Artists - Crafts

Bronze Age

bronze bowls

After graduating in Industrial Design, Charles Haupt was taken on by Bronze Age, a multifunctional art foundry, in the Cape, RSA. “I’d always been intrigued by the process of casting, but thought it was a rather old-fashioned form of design. Once I got started, however, I realised that its creative potential – especially when combined with a strong and durable material such as bronze – is infinite”. Charles now runs the functional art department at Bronze Age. “I’m a great lover of functional design, yet also have a lot of respect for sculptural art. So I decided to combine the two”. The result is innovative, modern and beautifully crafted bronze bowls, in an array of shapes, patinas and textures, worthy of any first-world decor scheme.

Heartfelt

felt hearts & decorations

The heartfelt story has a sad beginning. Along with Julie Hadley, Martha Letsoalo started Heartfelt after her son Emanuel died in prison wrongly accused and sadly abused at the age of 25. After stealing what little money Martha had and promising to get Emanuel out of prison, the corrupt lawyer left her broken hearted and disheartened by the legal system in South Africa. With no husband, no job opportunity and three grandchildren to feed, Martha did what came naturally to her, she found a way to survive.
The heartfelt project is her story. It’s about her children. It’s about the lives of the women and families in her community. It’s about the sadness that happens on a daily basis in a little place called Makapanstad. And the big difference one small heart can make to the happiness of others. Together, Martha and Julie started creating and designing the heartfelt products using traditional handcraft skills, felt and beads. There are now ten women employed by the heartfelt project. Each day they come to work full of pride and hope. Creating each heartfelt design out of love and strongly believing that they can make a difference; not only to their own lives but to the lives of the community in which they live. Each heart sold by the heartfelt project helps to feed and clothe the ladies and their families. It also gives back to the community by donating a small portion to a local charity to help fight TB, HIV/AIDS and look after children and old aged men and woman within Makapanstad. Its aim is to heal the hearts of people who don’t have the opportunities we have on a daily basis. And to fill not only the ladies hearts but many others with hope.

Asher House

printed cards

Asher House are quality printed cards from South Africa, featuring the exuberant work of select African artists and crafters; for example Julia Cairns and the Kaross Weavers.

Kudinda

printed cotton

Ros Byrne started Kudinda fabrics in Zimbabwe in 1989. Her idea was to provide an outlet for young school leavers to use their talent for colour and design, by producing beautiful fabrics. She began by teaching one woman how to print fabric using hand-cut potato blocks. Now the company employs 60 staff in their potato printing, screen printing, cutting and sewing departments. Kudinda specialises in hand and screen printed textiles using traditional patterns in the rich colours of Africa. Each design is composed of intricately cut potato blocks and then printed in a unique pattern. These are printed in series and not to a pre-determined format, and the artist chooses the design. Each square metre of fabric comprises of no less than 930 stamps!

Zen Zulu

telephone wire baskets

Zenzulu is a design led craft business, fusing contemporary design with traditional craft skills. Initiated 12 years ago by designer Marisa Fick-Jordaan, on an informal settlement outside Durban, it began with only two skilled weavers. Workshops were begun to teach unemployed women from both urban and rural areas how to weave new designs, and Marisa soon utilized the skills of a group of Zulu beaders and a handful of young Zimbabwean refugees to expand the range. Now Zenzulu ensures sustainable incomes for more than 350 home based craft producers in four different communities. They have received numerous accolades and awards, including the Elle Decoration International Design Award in 2002. Their vessels have been showcased in Paris, Stockholm, London, New York, and Tokyo.

Sue Bell

printed cards with matching envelopes

Bird enthusiasts treasure the life-like forms and composition of Sue Bell’s cards, and her love of birds and butterflies is expressed through her intricate work. Her expansive knowledge continues to develop on the many trips she takes across Zimbabwe and through her work at an endangered animal sanctuary in Harare.

The Woodturner

wooden bowls

Father and son team, John and Andrew Early , known collectively as “The Woodturner”, have turned their obsession with the beauty of wood into an award winning business, using salvaged pieces of wood. John has spent many years experimenting with numerous types of wood and different turning techniques to achieve the quality which now holds his name in high regard. He has also, over the years, passed his knowledge on to his son Andrew who, after completing his diploma in architectural draughtsmanship, joined his father. Andrew has introduced a contemporary dimension to the business with his unique, simple style in both turning and furniture making, attracting attention from local and international buyers. It is in their Dargle valley studio in Kwa-Zulu Natal that they showcase their work. Their bowls can be found in galleries in New York, Los Angeles and London, and their work has been featured in a number of top decor magazines, earning them a Conde Nast award, and an Elle Decor International Design award. Each bowl is turned from wet wood, left to dry for up to four years, then re-turned, sanded and waxed or oiled. “Pieces will continue to dry throughout their lifetime in a dynamic process that makes them ‘living’ art works, says Andrew.

Rosecraft

woven mohair

Nestling on a farm in the mountains of the Kingdom of Swaziland is Rose Roques’ mohair business, Rosecraft. Rose employs a team of local women who otherwise would have no jobs due to their geographical isolation. Everything is done in-house, from the rearing of the special angora goats for their prized mohair (known as the ‘champagne of fibres’), to the dying, spinning and weaving. Rose has worked tirelessly over the years to develop a bible of colour recipes, and it is this artistic and fascinating match of colours which set her woven fabrics apart.

Iziko lo Lwazi

collage cards & gift bags

Iziko lo Lwazi is a non profit organisation providing training and work for women from the township of Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, Cape Town. Crafters make hand-made paper and paper products, which are decorated by a team of beaders. 20 women work at Iziko lo Lwazi and their earnings support 65 people. Although volunteers are currently helping the organisation to grow, the ultimate aim is for the crafters to take over the running of Iziko lo Lwazi. To this end, training is given in business skills, planning, product development and marketing, and regular literacy classes are held.

Masterwires

wire & beads

Masterwires is the brainchild of wire weaver Bishop Tarabawamwe. “As a young boy I learnt how to design with wire. I started selling my craft at the traffic lights on the M3 at Bishopscourt and Claremont in Cape Town , South Africa . This is where the name of my company came from. At traffic lights I disturbed the flow of traffic: cars passing by were looking for my art. After blocking the traffic by stopping in the middle of the road one customer said ‘oh, that’s a masterpiece’. The traffic police started to give me fines and then a final warning, they wanted to take me to court because I was disturbing the traffic. With a friend I approached the V&A craft market for a stall. After a rocky start I decided to go solo. With the help of the management of the craft market I have improved my range of products, I have also moved from being a crafter to a designer and business person.” The exposure of having a shop at the Craft Market gave Bishop the opportunity to meet both local and international customers. He has done work for corporate companies such as Old Mutual and the Protea Hotel Group. He has also done commissions for Sony and has sponsored the Amazing Race Show in Asia. Bishop currently exports to the United Kingdom and New Zealand. “It is a wonderful experience having my work appreciated and enjoyed.”

Gogo Olive

hand-knitted animal friends

Julie Hagan began Gogo Olive in the eastern town of Mutare in Zimbabwe to empower local women and help rehabilitate female prisoners. They have developed a range of Shamwari (meaning friend) knits of the Big Seven, and are having such fun knitting, even the prison warders have now joined in! Original, soft and adorable, they are definitely collectable.

Wola Nani

paper bowls

Wola Nani Crafts emerged in response to the need for unemployed, HIV-positive women to generate an income. Through a developmental, self help approach the project’s members have been enabled to take greater control of their lives and achieve a better quality of life. Their innovative and often recycled products are distributed extensively throughout South Africa and overseas. The colourful and cheerful designs are widely recognised and they enjoy the Proudly South African endorsement.

Artvark

metal cutlery

Theresa Jo and CP are the forces behind Artvark, and their cutlery designs in brass, copper and silver are unique and funky. In their own words, they “combine the rough with the smooth” and create functional art that is modern, original and appealing.

Streetwires

wire

Streetwires began in 2000 with two artists and three founders and ten years later they employ over 100 people, most of whom have been trained in house and export to 15 countries worldwide. Street wire art is unique to Southern Africa. “Born in the shanty towns and dusty back roads and baptised on the streets, today this genre is a thriving and legitimate art form in its own right”.

Tin Town

powdered metal

Tin Town designer Magdel describes her work as “using the soft approach to metal”. Sophisticated, wild and whimsical, these designs with subtle African influences are both modern and fresh and add a contemporary look to interiors where paintings may not be appropriate.

Rorke's Drift

hand-printed cotton

Located in a beautiful area in the middle of KwaZulu Natal right next to the battle field of the Anglo-Zulu-War, is Rorke’s Drift Art & Craft Centre. It was established in 1962 by Swedish artists Ulla and Peder Gowenius, who were employed by the Church of Swedish Mission. A Fine Art School was included and Rorke’s Drift has been the home of many world famous South African artists such as John Muafangejo. Today 35 women and men are employed in the different studios at the Art & Craft Centre, including the weaving and textile departments. They draw on local flora and scenery for inspiration and all their designs are unique and hand printed.

The Verandah Gallery

printed cards

The Verandah Gallery, run by Anna Fleming, began in 1992 as a one-day annual art exhibition to raise funds for the Emerald Hill Children’s Home in Harare, Zimbabwe. Over the last 18 years, this popular event, which is held in a private house neighbouring the Home has raised substantial amounts of money for the children. It has also contributed to a wider public awareness of Zimbabwe’s highly talented artists. In 1998, The Verandah Gallery began publishing cards and calendars featuring the work of some of these artists, and now prints wrapping paper as well.

Andy C

pewter

Andy C has no formal design background so his approach is fresh and uninhabited and he looks to nature for simplicity of form and fluidity of line. Simple shapes and modern ethnic designs have become his trademark and his pewter work, incorporating glass and inlay, is both smart and stylish.

Kaross

embroidery

Kaross Weavers was begun in 1989 by Irma van Rooyen with five Shangaan embroiders. The ladies began creating works of art relating to themselves and their cultural background. Today, Kaross provides a livelihood to over 1,000 Tsonga and Shangaan women in the Limpopo province. Quality is their objective, while their inspiration comes from their rich metamorphic language and the myriad of proverbs central to their communication system.

Pondo Arte

Xhosa blanket & braid cushions

Pondo Arte operates from Port St. Johns in the Eastern Cape where it works with artists and crafters from the Transkei. Pondo Arte is actively run by Portia Ntobeko Cele who understands crafters as messengers of history and culture. Pondo Arte currently employs 35 artists and aims to grow this number and provide even more employment. They mostly work from their own homes or Pondo Arte managed work places. The Masande group, who make the cushions, consists of 14 women. Most of them are young people that have contracted the HIV virus and are finding a supporting family structure and hope for themselves in this kind of work.

Kunye

beaded decor

Kunye, the Xhosa word for “forward together”, was established by Alison Coutras in 1995 as a personal contribution to combating unemployment.
Kunye trains and provides work to groups and individuals who handcraft products, using recycled material wherever possible. Designs are a fresh take on traditional techniques, with beautiful contemporary results.

Khumbulani

assorted craft

Khumbulani Craft was established in 1999 with the purpose of contributing towards poverty alleviation through the design, production, marketing and sale of traditional and contemporary craft. The Craft’s mission is to promote small enterprise development in rural communities. Khumbulani Craft is currently working with approximately 350 crafters in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

Maradadi

pewter

Maridadi, meaning “beautiful” in Swahili, create and manufacture uniquely decorative and functional pewter art pieces exclusively designed by Allen Hallett. Allen’s combined passions of African wildlife and pewter art, fuse together in an explosive range of individually designed functional pewter gifts and decorative sculpture art pieces, whihc are highly collectable.
All Maridadi items are spun using lead free pewter and are hand finished by a group of talented South African craftsmen and women, making each Maridadi product truly unique.

Natural Edge

hand-turned wood

Natural Edge was started by Dave Stephenson when his father died and Dave inherited the lathe which his father had taught him to turn on when he was 5 years old.
After losing interest in fixing computers for a living, and discovering his joy of wood turning again, Dave and his partner ‘dropped out’ of the city rat race and moved to Knysna, an area known for its wood.
Dave is passionate about wood as well as the results. Not just how it looks and feels, but what it is and where it comes from. He knows the botanical name of each piece he turns and can give a brief description and history of its origins.

Belinda Beckley

love beans and assorted beads

Belinda Beckley, the original ‘Love Bean Queen of Africa’, runs her small community driven business from home in Somerset West, RSA, where all finished products are lovingly hand made by a team of dedicated ladies from Khayamandi. The Love Bean is as special as it is rare. As the largest bean in the world the Entada Gigas starts its journey by escaping its massive seed pod (up to 2 meters long) to drift along swampy rivers and finally be set free to the sea. The Love Bean (also known as the ‘sea bean’ or ‘sea heart’) is dispersed by ocean currents, often travelling 1000’s of kilometres to find new suitable habitats. The tough outer shell endures the salt water and stormy seas until it reaches fertile soil. It is a matter of luck and fortune if a bean survives to take root and grow. The Love Bean is thus a symbol of perseverance, endurance, faith and bountiful rewards.

Original T Bag Designs

recycled tea bags

Arriving in Cape Town from England in 1996, Jill Heyes was faced by the overwhelming poverty and apparent hopelessness in the local informal settlement of Imizamo Yethu, Hout Bay. Wondering how she could begin to help in some small way, Jill was approached by Thelma, who persistently requested that Jill teach her a hand craft skill. One quickly became two, then three, as curiosity and a will to learn emerged from within the settlement. The T Bag concept was created in 2000 and new product ideas capturing the T Bag theme sprang forward. T Bag products are created from an every day product, namely used tea bags, collected locally. The artists apply their designs onto the dried T Bag and they are then incorporated into a range of decorative items. In 2002 Gill gave up her part-time teaching job and committed herself to making Original T Bag Designs a self-supporting business. The company enjoyed immediate success and genuine interest. The project continues to grow and offer employment opportunities for existing and new participants.

Treehouse Arts

pewter on ostrich shells and clay pots

Margaret Knight, and the artist Sally Rush, are Treehouse Arts. They work in their wooden house overlooking indigenous forests on South Africa’s Garden Route. Their garden is filled with large mature trees and is regularly visited by antelope, monkeys and baboons, whilst guinea fowl breed in the shrubbery,
Margaret specializes in decorating objects such as Swazi clay pots and ostrich eggs with a combination of metal, wire and bead work. The result is a complementary blend of textures and colours.
Swazi pots, made by hand and simply fired, were originally used in which to make sorghum beer. Margaret’s decorations enhance the pots’ form and beauty.
The natural colour of ostrich eggs is augmented by Margaret’s metal and beadwork. Her eggs, laid by ostriches in the nearby Victorian ostrich boomtown of Outshoorn, are decorated whole or cut to provide functional forms that can be used as candle holders or bowls.

Wezandla

beaded cushions

Wezandla, on Elandsberg farm, is on the edge of the rugged hills of the old Zululand. Within view to the north-east lie the battlefields of Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift, where the Zulu and British Empires clashed. This area is seeped in history and Zulu culture.
The Zulus in the area survive on subsistence farming and government grants. Unemployment is 80%. The poverty and hopelessness of the local community prompted a group to take action to restore hope and pride to the people.
The idea for Wezandla Crafts came about in 1996. Meaning “with hands” in Zulu, it was to signify the products made by hand but also the reaching out and helping each other with our hands. Most of the people the group wanted to reach were women who are house bound as they have other chores to attend to such as fetching water. The idea was to use their traditional skills to create crafts at home in their spare time. Now Wezandla Crafts has trained close on 400 people in various beadwork techniques. Crafters vary from a regular core group, to crafters who produce irregularly depending on other commitments, e.g. the birth of a child. Some crafters have married and moved away and, sadly, some have passed away. AIDS is a factor that impacts on the lives of many families.
Wezandla has also been involved in helping build a crèche which they support financially, as well as with a feeding scheme. This is keeping to their principles of using their hands to reach out to others less privileged than themselves.

Tin City

hand-painted metal decorations

Hand painted on metal by a dedicated team in the shadow of Table Mountain, Tin City products are filled with a vibrancy and charm which is uniquely South African.
This is where Warthogs have wings, the Ostrich takes a Bus and Christmas is colourful and vibrant with an African Flavour.

Avoova

ostrich shell decor

South African artist, Gideon Engelbrecht, first started experimenting with ostrich eggshell as an art form on his arrival in the remote town of Prince Albert in the mid 1990’s. In 2004, Engelbrecht went into partnership with Tom Goddard and together they set about developing their processes and designs.
Resisting the practical temptations of moving to Cape Town, Avoova has remained faithful to its roots, expanding in Prince Albert to become one of the biggest employers in a community widely recognised as one of South Africa’s most disadvantaged. In defiance of the harsh climatic conditions and remoteness of their location, the team of highly skilled craftsmen and women make award-winning products of quality. Thousands of shards of broken eggshell, collected from the local ostrich breeders, are painstakingly selected and placed in individual designs, which undergo at least fifteen distinct processes to protect and enhance their beauty.
Avoova was recently commissioned to create five bespoke ostrich eggshell tables for the world’s largest private motor yacht, Eclipse, on behalf of its owner, Roman Abramovich.

Pam Fluckiger

handpainted tablecloths

Twelve years ago, in a small wendy house, a mother was inspired to creat something beautiful and Pam’s handpainted table cloth business was born. Through hard work and dedication her cottage industry has thrived in the suburbs of Cape Town and she now markets a wide array of striking designs in a range of vibrant colours. Each cloth is handpainted on 100% cotton and will last a lifetime if care is taken of it. They are machine washable on a gentle, warm cycle, can be tumble dried and should be ironed on the reverse.

Loretta Magan

handpainted glass

Loretta was born and bred in Cape Town. After working in the corporate environment for about 20 years, she decided to become a stay-at-home mother for her two young sons. This gave her the opportunity to pursue her creative urges. She completed a course in stained glassware but it was warm glass which particularly appealed to her. Once her husband presented her with an electric kiln, this fascinating hobby progressed into a thriving business. After being in the glass business for five years, she now has a range of functional glassware which she produces in her home studio. “Still I realise that there is even more potential for glass as an art form and I continue to pursue new ideas and concepts, adding more variety to my range.”