Claerhout was born in Pittem, West Flanders in 1919, and moved to South Africa as a missionary for the Catholic Church in 1946, at the age of 27.
He started painting more after relocating to Thaba Nchu in 1960, and became famous for his unique style, which used vivid colors and incorporated items such as donkeys, sunflowers and figures of people he met through his everyday life.
After the operation Claerhout's art underwent a colour evolution from the initial Flemish inspired earthy palette to one of brightness.
His artistic legacy includes other media such as sculpture, wall-paintings, monotype and linocut, stained glass drawings and crayon.
Claerhout donated much of the earnings from his versatile artwork to fund the building of housing and schools and support the people of his mission in and around Bloemfontein and Thaba Nchu.