Strauss & co - 16 October 2017, Cape Town

322 I am the sole survivor of a deep friendship that began when my photographer husband met Peter in the late 60’s. David was commissioned by Panorama Magazine (the Government sponsored publication) eager to promote this emerging ‘coloured’ artist. The bond of this friendship was so deep that it outlasted both their lives. I remember that the entrance fee to Peter’s first exhibition was more than we could afford, but we bought as many paintings as we could through the 60’s. His style in that period particularly appealed to us for its simplicity and colour. Our earliest purchase expressed Peter’s deep concern for the plight of his people – it shows a black face with and black hand releasing a black bird. Birds flying free characterise many of his paintings. Possibly the most famous – is a study of a woman on crutches in Tesselaarsdal. David rescued this piece of board off the floor and Peter gave it to him. The first time I invited Peter home for lunch my char said in horror “you are not going to sit at the table with him are you?” This was a typical reaction that he met at the time and I think that’s why he found our friendship so relaxing. David and he had much in common; love of the sea, wide ranging intellect and a serious interest in art. Peter had not been schooled for long as he felt ‘schooling’ too institutionalized but I found his conversation revealed his wide reading and his original thoughts. He was a humble man totally without side. His view of education was that it was a pathway that lay between thorns. When we moved to our historic home, Klein Zoar, a national moment dating back to the 1700’s, Peter designed our letterhead as a gift. His paintings formed a unique collection that brightened the walls. My most poignant memory of Peter is the phone call in early 2016, the year of his death, fearing he had forgotten to wish me a Happy New Year. Jos Baker, July 2017.