Elwin Buchel is a South African doctor-artist. He works mainly in oils and acrylic. He learnt the techniques of water color and oils from an Italian master artist but after leaving school pursued a medical career-After completing his internship he worked first in a mission hospital and then in an isolated and impoverished community in South Africa – (the nearest tarred road was 80km away).

Commenting on his dual life of medicine and art he said: “I do not have time consuming Interests-I am really focused on my work, my 6 children, my wife Sjaan who has been my best friends for 55 years and my art. Medicine still takes priority over painting. Art is a passion and like medicine it’s a journey of challenges and issues which need to be confronted and resolved. Medicine requires objective and logical thought based on knowledge. Art requires freedom from logic and needs creative thought while both medicine and art need discipline, and experience and technique. My family provide the emotional energy which is essential for both and for their support I am endlessly grateful. When the phone rings and it’s the hospital or a patient then even if I’ve been painting I return instantly to medicine thinking... I am grateful for this ability to crossover to pragmatic clinical thought. My paintings reflect the joy of life. They are often figurative, sometimes expressionistic and always colorful, a large painting takes months to complete –just getting the composition into balance often takes weeks of overpainting and redrawing whereas a smaller canvas can be completed in less time. I work with themes and usually do a series based on a theme where each new work has a personal individuality.”

The iAM Soul of Art Project is a unique endeavor intended to bring good art at affordable prices to Abu Dhabi. Art enhances the quality of life and good art always gains in value while all the time giving pleasure to the viewer. Abu Dhabi is a city of culture, art and happiness and Elwin Buchel wants to remain part of it.