Farther Frans Claerhout

Farther Frans Claerhout with painting he made for the Gallery. This well-known artist needs no introduction. He was committed to helping the local community and their families. Father Claerhout has given Pallecan Arts the right to create well crafted accessories with his artwork designs.

Magdel Fourie Die Volksblad

In die laaste jare van sy lewe het vader Frans Claerhout homself begin verstaan as ’n sonvanger en moedig hy ons aan om ook sonvangers te wees.”
Dit was die woorde van vader Emmanuel Mosoeu, leier van die Rooms-Katolieke gemeenskap in die Bloemfontein-streek, gisteroggend tydens die dodemis vir dié wêreldbekende skilder en beeldhouer in die Sacred Heart-katedraal in Bloemfontein.
Minstens 500 mense het dit bygewoon.
Mosoeu het gesê Claerhout moet nie net as ’n kunstenaar onthou word nie, maar as ’n drie-eenheid: ’n man, kunstenaar en priester, saamgesmelt in een.
Volgens hom het Claerhout die son vergelyk met iets wat warmte, liefde en lig gee. Sy lewensdoel was om dít in homself vas te vang en daardeur die wêreld ’n beter plek te maak – óf deur sy kunswerke óf deur evangelisasie.
Dit is juis deur Claerhout se groot liefde vir mense van alle ras- en kultuurgroepe dat hy ’n besondere manier gehad het om mense met mekaar te versoen.
Aartsbiskop Jabulani Nxumalo van Bloemfontein was dit eens dat Claerhout hom beywer het vir aanvaarding tussen mense en as’t ware ’n oorgangsbrug was waarby mense mekaar kon ontmoet.
As simbool hiervan is drie verskillende teksverse tydens die mis in onderskeidelik Sotho, Afrikaans en Engels gelees.
Nóg ’n groot lewenswerk van Claerhout was om die Woord aan veral armes oor te dra.
Hy was ’n sendeling in onder meer Thaba Nchu en Tweespruit.
“Sy belangrikste bydrae is sy voorstelling (in sy skilderye) van die mees benadeelde mense in die samelewing. Hy het ander mense se oë hiervoor oopgemaak,” het prof. Louis Scott, seun van wyle prof. Frik Scott, destydse kunskenner wat Claerhout aan die Suid-Afrikaanse kunswêreld bekend gestel het, gesê.
Scott het Claerhout se afsterwe as die einde van ’n era vir kuns in die Vrystaat bestempel.
“Tog sal die groot aantal kunswerke wat hy agtergelaat het, verseker dat sy invloed voortleef en aanhou groei.”
Groot lof is gebring aan die manier waarop hy deur lig, kleur en vorm in sy kunswerke mense se lewe aangeraak het. Daar is veral groot klem gelê op sy passie vir die Vrystaat, wat duidelik geblyk het uit die gereelde uitbeelding van dié landskap in sy skilderye.
Vanweë sy swakte vir sonneblomme het dié ook dikwels in sy skilderye voorgekom.
Vader Wilhelm Steckling van Rome, internasionale leier van die oblate, het ’n spesiale boodskap gestuur wat tydens die mis voorgelees is:
“Claerhout was ’n man wat die wêreld om hom op ’n spesiale manier kon sien. Hy het ’n lewe van vrygewigheid en skoonheid gelei. Sy nalatenskap kan gevind word in die harte van dié wie se lewe hy aangeraak het.”
Op ’n meer persoonlike noot het die bekende boer en sakeman, mnr. Mof Terreblanche, wat Claerhout vir meer as 20 jaar geken het, ook gepraat van sy groot liefde vir dié man.
“Om saam met hom te kon kuier, was soos om aan die voete van ’n profeet te sit. Saam met goeie wyn en goeie kos was sy wysheid en lewensfilosofie kos vir jou siel wat jou aan sy lippe laat hang het.”
Claerhout is ná die diens in die Memoriam-begraafplaas in die stad finaal ter ruste gelê

SABC NEWS

Frans Claerhout, the world-renowned Flemish artist, has died in his sleep at a Bloemfontein hospital after being admitted with pneumonia two weeks ago. Claerhout (87) continued to paint daily during the last few years of his life at a home for retired Catholic priests. Claerhout started painting in 1958 and held his first solo exhibition three years later. At first, Flemish artistic influences were evident in the colour and atmosphere of his paintings. Besides using bright colours, Claerhout was also known for sketching peculiar donkeys. And there was a very specific reason why he painted these animals. Claerhout said: “I am expressionisties. If you paint a horse, you cannot make it funny or long tail or ear, maar a donkey…you can make it long ear, you can make them blue or yellow. It’s like a boerebok, you can give him a long beard and its tail up…but everyone wants a donkey. Maybe I’m a kind of donkey.” Claerhout lived to make other people happy. And he was always smiling, even in the winter of his life – with a head of snow white hair and often no false teeth in his mouth. Claerhout said: “The nature and the soul – that is a gift…like writing or singing. And I am happy because it was a need to be myself…but then you are happy that somebody say: Ooh, I want it, I like it. I am very happy too that so many people have joy in life through my paintings.” Inspired by faith His faith in God always inspired him. Life is beautiful, he said. One must enjoy it fully. Towards the end, Claerhout only worked with charcoal and acrylics. And although he was overwhelmed with requests, he didn’t paint as regularly as he used to. Claerhout: “They must have a little bit of patience too, hey! Ja ja…A real paint in acryl – if I make one a week, it’s all right. Sometimes I make two, but drawings, sometimes it doesn’t go.” This was a man – happy and content – just to be himself. Claerhout: “Look here, you must try to be happy where you are. Happiness is where you live. Be not afraid if there’s some difficulties in any line. Talk or receive help, but try to…show your person.” Father Frans Claerhout continues reading his poem, The Sun-catcher: “Die son sal skyn in jou hart as u die steun gee aan die struikelende mens…” Father Claerhout also authored several books, including four works of poetry. His artistic legacy includes 22 sculptures, but he only kept a few of these for himself. One of them was The Sun-catcher, which resonated with his philosophy: “If you can catch the sun, you will never die.” He will be remembered for his expressionist style of art and for his love of God and life.