Pieter van der Westhuizen was born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1931. he studied art at the University of South Africa with Sakkie Eloff, Leo Theron, Rrobert Hodgins and others. In 1970 he worked under Alfred Krentz and in 1971 under Erik Laubscher. from 1979 to 1980 he attended the Nationale Hoger Institute voor schone kunst at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium. in 1982 and 1985 he continued his studies at the stedelijke akademie in ghent and the ryks centrum voor grafiek in Kasterlee, Belgium. in 1983 and 1985 he also studied woodblock printing in Japan. his work comprises landscapes, portraits, still lifes, figures and abstract works. He works in pastel, oil, watercolour, ink, pencil, charcoal and in various graphic media.