I left the business world and career in marketing when my children were born and entered the ceramic industry as an enthusiastic amateur, attending classes and masterclasses at various studios to learn and expose myself to the skills level that enabled me to open my studio in 2003. Initially, I worked with glass before turning my full attention to clay, first as a teacher for adults and children and then full-time producing unique and bespoke porcelain pieces. Completing a Bachelor of Arts degree with Art History and Ancient History as majors at the end of 2021 inspired me to continue with further post-graduate studies and research in Ancient Near Eastern History which I completed in January 2024.
In my work I intend to create textures that compel touch and provoke memory and the shadows cast by the interplay of light are an integral part of each piece enhancing the quality of the clay. As life evolves, my work too evolves and once created, each piece is a path to an expression which possesses an essence of life, a statement of being. The ethereal qualities of porcelain are my passion, and exploring the material is an ongoing journey. New work explores the reaction of acid on the clay body as a masking agent combined with the use of soluble salts and other rare earth minerals to enhance the designs that maintain the porcelain’s translucency.
I embarked on a new journey of wood-firing, first in 2018 building a small philosopher’s kiln and then in 2020 a down-draught fast-fire kiln during the COVID lockdown. It has taken me to avenues of exploring raw materials for clays and glazes suitable for reduction and atmospheric firing, in the process I have learned more about fire, the art of painting with flames and the natural phenomenon of ash glazing. The darker and heavier clay bodies that I now work with too, lean towards heavier pieces where the surface decoration of the firing process enhances the shapes. I am inclined to leave deliberate fingermarks on these pieces – a statement of my making and being.
Collections:
- Quomo Art Gallery Jingdezhen, China 2024
- Shanghai Institute of Visual Art 2023
- Jianshui Purple Pottery Museum 2023
- Ceramics Museum, Aveiro Portugal 2016
- 5th Changchun International Ceramics Museum, China 2016
- National Museum of Slovenia, 2015Ceramics Museum, Aveiro Portugal 2013
- Bloemfontein War Museum South Africa 2013
- Cluj International Ceramics Biennale, Romania 2013
- KERAMEIKON Collection of Contemporary World Ceramics, Croatia 2012
- Corobrick Collection Pretoria 2011
Awards & Competitions:
Oct 2017 – 3rd Cluj Ceramics Biennale 2017 Cluj-Napoca Romania
Oct 2017 – XIII International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics of Aveiro, Portugal
Aug 2016 – Ceramica Multiplex 2016 Croatia
Nov 2015 – XII Bienal de Cerâmica Artística de Aveiro, Portugal
May 2015 – III Triennial of Ceramics UNICUM 2015 Slovenia
July 2013 – Cluj International Ceramics Biennale 2013 Romania
July 2013 – 11ª Biennial International Artistic Ceramics Exhibition Aveiro, Portugal 2013
Aug 2012 – SA Handmade Collection Decorex – Gold Award, Best Stand South Africa
Aug 2012 – The Iconic Handmade Piece South Africa –Decorex Gauteng South Africa
Aug 2012 – Ceramica Multiplex 2012 Croatia – Honourable Mention
Aug 2011 – Decorex – SA Handmade Collection – Award for Best Product Design South Africa
Aug 2011 – CSA Regional Exhibition – Highly Commended Award South Africa
Jun 2011 – Gyeonggi International CeraMIX Biennale 2011, Korea – Certificate of Honor
Apr 2011 – 9th International Ceramics Competition Mino, Japan – Honourable Mention
Oct 2010 – CSA National Exhibition – Best Porcelain Piece South Africa
Aug 2009 – Icons – Decorex – SA Handmade Collection South Africa
Residencies, Symposiums, Festivals:
- Taoxhicuan International Clay Studio, Jingdezhen 2024
- 5th Shanghai – Yunnan Jianshui International Woodfired Ceramics Festival, China 2023
- 5th Changchun International Ceramics Symposium, China 2016
Membership:
- International Academy of Ceramics
- Ceramics South Africa- Western Cape
Workshops presented:
- July 2023 – Wood-firing Meraki Woodfire Kiln – Northvale Krugersdorp Gauteng
- June 2023 – Introduction to Paperclay/Porcelain – Giverny Studios, KwaZulu Natal
- June 2023 – Advanced Paper porcelain lights – Giverny Studios, KwaZulu Natal
- Nov 2022 – Porcelain Paperclay – Rushmere Farm, Sedgefield, Eastern Cape
- October 2022 – Porcelain Paperclay – Melissa Barker Studio, Western Cape
- June 2022 – Porcelain Paperclay – Giverny Studios, KwaZulu Natal
- June 2022 – Wood-firing Meraki the Woodfire kiln with special Guest Hennie Meyer – Northvale Gauteng
- Mar 2022 – Porcelain Paperclay – Ceramics @ Kleynstein Studio, Pretoria
Other exhibitions include:
Nov 2024 | Gather Friends: Group Exhibition | FynArts Gallery, Hermanus, RSA |
Sep 2024 | Ceramics Southern Africa National Biennale | GIBS, Johannesburg, RSA |
Apr 2024 | Walk with the Light, International Modern Ceramics Exhibition | Quomo Art Gallery Jingdezhen, China |
Nov 2023 | Earthen Emerald: Group Exhibition | Johan van Heerden Art Gallery, Pretoria, RSA |
Oct 2023 | International Woodfired Ceramics Works Exhibition, Shanghai Institute of Visual Art 2023 | Shanghai Towers, Shanghai, China |
Sep 2023 | International Woodfired Ceramics Works Exhibition | Jianshui Purple Pottery Museum, Yunan Province, China |
May 2023 | Blue! Group Exhibition | Johan van Heerden Art Gallery, Pretoria, RSA |
Sep 2022 | Maison & Object, South African Pavilion | Paris, France |
May 2022 | Of Mothers and Madonna’s Group Exhibition | Johan van Heerden Art Gallery, Pretoria, RSA |
Feb 2022 | After the Rain Group Exhibition | Johan van Heerden Art Gallery, Pretoria, RSA |
Sep 2021 | A Fling with Spring, Tina Skukan Gallery | Pretoria, South Africa |
Aug 2021 | Wood-fired & Other Ceramics, Featured Potter, Association of Arts | Pretoria, South Africa |
Jun 2021 | Desire – The Cape Gallery | Cape Town, South Africa |
Jun 2021 | Hermanus FynArts | Hermanus, South Africa |
Jun 2021 | Luminaries | Artbox Gallery, Pretoria RSA |
May 2021 | Fabergé Inspired | Johan van Heerden Art Gallery, Pretoria RSA |
Sep 2020 | Hermanus FynArts | Online Exhibition |
Jun 2020 | Gallery Synergy | Online Exhibition |
Nov 2019 | Connected by Fire | Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, Durbanville Cape Town RSA |
Nov 2018 | Ceramics Southern Africa National Biennale | Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, Durbanville Cape Town RSA |
Sep 2018 | Ceramics Southern Africa Regional Exhibition | MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa |
Jun 2018 | Hermanus FynArts | Hermanus, South Africa |
Feb 2018 | Legacy Exhibition, Three Potters and a Painter | Stellenbosch, South Africa |
Dec 2017 | International Celadon Exhibition, Huamao Art Museum | Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China |
Dec 2017 | Association of Arts Plate Exhibition | Pretoria, South Africa |
Dec 2017 | Let there be light Exhibition II, ArtBox Gallery | Pretoria, South Africa |
Oct 2017 | 3rd Cluj Ceramics Biennale (2017) Cluj-Napoca | Romania |
Oct 2017 | XIII International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics of Aveiro | Portugal |
Oct 2017 | Ceramics Southern Africa Regional Exhibition | MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa |
Aug 2017 | Decorex 2017 Gauteng, The South African Craft Collective | Gauteng, South Africa |
July 2017 | The David Walters & Friends Exhibition: Art in Clay, William Humphreys Art Gallery | Kimberley, South Africa |
Dec 2016 | Eat, drink and be merry pottery exhibition, Association of Arts | Pretoria, South Africa |
Nov 2016 | Tellus Sculptura Exhibition, Association of Arts | Pretoria, South Africa |
Nov 2016 | Ceramics South Africa National Biennale | University of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa |
Oct 2016 | Let there be light Exhibition, ArtBox Gallery | Pretoria, South Africa |
Aug 2016 | Decorex 2017 Gauteng, The South African Craft Collective | Gauteng, South Africa |
Aug 2016 | CERAMICA MULTIPLEX 2016 | City Museum Varazdin Croatia |
July 2016 | 5TH Changchun International Ceramics Symposium | China |
Nov 2015 | XII Bienal de Cerâmica Artística de Aveiro | Portugal |
Oct 2015 | CSA Regional Exhibition Gauteng | FADA, Gauteng, South Africa |
July 2015 | The Promenade: Healing in Nature. Co-Exhibition of Icheon World Ceramic Center and the National Folk Museum of Korea | Korea |
July 2015 | Giftex | Tokyo, Japan |
July 2015 | Decor & Design | Melbourne, Australia |
June 2015 | Forms of Expression | Hermanus Fine Arts, Hermanus, South Africa |
May 2015 | III Triennial of Ceramics UNICUM | Slovenia |
May 2015 | Index Dubai | Dubai, UAE |
May 2015 | Exhibition- Rika Herbst & Stephen Graham | Alliance Francaise, Johannesburg, South Africa |
Oct 2014 | Art Exhibition | The Leonardo Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa |
Oct 2014 | The Name of The Rose Exhibition | Rust-En-Vrede Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa |
Jun 2014 | CSA Regional Exhibition Gauteng | MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa |
May2014 | Index Dubai | Dubai, UAE |
Apr 2014 | Decorex CT | Cape Town, South Africa |
Mar 2014 | Decorex Durban | Durban, South Africa |
Mar 2014 | Art Exhibition, Annica’s, Michaelangelo Towers, Sandton | Gauteng, South Africa |
Oct 2013 | Cluj International Ceramics Biennale | Cluj-Napoca, Romania |
Oct 2013 | 11ª Bienal Internacional de Cerâmica Artística de Aveiro 2013 | Aveiro, Portugal |
Aug 2013 | Decorex JHB | Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa |
Aug 2013 | Women in Clay | Art in the Forest, Cape Town, South Africa |
Apr 2013 | CSA Regional Exhibition Gauteng | MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa |
Apr 2013 | Fragile – The Porcelain Collective | Liz Loubser Gallery, Risidale, South Africa |
Mar 2013 | Design Indaba | Cape Town, South Africa |
Feb 2013 | Ambiente – The Loft | Frankfurt Germany |
Nov 2012 | KulturZentrum | Kapfenberg, Austria |
Nov 2012 | Translucencies | Art Afrique Gallery, Sandton, South Africa |
Aug 2012 | Decorex Gauteng | Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa |
Aug 2012 | CERAMICA MULTIPLEX 2012 | City Museum Varazdin Croatia |
May2012 | CSA Regional Exhibition Gauteng | MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa |
Mar 2012 | Design Indaba | Cape Town, South Africa |
Feb 2012 | Ambiente – The Loft | Frankfurt Germany |
Dec 2011 | Af – L’artigiano In Fiera | Milan, Italy |
Sep 2011 | 9th International Ceramics Competition | Mino, Japan |
Sep 2011 | Gyeonggi International CeraMIX Biennale | Korea |
Aug 2011 | Decorex SA Handmade Collection Gauteng | Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa |
Aug 2011 | CSA Regional Exhibition | Eduardo Villa Museum Univ. of Pretoria, South Africa |
Apr 2011 | Easter Exhibition | Ou Lettere Building, University of Pretoria, South Africa |
Feb 2011 | Ambiente – The Loft | Frankfurt Germany |
Jan 2011 | The Cube at the Clay Museum | Rust en Vrede Gallery Durbanville, South Africa |
Oct 2010 | CSA National Exhibition | African Landscapes in Clay |
Aug 2010 | Decorex SA Handmade Collection Gauteng | Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa |
Aug 2010 | Echoes Exhibition | The Art Place, Randburg, South Africa |
Aug 2010 | CSA Regional Exhibition | MuseumAfricA, Gauteng, South Africa |
Nov 2009 | Coming Together at Christmas | Craft & Design Centre Gauteng, South Africa |
Sep 2009 | CSA Regional Exhibition | Eduardo Villa Museum Univ. of Pretoria, South Africa |
Aug 2009 | Decorex, South African Icons | Gallagher Estate, Gauteng, South Africa |
July 2009 | Pace | Craft & Design Centre Gauteng, South Africa |
July 2009 | African Landscapes in clay | Association of Arts Pretoria, South Africa |
Feb 2009 | The Art of Green Living | The Peech Hotel, Gauteng, South Africa |
Aug 2008 | CSA National Exhibition | UJ Art Gallery, Gauteng, South Africa |