newsletter of ceramics sa eastern cape
autumn 2016
Letter from the Chair
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Thoughts from my studio
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Hang ‘em High
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Fire and Steam Exhibition
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Programme for 2016
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Sculpture workshop in East London
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New members Tips and tricks General information
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Front cover: Jeffrey Allan This page: Dianne Castle
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Letter from the Chair
The new year has started off at a gallop. Now we all have to look towards the rest of the year and start working, firstly for our Regional Exhibition which will again be at Art On Target. We had good sales there and Bretten-Ann Moolman is happy to have us back. At the very lively AGM we discussed the issue of wall space. Everyone was very enthusiastic about wall panels, so it was decided that we will each make at least four tiles (wall pieces which are hang ready).
These can be any
shape or size, even plates will be fine. As long as they can simply be hung up without any further ado. This should enhance our exhibition and give everyone more opportunities to sell their work. Further to the AGM. Everyone who attended the free silkscreen printing workshop had a ball. We all learnt so much from Jean and the images which we printed on newspaper were great. A pity we ran out of ink, but we have the opportunity to go and print some more on the first of March! Thanks to Jean Luyt for her hard work and a Saturday that she sacrificed for us. CSA is hosting Sasha Wardell from the UK this year. She will be awards judge at the Corobrik National Ceramics Biennale and will be moving around the country presenting workshops. I am hoping that we will be able to send a record number of entries to Johannesburg for this exhibition. It is also a great way of showing your work in other centres and picking up leads for outlets further afield.
Thoughts from my studio:
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Every year come January I am faced with the same problem. What to do with all my off cuts and seconds. This year I solved the off cut problem, I threw them all away. The seconds? That's the dilemma. After a year of work I have many pots that I am not happy with. Maybe the shape is not good, maybe the colours not great. Cracks are easier: I bin those. My gardener must have a big collection of Donve pots in his home. This brought me back to something I have written about previously. When is a second a second and is it saleable? I am occasionally asked “Do you sell seconds?” which led me to thinking what a second is? The more I think about it the more I realize there is no clear cut answer. Instead, each of us has to come up with our own definition. What might pass as okay in Terracotta might not pass in stoneware or porcelain. Cracks in Raku might be acceptable while a crack in porcelain is not. What about glaze flaws, warping, crazing and many other flaws in between? Perhaps technical flaws are easier to make a decision over, what about aesthetics flaws? These are far less tangible. At times, a perfectly good pot is considered bad purely because it doesn’t look quite as expected, or meet the mental goal you were working to achieve. Come back to it after a month and one sees that, actually ,it is not bad at all. What about the issues that one person’s seconds are still far better than someone else’s firsts. This is a really tricky one but at the end of the day only you can decide. What about the pot that is technically sound but just does not work functionally or aesthetically? You might hate it but Fred up the road loves it and is prepared to pay good money for it. To sell or not? Then there’s that chestnut of ‘Reputation’. Do you have one? Want one? Does your perceived market, existing client base, academic standing, or simply your own ego, require one? When one’s livelihood is dependent on selling pots one cannot be too precious, but can you sell anything? Do I want the quality of my work to be judged by the seconds I have sold? At the end of the day each one of us has to make this decision alone. Mothers and friends are not good critics! For me the answer is still “Would I feel good seeing this piece displayed ?“ If in doubt re-fire, re-glaze or take a hammer to it. Smashing pots can be very satisfying. The other alternative is to put a plant in it and give it to a long suffering relative who, I am sure, will be delighted. Another idea is one I read about many years ago. A potter who is slowly building a wall using all his unsalable pots. The wall looked fantastic!
Donve Branch
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Hang em high! Wall exhibition @ the Regional Exhibition 2016 With thoughts of our Regional Exhibition: Lisa Walker has something to add to the problem of hanging wall pieces. Read on and experiment! https://www.ceramicartsdaily.org has interesting topics and is a good place to start. Search for: Clay on the Wall: An Introduction to Hanging Ceramic Wall Pieces.
You will find all the necessary information there.
Christina Bryer fashions small lugs onto the back of her feather light ware. This is what she does: Her work is extremely light. She uses casting slip, the same as that which she used for the actual work. Christina drops a small blob of casting slip onto the surface, then places a small Lavender twig on top and then another blob of casting slip. The twig fires away, leaving a small hole through which strong fishing gut is looped. When adhering ceramic to wood, the mosaic ladies recommend a wood that does not warp, the wood surface needs to be roughed up and they use Eezi Flex to glue, applying pressure overnight to dry. Start thinking about YOUR 4 pieces! It may take any form - plates, tiles, plant holders - you are only limited by your imagination! Lisa Walker
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Fire and Steam Exhibition Review The Fire and Steam Exhibition held at Artec Gallery in December was an exhibition of ceramics by Heather Frankel, Saabirah Hendricks, Dr Melanie Hillebrand, Ilna Roux and Lisa Walker with “Steam- Punk” by Eben Saayman. The exhibition was beautifully laid out by Wayne Matthews of Artec with a good flow and cohesion of the different artists’ work. Melanie Hillebrand’s work was based on African forms with elaborate gilded Chinese like decorations, whilst Lisa Walker exhibited vibrant, jewel coloured sculptures and whimsical plates. Saabirah Hendricks displayed beautifully crafted vessels which were both earthy and yet had a spiritual quality to them. Heather Frankel exhibited various sculptures from her “Wild Woman” and her “Bird Men” series as well as bowls decorated with female faces. Ilna Roux’s candle sticks were colourful and playful. Eben Saayman’s work is based on found objects which are then collaged or incorporated into interesting pieces of art This provided a stimulating contrast to the ceramics. Thank you to everyone who participated and supported this refreshing exhibition.
Heather Frankel
Fire and Steam (continued)
Clockwise (above: Saabirah Hendricks; Eben Saayman; Eben Saayman; Heather Frankel; Lisa Walker; Melanie Hillebrand
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Programme for 2016 20 February - AGM. Silkscreen printing workshop
27 May - Regional Exhibition 28 May - Workshop by Tania Babb from Cape Town August/September - Workshop on creativity and dealing with galleries (date and place to be announced) September - Submission of images for the National Biennale November - Workshop by Sasha Wardell - Visiting international presenter
November - The Corobrik National Ceramic Biennale, Johannesburg (Dates for social evenings will be announced during 2016)
Cape Pottery Supplies sponsors of two regional exhibition awards
Kiln Contracts Building, 11 Celie Road, Retreat info@capepotterysupplies.co.za 021 7011320 http://www.capepotterysupplies.co.za
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Ann Marais Sculpture Workshop in East London Some of our members enjoying the sculpture workshop.
Welcome to our new members‌ East London: Andrew Mogridge Lynne Price Liz Sanchez Belgravia Art Centre Janet Young Bernard Barry Port Elizabeth: Louise Pretorius
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E N I Z A AG ! M T E X S WA Y N R YOU S ON IT I
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As we get in to the new year, perhaps this is the time to expand our creativity. DO ONE OF THESE THINGS A DAY, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. SOME OF THESE HAVE NO CONNECTION WITH CREATIVITY AND YET I ASSURE YOU, DO THEM AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS!
Suppliers of ● Kilns & kiln accessories ● Potters wheels & accessories ● Decorating & sculpture tools ● A wide variety of earthenware & sculpture clay Tel: 021 8393300 Cell: 0845855022 Fax: 086 237 3214 Email us at news@kilnsandclay.com to receive a price list.
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DO SOMETHING YOU HAVEN’T DONE BEFORE THROW AWAY YOUR JUNK LEARN TO MEDITATE IN EVERY KILN FIRING HAVE SOME KIND OF TEST DO SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN PUTTING OFF DO A PAGE OF THUMBNAIL SKETCHES OF IDEAS TAKE ONE FORM THAT YOU MAKE, AND SEE HOW MANY VARIATIONS YOU CAN CREATE 8. VISIT A GALLERY OR MUSEUM 9. START A SCRAPBOOK OF IDEAS 10. DO SOMETHING OUTRAGEOUS 11. START SOMETHING YOU HAVE BEEN PROCRASTINATING ABOUT 12. ATTEND AN EXHIBITION 13. GO FOR IT!
lydia holmes - chair 0835649430 lydia@rgholmes.co.za donve branch - v. chair 0833262842 donve1@telkomsa.net
margie higgs - treasurer 0837279454 margiehiggs1@gmail.com lisa walker -workshopcoordinator 0825169220 deanlisa@mweb.co.za bianca whitehead - student liaison 084 257 3073 bianca.whitehead@nmmu.ac.za louise pietrucci - east london rep cvd.framers@gmail.com 043 726 1449
ceramics.easterncape@gmail.com