About The Artist

Artist Biography
Collin Cole, born in Johannesburg on 25 May 1960,
graduated from the Natal Technikon with a National
Diploma in Fine Art and later obtained a Masters
(cum laude) in Fine Art from Rhodes University.
Collin began his solo career in 2000 and in addition
to holding four solo exhibitions, has participated in
140 local and international group exhibitions and
competitions to date.
In 2003, Collin established a private teaching
facility, the BLUE DOOR PRINT STUDIO, to teach
artists and anyone with a serious desire but outside
of the often-restricted formal educational
institutions, the opportunity to learn professional
printmaking. After obtaining his Masters degree in
Printmaking, Collin was a university lecturer for 14
years and taught at the Rhodes University School
of Fine Art (1984 – 1986), the University of
Bophuthatswana (1986 – 1994) and at the
University of North West (1994 – 1999). Here, he
primarily taught various printmaking techniques
including Serigraphy, Intaglio, Relief printing, Off-
Set Lithography as well as all associated
photomechanical processes, from first year to
masters’ level. He also taught History of Art, visual
communication and techniques so that the student
has the opportunity to create images that result in
traditional limited edition prints.
Artist Statement
My work is a response to and a reflection of situations and events that occur to and around me.
The work includes personal myths and a strong social narrative.
In my creative work I am interested in exploring the relationship we have to life situations that occur around us, both on a personal level as well as the greater external forces that impact on our reality.
I work in most media i.e. paint, sculpture, printmaking and the digital form which allows me the opportunity to explore using my iconography the intrinsic qualities of each of the media.
I have of late been working extensively in the medium of printmaking using transfer collage both on paper and on plate, dry point, aquatint and hard ground etching.
I am using images that were once impactful and “hard faced” in a historical context. Through the use of my media I am attempting to reawakening the poignant reality of past historical images and contrast them
with new contemporary images thus drawing relevant parallels to the cycles of history as swell as situations. It is the idea of the circle with a centre principle where history and events have a way of repeating themselves in a cyclic manor.
The centre of the circle being us and represents the cause and effect of our realities.
Artist CV
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING:
1978 Matriculated: Kingsway High School – Natal
1980 – 1983 Natal Technikon NDP FA
1987 – 1988 University North West BAFA (Part
Time)
1989 – 1994 Rhodes University MFA
CAREER HISTORY:
1999 – present Artist / Art Consultant
1994 – 1999 University North West: Lecturer
Dept of Fine Art
1986 – 1994 University Bophuthatswana
Lecturer Dept of Fine Art (Printmaking)
1984 - 1986 Rhodes University School of Fine
Art (Lecturer)
EXHIBITIONS:
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Rhodes University – November 1992
Stewart Gallery – May 2001
Stewart Gallery – September 2003
Amoeba Gallery – October 2008
David Brown Fine Art Gallery – (Launch of the Blue
Door Studio) – May 2009
GROUP SHOWS: 140 Group exhibitions (1982 – 2013)
Art Lovers 1932 (Alice in Wonderland 150 Group exhibition)
UJ Art Gallery (Tom Waits For No Man Group exhibition)
Sandton Civic Gallery (Printmaking exhibition)
Gallery 567
NSA University
Univerisity of Pietermaritzburg
Natal University
Cafe Gallery
Elizabeth Gordon Gallery
Gallery 21
Everead Read Gallery
Human Science Research Council
Sandton Gallery (Millennium exhibition)
Gallery on the Square
The Little Louvre Gallery
The Stewart Gallery
Davide Brown Fine Art
Cool Art Gallery
Market Theatre Gallery
Carol Lee Gallery (Bamboo)
University of the North West, Solomon T Plaatje Memorial exhibition (Twelve exhibitions)
Mmabane Cultural Centre exhibition
SA Arts Association, Lichtenburg
Gallery Lichtenburg
The South African International School, Mmabatho
Mafikeng Museum (Anglo Boer / South African War Centenary exhibition)
Rhodes University
The Albany Museum SA Printmakers exhibition, Grahamstown
The Gap exhibition, Port Elizabeth (Four exhibitions)
The University of Fort Hare
Rhodes University (Masters of Fine Art solo exhibition)
King George Gallery (Port Elizabeth)
The National Arts Festival Grahamstown
INTERNATIONAL:
Ghana (West Africa):
One of two artists selected to represent South Africa at the PAN African Fetsival of the Arts (PENAFEST
97), 1 – 10 September 1997.
Kahn Gallery, South Naples, Florida, USA
Millennium Africa
Arts and Craft exhibition, The Design Gallery of the Americas Inc, Miami, Florida, USA
COMPETITIONS:
1989 Volkas Atelier Competition
1990 Cape Town Trienniale
1994 Sol Plaatje Art exhibition
1999 The Windsor and Newton Millennium Competition
2002 Sasol New Signatures
2003 Sasol New Signatures
2004 Sasol New Signatures
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS:
University of Silesia, Poland
Rhodes University, Grahamstown
University of the North West
Durban Mayors Office
Department of Culture, Science, Arts and Technologies, Pretoria
Mmabatho City Council
Johannesburg Art Bank
PROJECTS:
Three Hundred and Forty Six Works(Nationally and Internationally)
2009 – TEMPLE OF THE ANCIENTS, JOHANNESBURG ZOO PROJECT
In conjunction with Paga Designs
as well as an Australian Zoo Exhibit Curator. I have
designed and conceptualized 46 animal and insect
enclosures using sculptural natural objects from
desert environments to South American Amazonian
Jungle as well as 6 large South American Aquarium
fresh water habitats. Competition Date: December
2009.
2009 – OFFICIAL LAUNCHING EXHIBITION OF
THE BLUE DOOR PRINT STUDIO.
I curated an exhibition of 22 members of the Blue
Door Print Studio. 220 works from the Studio were
exhibited at the David Brown Fine Art Gallery on the
21st May 2009. www.davidbrownfineart.co.za
2007 – NATIONAL HEALTH LABORATORY
SERVICES, JOHANNESBURG
Benno of 2B Design and Collin Cole designed,
conceptualized and project managed the
construction and installation of the buildings main
entrance.
2006 – AMAZONIAN PRECINCT –
JOHANNESBURG ZOO PROJECT
I was invited by an architectural firm who after
viewing my solo exhibition to be part of the concept
and design team on the new Amazonian Precinct
Project. I was awarded the project and was
responsible for the design, conceptualization,
project management and installation of all artworks,
artifacts, sculptures and ceramic murals for the
Amazonian precinct habitat.
2004 – BIDVEST ART-JAM
I partnered with Kate Sunley from By Invitation
Only, an events management company to work
together to facilitate individual and Group Art- Jams
for several companies including Rentworks and
Simply the Best. In 2004, they once again worked
together to conceptualize, design and execute a
linear artwork that was 16.5 m long by 3 m height
for BIDVEST.
The artwork was broken up into 88
canvas panels for the 300 senior managers of
Bidvest to paint. Participants were split into teams
of three to four people, based on their date of birth.
They were allowed to use primary colours and had
to use a point brush no bigger than 1cm wide. The
painting took an hour and 17 minutes to complete.
Brian Joffe, CEO of Bidvest, commented, “We didn’t
have any idea the painting would turn out so well.
The response was “Wow”. Bidvest has since used
this artwork in their TV ads and for branding of their
company.
2003 – BLUE DOOR PRINT STUDIO
I established a private teaching facility, the BLUE
DOOR PRINT STUDIO, to teach artists and anyone
with a serious desire, but outside of the often restricted
formal educational institutions, the
opportunity to learn professional printmaking.
1986 – 1994 – SOLOMON T PLAATJE
MEMORIAL EXHIBITIONS
I curated 7 annual Solomon Plaatje Memorial
Exhibitions as well as the University of the North
West Art Collection.
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