Jacques Buys

Jacques Buys was born in Worcester in 1976, the fifth of eight children. His talent for sculpture came from his grandfather who was a builder and furniture maker. “My granddad used to carve patterns into his furniture, and I sat, sometimes for hours, watching him carving.” After matriculating from Esselenpark Tegniese Hoërskool in Worcester in 1996, he went on to obtain a certificate in foundry technology. In 2000 he also obtained a certificate in technical/architectural drawing. In 2000 he began working at Ingwe Editions, an art foundry in Stellenbosch. It was here that he first discovered his ability to visualise and to sculpt. His first sculpture ‘Wagtail on Branch’ captured the eye of well-known sculptor Dylan Lewis, who offered him a job as his assistant sculptor. Jacques has exhibited his work at galleries in Cape Town and Franschhoek. He is also a part-time lecturer in the Art of Bronze Sculpting for third and fourth year students at the University of Stellenbosch.