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Craig was introduced to fish at a very young age by his late father, who was an avid fisherman. Craig’s memories of his dad were that he had a deep love for the sea and the fish he caught. Once a year, along with his brother and dad, Craig would make the long and exciting journey from inland to South Africa’s Eastern Cape coast to spend Christmas with the family and go fishing. Backpacking south from the village of Haga Haga and moving from one fishing spot to the next with just the basic necessities and a small tent, their food had to be caught from the sea. This was where Craig’s fascination with the sea and its creatures began.

Whether fishing in salt or freshwater, Craig photographed the fish he caught on every trip, becoming obsessed with fish. Even as a young boy he was an active artist, sketching images from animal books that his mom bought, all the while encouraging and praising him. Wildlife documentaries, especially those featuring sharks, inspired him to sculpt sharks and other fishes from foam.

In primary school Biology was Craig’s favorite subject. Drawing insects, animals and fish diagrams gave him the opportunity to be creative. He remembers some of the first words of encouragement that had any long-term impact were from his biology teacher. She recognized that he had a special talent and pushed him to aspire to be artist one day.

Craig was diverted away from art subjects in high school, but always found reasons to sketch here and there. It wasn’t until he began studying graphic design at Wits Technikon that his passion resurfaced again. His three college years were some of the most inspirational for him, leading to a decision to try making it as a freelance illustrator.

In 1998 Craig worked as an illustrator for children’s educational book publishers. This allowed for a lot of free time, some of which he filled by painting wildlife. He always remained hopeful that he would one day sell his art to the public. He remembers doing a great white shark painting that spawned a shift in his thinking towards depicting underwater scenes. The painting drew great interest in galleries, but it would be two years from starting out before Craig sold his first painting - a leopard walking through thick bushveld. After that things picked up, but it wasn’t easy.

In 2002 Craig realised that he would have to get a more stable job, which resulted in eight (long) years of working as a graphic designer. Throughout this time he accepted the odd commission, but it wasn’t until he was asked to do a painting titled “Spotted Hunter” in 2006 that he decided to paint actively once again. Life after that was a double existence - behind computer by day and easel by night.

By 2008 Craig was constantly working on commissioned works. “Yellowfin Torpedo” and “Reef Kings” were two of his best pieces and a breakthrough for his fishing art. By 2009 life as a workaholic recluse forced him to make a choice. It should have been an easy decision with a string of commissions in the pipeline and huge support, but the experience of knowing how hard it could be to survive purely as an artist made the decision a difficult one.

Through constant encouragement from his wife, friends and family, Craig made January 2010 his final month as a designer. So began an exciting new chapter of his life as a full time artist. Blessed with wonderful opportunities and supported by people who had followed him through the years, he has never looked back. These days Craig receives commissions from way beyond his home country, with strong interest coming from Australia and the USA. With his work appearing in books, magazines and fishing product labels, he is realizing his life dream of being a world-renowned artist. The beginning of 2011 saw the launch of the Craig Bertram Smith clothing range, exclusively featuring his art replicated on hand made clothing using cutting-edge technology to produce T-shirts, sun shirts and board shorts.

Amongst all the new hustle and bustle Craig never forgets the real motive for his art. His passion and focus remains on that of the natural world of fish, which has provided him with a fulfilling and meaningful life through fishing and art. He constantly strives to emphasize this through portraying fish in their element, together with their mysterious beauty, strength and grace. As an artist he studies these creatures in detail and it has become clear to him how fragile their world is. Craig paints in hope that his art will inspire enlightenment and appreciation for the fish that we chase, and compel us to want to give back that which has been given to us.

 

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All artwork and text is copyright 2009 Craig Bertram Smith. All rights reserved