement is making a living from my work.

What are your aspirations for the future?
To be respected.