John Watt (Jack) Grossert
1913 - 1997



Grossert, John Watt (Jack)
Watch Boy, 1945
He was born at Tweedie, KZN. He was a painter and graphic artist of landscapes, portraits and still life. He worked in oil, watercolour, ink, wash, pencil, charcoal. He carved in wood.

1930-33 he studied under Professor O J P Oxley at Natal University College, gaining a BA(FA), and in 1934 a National Art Teachers’ Certificate at Natal Technical College; 1942-3 MA (FA) at Natal University College; and 1967-69 a DPhil. at the University of Stellenbosch.

From 1935-1948 he was an art teacher with the Durban-Natal Education Department; 1936-46, while school teaching, he was a part-time lecturer in art at the Natal Technical College; in 1948 he founded the Ndaleni Art Centre, Natal; from 1948-53 he was Organiser of Arts and Crafts in Natal for the African Schools of the Natal Education Department; from 1954-62 he was an Inspector of Arts and Crafts for African Schools and Colleges in Pretoria; from 1963-1974 he was Professor of Fine Art at the University of Durban-Westville.

Between 1935-1989 he illustrated numerous illuminated manuscripts. From 1976-1984 he lived in Cork, Ireland. He participated in numerous group exhibitions from 1936 in SA and the Republic of Ireland. He was on the Organising Committee of the 1963 Art - South Africa - Today Exhibition. He is represented in the DAG collection, the Natal Technikon, the CC, UN and numerous private collections in SA and abroad. He is the author of a number of publications, including Zulu Crafts. 1978. Shuter & Shooter, Pietermaritzburg.