“Die portrette is knap gedaan. Fisiese eienskappe is op ekspressionistiese wyse raak daargestel: uitmuntend veral die portrette van Frans Claerhout en Sophia Luckhoff”.

“Priest-artist Frans Claerhout is shown as at once searching, reaching out and forthright, down-to-earth – a considerable achievement in portraiture”.

“Seen as a work of art, it is an acquisition which unquestionably enhances our collection, and as a portrait sculpture of the person we wished to honour, the consensus is that you have achieved a quite remarkable likeness.”

‘…….he is South Africa’s pre-eminent portrait sculptor….”

On Mike completing his portrait in Rome “Ah you are the maestro!”

“He works freely, and I think this spontaneity of Mike’s work is probably his greatest asset. The Dutch have a name or saying, that is, that if a painting is over finished they call it “plat gelek” – it has been licked flat. He never “licks flat’. You see there is ruggedness, it hasn’t been smoothed down and that is a very good factor in Mike’s work. Also, I think he can get a very good likeness.
There is a head of his of Father Claerhout that is one of his most magnificent, and the one of Frank Spears. I’ve also seen his portrait of Gregoire Boonzaier that is very good. I’ve always admired his portraits. I really think that of the sculptors in this country doing portraits, he is probably one of the best”.