Freda Strydom has chosen a very different and time consuming form of art in which to express her creativity. Apart from these stunning works of art in leather which she designs and makes herself, she also paints and is an avid member of the Aberdeen Garden Club.After living in Eskort in Natal, where her husband Quint was headmaster of a school for the disabled, they retired to Aberdeen where they bought a lovely Karoo house which is now featured on the Aberdeen Brochure.
These immaculate pictures in leather which are three dimensional are “all leather” except for the wooden frames and are truly a labour of love. This art form is very specialized both in materials and techniques and especially with the tools used.
Freda has created leather pictures of the “Big Five,” giraffes, zebra and various types of bird.
The leather Freda works with has been treated in a specific process to remove the hair of the animal.
A variety of leathers are used, for example for the background of the picture Freda uses thicker leather which comes from cattle and then only sheepskin can be used for the elephant and the buffalo. Freda describes the pictures as “a leather collage”. The painting of the leather is beautifully realistic.
The hard labour is the cutting of the leather. This is done with a soldering iron which curls the edges of the leather which assists the three dimensional effect to appear together with batting. A craft knife is used to cut the leather to resemble grass. The cutting and shaping of the leather has to be skillfully done as there is a cost involved.
Freda buys the leather she uses from Pietermaritzburg in Kwa Zulu Natal and from Breyten in Mpumalanga. A fair amount of Freda’s work has been purchased by overseas tourists. Freda’s work is on display in the Camdeboo Fine Art’s Gallery in Aberdeen.
Article By: Joan Tinker