After a brief interaction with Rassie Erasmus at a restaurant in Blouberg, artist Craig Stuart found creative inspiration in the coach’s bond with his dog.
Cape Town, South Africa (27 May 2026) – For artist Craig Stuart, inspiration often comes from ordinary moments and genuine human connection. That was exactly the case when a casual family outing led to an unexpected encounter with Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and, eventually, a heartfelt portrait of his dog, Kwedini.
Craig explained that he first met Erasmus earlier this year while having lunch with his family in Blouberg shortly after the New Year. After noticing the Springbok coach at the restaurant, he decided to introduce himself alongside his two daughters.
“You never know when you’ll get an opportunity like that again,” Craig said. “So we went over, had a chat and took a photo. He was incredibly humble and down to earth.”
During the brief conversation, Erasmus asked Craig what he did for a living, to which he replied that he was an artist. Although the interaction was short, it left a lasting impression on him.
Afterwards, Craig began following Erasmus on Instagram and quickly noticed how often Kwedini appeared in his posts. What stood out to him was not necessarily the dog itself, but the bond between the two.
“There was something really special about it. If you look at his page, it’s not filled with big moments or achievements. It’s mostly just him and his dog, and I loved how authentic that felt.”
Inspired by that connection, Craig decided to create a portrait of Kwedini despite there being no commission or formal arrangement in place. Using a still image from one of Erasmus’ videos as a reference, he began working on the piece from his home studio in Durbanville.
Originally from Scotland, Craig said art has been part of his life for as long as he can remember. He studied art in Scotland before eventually moving to South Africa, where creativity remained a side passion for many years through occasional commissions and personal projects.
“This year I decided to really take it seriously. It’s always been where my passion is, so I wanted to pour more into it and see where it could lead.”
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“It’s chaotic, but it’s my chaos. That’s where I get away from everything and really focus.”
He also believes some of the best opportunities come from instinct and being willing to act on inspiration when it appears. That approach has previously led him to create artwork for radio personality Darren Simpson after another brief interaction.
For Craig, it’s not all about creating artwork for a public figure. Instead, it was about capturing something personal and meaningful through art.
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