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Southern Africa KZN
Newsletter
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issue No 4 Winter 2011
KZN region newsletter Number 3, 2015
Jane Jarvis Talks us through her walk from college to colonial tea parties Page 5
Cathy Brennon Gets all fired up running her workshop Page 2
Dear Fellow Ceramic Artists, Karen Murray Gets us working up close and personal Page 4 th
Our Regional is upon us again and we hope to see you all on Sunday 26 July to hand in work. All the details are in the invita<on which I have sent to you.
Buying an electric kiln What to look for and what to avoid Page 7
Issue No 3
result of your membership fees being carefully managed by your commiHee Forth coming
Hennie Stroebel Wowing us with creativity- he takes us on a walk about Page8
workshops and Ardmore success Page 6
Our membership stands at 65 and we are looking forward to an exci<ng exhibi<on. !
Please note that we can only select a limited number of pieces because of National Exhibition is in Pretoria who turn 65 can claim a space restraints and tMembers he selectors will Remember, that as a member, you are Our next year (Oct 2012) and there will also reduced membership. the by best pieces be a catalogue .-choose all sponsored allowed submit one piece that does not
Dear members,
Corobrik, It will costs over R60,000 to
We are in discussions with website
attended tthe Festival in have t! o go tIhrough he Clay selec<on process. exhibition host this designers tofupgrade website. Make sure your membership ees are our up Johannesburg recently and enjoyed this Our invited international judge for this Existing profiles will We trust hat you ill be highly cri<cal of eventtwhich takeswplace every two years. date a(born s the inRthe egional is open toto your paid up This wil event is Daphneto Corregan be upgraded advantage. It ork was successful onsmany levels. your w and only ubmit the The best USA, currently resident in France), who incur costs to members who would like a members only. presenters were informative and has a very impressive CV. She has profile. We will piece/pieces. professional. The trade hall buzzed with agreed to accept appointment as the report back once a decision is made demonstrations by the likes of Merentia last workshop, rganized and osted Award Judge forOur the National Exhibition. oabout the new lookhand workings of the Kooiman the shopping for ceramic Members are and allowed to submit for Daphne teaches at the University in site artSPACE is in the process of paying by Trayci Tomkins was a great success and supplies was awesome. Monaco and has to slot her visit in to everyone (for work sold on the selec)on a s m any m ugs/tea b owls a s Our own Lindsay Scott gave a workshop we t hank er. M embers can look forward complete everything within ahfour week Regional). Contact me if you have not on throwing with paper porcelain and they w ish. The mugs are a separate period. She will also be giving us a received monies yet. explained how he uses Leach’s concept to a David Walters, Sarah Walters and REMINDER : We continue to ask our workshop here in KZN. We host her for sec<on. Members can also clay submit of ‘accidental’ effects . (Paper being up to members do internet transfers when over a week andYogi if anyDmember e Beer would workshop on 5atoth September forgiving enough to allow lots to happen booking workshop. With all the cash 5 pieces for selec<on in the general like to contribute to her stay it would be handed to us for our last to it.) If you have a chance - plan to workshop we could at L indsay S coH’s W aHle a nd D aub s tudio most welcome i. e she is keen to see have been charged over R200 by the Bank. attend sec<on . the next one in 2013. game parks andin thethe Berg. one has Ring (God restdtheir souls) mIfidlands. that ate. contacts re accommodation for the above
I also attend the National Ceramic We are reducing the entry fee for the please let us know. Council Meeting on behalf of our KZN Region and it is good know that we Regional this year as a tothank you/pay Finally a decision has been made about have dedicated people handling the when does one become a Senior Citizen. back textraordinary o our members f or t heir l oyal amount of work that it In the interest of a non discriminatory takes toahost clayfunc<ons Festivals, Nationals support of ll our and as a society all of us become Senior Citizens
Keep Potting
See you at our Regional
and our website.
when we turn 65 !
Lynette
Lynette Morris-Hale
Front page!
Ceramics, Southern Africa
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“Lessons in Lino” Ezequiel Mabote & Trayci Tomkins Review by Mary Slack More than 30 people a2ended the workshop held at Trayci and Stuart Tomkins’ Lions Gate studio near Piggly Wiggly in the Midlands. The seCng was perfect for those seeking a break from the city in search of country air, with a beau)ful view across the valley where horses grazed and numerous birdcalls could be heard. On arrival in the morning we were served with delicious morning teas, coffee, fruit and cake which was most welcome as some of us leR home too early for breakfast. This workshop was a collabora<ve between Trayci and Ezekiel. We were given an account of Ezekiel’s history as a prodigy of the Bat Centre where he gained his knowledge of design and prin<ng. Ezekiel gave clear instruc<on on techniques and the principles of lino-‐cuWng and prin<ng using the reduc<on method, whilst Trayci led us through slab rolling and prin<ng of the carved images onto clay. Once firm enough these imprinted slabs were used to create either a vessel, <le or slab plaHer. Once Ezekiel’s instruc<on was complete, par<cipants busied themselves with their chosen Images and learnt hands on how to carve lino. It was exci<ng to see how these incised designs translated into an embossed image on clay. Once the clay had firmed up it was engaging to watch people create a variety of forms and complete them in their own individual styles. For lunch there was an tasty variety of soups and accompaniments as well as a gorgeous nougat ice cream for dessert, leaving everyone’s appe<te sa<sfied and ready for the aRernoon ahead. The workshop was concluded with a demonstra<on by Ezekiel on reduc<on prin<ng using par<cipants’ images. Here he dealt with registra<on and mul<-‐ colour prin<ng and stressed that the ink must dry before the next layer is applied. He demonstrated his registra<on technique which appeared so simple but definitely required a steady hand and good judgement. Ceramics, Southern Africa
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ARer a most worthwhile and enjoyable workshop some of us made our way to the ZuluLulu studio to make a few purchase on the way home. My congratula<ons go to Trayci and Stuart for puWng together this crea<ve, well-‐organized and hands-‐on workshop. The response is tes<mony to the demand for events of this calibre.
TIPS LEARNED: Always cut away from yourself when using lino cu>ng tools and try to develop a rhythm. Vary the thickness of your line to create contrasts. Lino can be glued to a thick dowel/curtain rod thickness and becomes a roller for embossing. Trayci uses no water for joints but rather a thick slurry. When joining slabs, bat or paddle your joints to make them firmer and to even them up. Lucky, one of our members has posted the ad below: “I run an art supplies shop from home... if people tell me their request I can send them a quote for:prin>ng inks (prin>ng inks differ in prices according to colour) lino mats, lino cuDng tools (variety) brayers( rubber rollers) paint brushes and a whole range of art materials, including poEery tools.
Ceramics, Southern Africa
I work from home so my prices are very competent. People can compare my prices to other art suppliers and can decide.” I can be contacted on this email or on
lucky@luckygecko.co.za
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Meet our Selectors and Award Judges for the Regional! Frank Nthunya, Mary Slack and Fahmeeda Omar. Mary Slack has a UNISA Batchelor of Fine Arts degree and more than twenty years’ experience as an art teacher. She is a member of the Garret Ar<sts who regularly exhibit their works and has par<cipated in group exhibi<ons both at the KZNSA and artSpace. In 2009 she produced a ceramic mosaic mural to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Northlands Girls High School where she taught for fourteen years. She serves on the commiHee of the KZNCSA and teaches ceramics, pain<ng and drawing. She has a sound knowledge of the principals of aesthe<cs and her ability to communicate as an educator will ensure that our members get valuable feedback
introduced to the medium by one of the postgraduates at the <me. Juliet encouraged me to experiment with porcelain, which I ini<ally found rather daun<ng as it did not behave like the earthenware and stoneware clay I was used to working with. However, the colour and translucency fascinated me and as I con<nued to work with porcelain, my love and respect for this challenging medium developed. Although I do work with stoneware clay on occasion, I primarily use porcelain and coloured porcelain in my pieces. I feel that my hand-‐coiled porcelain pieces are by far the most adventurous and challenging works that I have made. No two pieces are alike as the coils are individually rolled to a diameter smaller than that of a matchs<ck, and carefully joined to form vessels. The coiled porcelain vessels are fired in an oxidised kiln to 1260 degrees. I believe that firing to this temperature assists the porcelain in reaching its finest quali<es of strength and translucency, yet retaining an element of fragility.
Fahmeeda Omar-‐ Invited Guest Ar<st and Selector/Judge. “I was interested in art from an early age. My interest grew whilst comple<ng my schooling in Pietermaritzburg, at Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School (2001). However, it was only once I started my studies at the University of Kwa Zulu Natal (UKZN), then the University of Natal Pietermaritzburg (UNP), that I took fine art more seriously. ARer gradua<ng with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts (BAVA), I was encouraged to study further by the late Professor Juliet Armstrong, a friend and mentor. I consequently completed an Honours degree in Visual Arts and a Master of Arts degree in Fine Arts (MAFA) and am currently studying towards a PhD. The focal point of my research is directed towards the use of porcelain by South African ceramic ar<sts, with par<cular reference to students who graduated from UKZN. My interest in porcelain started at the end of my third year of undergraduate studies, where I was
Fahmeeda Omar Over the years I have par<cipated in several group exhibi<ons, the most recent being the ' Work In Progress' staff/ student exhibi<on at UKZN. I have pieces in both private and public collec<ons, such as the Tatham Art Gallery in Pietermaritzburg and the William Humphreys Art Gallery in Kimberley.
Frank Nthunya, although relative new to the ceramic scene, has had much experience and accolades that has put him up there with many of the respected KZN Ceramic artists. He has work in the following art Galleries Imbizo, Iziko and his work is also represented in Magdalena Odundo's private Collection. He has had work on 3 exhibitions in the last 2 years . His work is considered cutting edge contemporary and was the only person from KZN Ceramic Association asked to be part of the Mini Design Indaba which was held at KZN Gallery in June
Meet our Invited Guest Artists for our Regional
Frank Nthunya
Elizabeth Balcomb, Fahmeeda Omar and Michelle Rall Elizabeth Balcomb matriculated from Pietermaritzburg Girls High School in 1994. She studied Nature Conserva<on at Saasveld Forestry College (now the Nelson Mandela Forestry College) and received her diploma in 1998 . She worked for ten years in environmental educa<on She is a self taught ar<st, and has been a full <me sculptor for five years . She is currently represented by the Knysna Fine Art Gallery and the Gallery at Grande Provence in Franschhoek, curated by Trent Read. She is part of The Diedericks Faber Fine Art Collec<ve who have a base in Cape Town and Jhb. She is to be represented by the Evarard Read in Jhb and Cape Town beginning in 2015. She is directly represented by the World Wide Web and facebook. In 2013 she was invited to South Korea to the Mosan Museum along with Chris<aan Diedericks to represent South Africa as a sculptor. In 2014 she beat 587 ar<sts and won the Sasol New Signatures award and was given a coveted solo exhibi<on at the Pretoria Arts Museum this year and R100,000 in prize money.
Elizabeth Balcomb
I was born and aHended school in Cape Town and then went on to study at Stellenbosch University. My husband, two children and I lived in several different parts of South Africa before seHling in Pietermaritzburg where I resumed my studies at the University of Natal (now University of Kwazulu-‐Natal). I used the media of ceramics and printmaking to create the body of work for the prac<cal component of my MAFA. I am a lecturer in ceramics in the Centre for Visual Art at UKZN.
Michelle Rall
Thema<cally the fragility and the interconnectedness of ecosystems is always an underlying theme in my work. I feel that growing up in the Western Cape had a profound influence on my art making. Mostly my subject maHer is the South African landscape, flora and fauna, par<cularly that of the fynbos region. I
In recent work, for example Cape Expedi>on circa 1785 (Robert Gordon, ‘PleEenberg Bay’), Series II (i) and (ii), I have been looking at pictorial studies of the landscape and environment done by early explorers at the Cape. I am fascinated by them -‐ the journeys they undertook in their quest for knowledge and how they recorded what they saw not only with words, but rich visual images. My drawn images are based on reproduc<ons from the explorers’ journals and I use a variety of printmaking techniques in order to transfer them onto thin sheets of porcelain. Hendrik Claudius was at the Cape in the 1680’s and I based my ‘lino cuts’ done on porcelain on some of his watercolours. The image Claudius Cape Expedi>on is a detail of a light shade constructed out of these. A slight devia<on from this was work that I did for an exhibi<on in London this year which was to commemorate WWI. ShaEered landscapes, shaEered lives (Series I (i)) reflected on the destruc<on of the environment that occurs as a result of war.
Ceramic Association Potters Market We are going to hold the second Ceramic Association Potters Market at the I Heart Market in August. After the last market we have decided we would like it to be a regular, twice year event. Each artist will have half a table of space to display your work and it will cost about R150.00 per person. You will have to be there to man your own table. Anyone wanting to take part please contact Louise Jennings on loujen@telkomsa.net. BEFORE June 30th.
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MEMBER PROFILE: Sharon Erichsen My love of ceramics started with an
dipped in clay mixes ranging from paper
underglaze painting workshop in 1995 and
porcelain to engobe.
developed into giving underglaze painting
s t r u c t u r e s w e r e fi r e d t o h i g h
classes from our home studio.
By this
temperatures, often experiencing various
stage I was completely hooked and wanted
degrees of slumping during the firing
to develop my knowledge and skills and
process. Consequently the opening of the
enrolled at UKZN. I completed my MAFA
kiln was always associated with feelings of
(Cum Laude) under the mentorship of
trepidation, even though I had embraced
Juliet Armstrong and Ian Calder. My final
the element of chance in my work as I
exhibition, Habitat, was a result of
found the resulting organic softness of
experimenting with various frameworks
form appealing.
Ceramics, Southern Africa
The resultant clay
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I also experimented with crochet to create smaller, more delicate, organic frameworks.
The individual
pieces were used in installations; exploring my interest in how individual vessels interacted with one another and their environment. I am intrigued by the interplay between vessels and their shadows and how this adds to the narrative of the piece. I enjoy working with porcelain and my vessels are generally characterised by rough textures, irregular mark-making, surface perforations and bright glazes on the inside. Currently I am working on a range of planters motivated by my growing obsession with propagating succulents and consequently my sculptural pieces have become somewhat more functional. My enjoyment of bold, fun jewellery has inspired me to experiment with making rings, bracelets and pendants from porcelain incorporating my characteristic elements of texture and pattern. Oil painting, knitting and crochet are other passions of mine and I look forward to seeing how they influence my future ceramic pieces. The therapeutic value of making and the story-telling capacity of ceramic art are aspects which I find enormously appealing and relevant.
These aspects
take ceramic art further than being a purely decorative art form, and give it the potential to fulfil therapeutic, commemorative and educational roles within the community.
Through my love of clay,
exposure to various life experiences, inspirations and new techniques, I believe that I am creating my personal ceramic narrative.
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Ceramics, Southern Africa
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.capepotterysupplies.co.za TEACHERS PALETTE GLAZES (cone 05) These new Cone 05 gloss glaze series were made with Teachers in mind. They are fully intermixable, and fire true to the colour in the jar or what you mix. Being able to mix your own colours means less colours you need to buy. Now in stock 8oz bottles. FEATURES: -
MIXABLE Colours are intermixable for an infinite palette.
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LAYERING Colours can be layered without bleeding
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ALL AGES Designed for use by artists of any age
Our new shipment of Amaco now in stock. ALSO now in stock........ Satin Matte Mid/High Fire Glazes (cone 5 – 6) Satin Mattes break slightly over edges and texture, with a soft satin feel. These glazes are formulated to be 100% mixable (except for Orange and Red which have a different base). Use Clear Satin to lighten colour tones.
CRYSTALTEX GLAZES NOW IN STOCK Crystals fan out on flat horizontal surfaces and run on vertical pieces. Best results are obtained at Cone 05. Available in 4 oz bottles.
Retreat Branch 11 Celie Road Retreat Industria, 7945
Montague Gardens 1 Stella Mews, 23 Stella Road Montague Gardens, 7441
Tel : 021-701 1320/1 Fax : 021-701 3179
Tel : 021- 551 8085 Fax : 021 –551 9140
P O BOX 36, Steenberg, 7966 RSA
Ceramics, Southern Africa
Somerset West 3a Stuart Close Somerset Business Park Somerset West, 7130 Tel : 021-852 3548 Fax : 021-852 8344
e-mail : info@capepotterysupplies.co.za
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Louise van Niekerk
Aladdin's Corner
Saturday 1 Aug and Sat 8 August
Next Raku Course: hHp://www.courses.aladdins.co.za/raku-‐workshops.html (Experienced poHers can book for firing day only) Lots of fun, lots of beau<ful pots produced, a must have experience! I look forward to share my absolute most favourite technique with you – hope you can join us!
Just mail me if you are interested, and banking details will be forwarded to secure your spot!
Louise van Niekerk, Aladdin’s Corner, Nottingham Road Stained Glass * Ceramics * Accommodation * Courses 033 - 2666460 www.aladdins.co.za
hHp://www.facebook.com/aladdinscorner
This event is not associated with the KZN Ceramic Associa)on .
Committee Lynette Morris-Hale Mary Slack Lucille Schiess
Carol Tullidge Lorraine Wilson Francoise Cheyne
morrishale@telkomsa.net slackjm@gmail.co.za schiess@iafrica.com cartul@telkomsa.net
lorraine@homemail.co.za francoise@hotmail.co.za
031 266 0543 031 572 6108 031-765 1992 031 765 1247 031 702 5648 031 767 0091
Jo-‐anne Kuter joannekuter@iafrica.com 031 563 5414 Layout Editor Cassy Healey
healeyclan@gmail.com
072 189 7155
Louise Jennings loujen@telkomsa.net Sharon Erichsen (Weaving)- sharonleeweaving@hotmail.com Bank Account:Ceramics Southern Africa, First National Bank, Branch: 223726 Hillcrest Acc No 53730022000 Please use your name in reference box and fax proof of payment to: Lucille 031-7651992