King Edward VII School Old Boy, Paul Blomkamp (Class of 1966) will be holding a Solo Art Exhibition, ‘Smaller Works- The True Electric Essence’ on the 2 November at Gallery 360 in Bryanston, Johannesburg.

At the age of 19, Blomkamp was awarded the commission to make one of the (then) largest Stained Glass windows in the world. Although primarily a painter, Blomkamp spent the following 20 years producing a spate of large, modern windows for churches, homes and large corporations. Since 1993, he has concentrated exclusively on his paintings.

2004 – 2008 The artist launched his new series of oils on paper, and continued to do privately commissioned works for corporate as well as domestic clients.

‘Highveld Windveld’ is the title of Johannesburg artist, Paul Blomkamp’s new oils on paper. They form part of an ongoing series of works, inspired by his profound, almost obsessive fascination with the Magaliesberg mountain range in Gauteng.

The influence of Blomkamp’s early stained glass windows is still evident in his latest paintings, which appear to transmit rather than reflect light. They have a transparency, clarity and sharpness akin to glass, and often appear to be made of coloured light rather than paint.

Blomkamp’s works deals with the anatomy of energy. He is preoccupied with energy, what it is, what it looks like, largely because of an illness that left him without energy of his own for many years.

Now his paintings are celebrations of energised lines, shapes and spaces that throb and glow with pure, strong colour, existing solely for ways to illuminate the dark and the unknown. His reason for painting, he says, it is to make the connection with that subconscious passion and energy that sustains us and that moves us as surely as the wind through a field of wheat’.

His relationships with colour and energised line is an attempt, he maintains, ‘to confront the subconscious, and to expose and bring into the light that mystery, that primal force, that may give us clues, affirmations – that existence on our little planet, spinning in this perplexing Cosmos, is worthwhile and meaningful, after all’.

2008/2009 – He started the planning and preparation for his first painting in the trilogy of exceptional visionaries whom he hoped would spearhead his mammoth project in the Karoo which is aimed at job creation for the previously disadvantaged.

2010 – 2013 – He completed the portraits of Oprah Winfrey and Nelson Mandela, thus completing the trilogy of the largest portraits ever painted by a South African Artist of these three great leaders.

Congratulations Paul on your illustrious career and we encourage the King Edward Community to please support our Old Boy at his solo exhibition.

KES OLD BOY PAUL BLOMKAMP ART EXHIBITION Invite.pdf

King Edward VII School Old Boy, Callum Mowat  scored a hat-trick of  golfing wins recently in Swaziland. Callum won the Open Championship, the AAGTC Individual Title and Team South Africa won the AAGTC Trophy.

Callum Mowat, Zander Lombard, NJ Arnoldi and Gerlou combined to claim South Africa’s seventh successive triumph at the Royal Swazi Sun Country Club with a total score of 34-under-par 830, finishing 26 strokes clear of Zimbabwe.

Mowat clinched the Swazi Open title by two shots from Lombard on Sunday and edged out his team mate again to win the Individual Competition with rounds of 65-65-71-75. The Modderfontein golfer said it was a much tougher day at the office, but he was delighted that the team backed him up in the final round.
“I struggled, but the team pulled through and that is what this championship is all about,” he said.

“I have to thank the team, Llewellyn and the SAGA for this opportunity and for what has undoubtedly been the best week of my golfing career. To win the Swazi Open and the AAGTC and the individual competition was more than I dreamed of doing. And I have to say thanks to my coach, Robbie Stewart, my family and friends for their support and for believing in me.”

Congratulations Callum on these fantastic results and recent achievements, proving that hard work, dedication and commitment do eventually earn due rewards. The King Edward Community wish you many more accolades and success into the future!

Article links on Callum’s recent success and achievements: 

Mowat in Argentina

Mowat maiden win

King Edward VII School has lost a legendary teacher in Christopher John Moffat. Mr Moffat taught at King Edward VII from 1984 until 2004 when he took early retirement. Mr Moffat joined King Edward after teaching at Umtali Boys’ High, Prince Edward School and Ellis Robins School in Zimbabwe.

Mr Moffat was Head of Buxton House for many years as well as Head of Boarding. Chris, as everybody knew him, was a legend in the classroom and was a famous ‘talk and chalk’, his favourite piece of chalk being yellow which was evident on his ever present blue pants. Nobody dared to not listen in his class as he was not only a great teacher but an imposing man at 6’3″ tall, had a deep voice and a wicked set of side burns. He had a great sense of humour and could tell the boys many a story about Africa. Chris was firm but fair in both the classroom and hostel.

He was a mentor to many young teachers at King Edward VII School. No task or challenge was too difficult for Chris. He was a cricket man and when he was asked to take over the rowing he had the club winning the South African Schools’ Rowing Championships within his first year in charge in 1986. His expertise didn’t stop there and he was able to coach ‘A’ team rugby all the way down to the 9th team. Nobody could forget his ‘dead ants’ drill and the famous ‘Mashonaland maul’ when playing in the lower open rugby teams.

Chris Moffat’s passion was athletics and when he took over in 1989 after ‘back to back’ losses at Inter-high he went on to win no fewer than 10 Inter-high athletics meetings. He always admired the middle distance athletes and believed that they were the ‘tough men’ of the athletics team and the real unsung heroes of the School.

King Edward VII School says goodbye to a teacher, mentor, coach and friend and our thoughts and prayers are with his family in their time of need.

A parting thought of Chris Moffat would be his favourite saying, from a 1980’s television show Hill Street Blues, ‘gents….do it to them before they do it to you’.

Tribute written by: Mr Simon Thorne

Congratulations to King Edward VII School Old Boy, Kevin Lerena on claiming the WBF African Champ win on the 21 September at the Heartfelt Arena. The KO KID put the Ghanaian Labaran out in two rounds.

Kevin is now the WBF All African Cruiser Weight Title holder. Well done from all at King Edward!

King Edward VII School Old Boy, Adam Rabinowitz (Class of 1984), has published his first novel, called,“Lost Soul” is a fantasy action-adventure story. Adam tells how this story transpired, ” this adventure was born out of the blurry memory of a dream I was left with one morning in November 2011. Whether you’re a fan of fantasy fiction or not, this is a proud moment which I hope you’ll share with me.” Adam recalls how when he won the ‘Editor’s Prize for English’ back in 1984, it was a changing point in his life and one that inspired him to greater things! 

Further good news is that Adam has just signed with Random House in the UK to commence the publishing process, and hopes to have Lost Soul on bookshelves by December.

To find out more about this novel, click on the given link: LOST SOUL where you can purchase the book on Amazon.com and KOBO STORE

Adam is calling on all Old Boys, Friends and keen readers to follow via ‘Lost Soul’  facebook page: LOST SOUL FACEBOOK ,and share your comments about the book and the author.

Congratulations Adam! We wish you much success with your new book and adventure.