His Life :
Theophilus Dymond Field was born in Tunbridge Wells, England c.1871. He trained at the Brighton School of Art and became proficient in watercolour, the most English of painting mediums. He first came to SA as an opera singer, and settled in Fish Hoek. Between 1917 and 1918, he was on active service in both South West Africa/ Namibia and the main theatre of the War in Europe. Prior to his departure to war in 1917, he showed six works on that year's SASA exhibition. They included views of old Simon's Town and a number of scenes painted in Natal. Field is recorded as exhibiting with SASA on only four occasions, but also sent his work to exhibitions in Durban and Port Elizabeth. He held solo exhibitions at the Riebeek Gallery, Cape Town, and at the Herbert Evans and Lezard Galleries in Johannesburg. He was a member of the K Club, a cultural group to which other SASA members also belonged, which had its headquarters at the Martin Meick House on Strand Street. Dymond Field was a casualty of the controversial sale from the SANG in 1947 when his The Bell Tower, Genadendal was lost from the collection, this contributing to his little-known status today.

He died in Kenilworth, Cape, c.1934.

CV:

Exhibitor on SASA-related exhibitions c.1898 - 1950: 1917: SASA Art Exh., MH, City Had, Darling St., 7 Feb. 1920: SASA Winter Exh., (venue not stated) 17 Sep. 1924: SASA 24th Annual Exh., RH, City Hall, Darling St., 4 Dec. 1936: SASA 34th Annual Exh., Ashbey's Gall., Church St., 5-11 Aug.