Yellow ceramic vase – Xhosa artists project
Traditional craft arts continues to thrive in South Africa in the fields of beadwork, pottery, basketry, jewelry and wood carving. There has been a gradual shift in the ‘folk arts’ for several decades where the status of the artists no longer remain anonymous and many have established a name for themselves through gallery promotions and the internet. However there are still a lot of unsigned products turning up in the market place with the importance of building a name going unappreciated.
Black and white artists in South Africa alike have always interacted with the rich visual stimuli of their environment, resulting in a plethora of different interpretations combining traditional patterns and geometries with expressionist, abstract, surreal and conceptual arts into a unique tapestry of styles. Apartheid provoked artistic movements such as “resistance” art and other protest statements that filtered through to the street and poster arts and paintings. The influence of their religious and spiritual worlds also maintained a presence in ceramics, sculpture and paintings and other folk arts. Increasingly, and inevitably, black artists began to give voice to a political sensibility that led to realist depictions of township life and their struggle along with the exploration of other issues like identity and marginality. Artists like Gerard Sekoto reacted to the harsh surroundings with forceful expressionist paintings. Other arts like video, music, performance and installations also became an important means of expression that were used effectively to spread their message globally.
‘Bride’ – Cecil Skotnes
The Drakensberg range of mountains, being home to a large collection of ancient cave art, has also has been a source of influence with the local artists, appearing in ceramics, sculpture, painting and textile designs. The channeling of African art by Picasso, Karl Hagenauer and other European artists along with the Africanism movement raised awareness of the African arts and has stimulated demand and activity to this day. South African artists like Cecil Skotnes delivered a cubist influence in his woodcut and panel art and other contemporary artists like Charmaine Haines and Andile Dyalvane also created Picasso inspired ceramics.
Traditional non glazed pottery, with a highly burnished finish is still popular with the ceramic artists in South Africa and exquisite shape and rhythm is a striking feature in the forms of their work. Amazing contemporary designs have also been added to the already rich heritage of art expression in South Africa, to further expand its evolution and reputation of diversity.
Christine Gittins, ZA, Wales
Narrow neck pot – Christine Gittins, Wales
Saggar fired in a kiln using a combination of smoke, salt, copper and sawdust to achieve a contemporary looking finish. After the firing she also uses a layer of wax which is burnished to achieve a soft shine finish. In an interview with Cymru Culture she states that the rock art of the San people in Sth Africa, where she was born and raised had an influence on her pottery.
Tall saggar fired vessels by Christine Gittins
Catherine Brennon
Dream Box ‘spring celebration’ by Catherine Brennon
Permanent collection at the Pretoria Art Museum.
‘Dream Box for Serahani’ by Catherine Brennon
‘Heaven & Earth’ Dream Box by Catherine Brennon
Ardmore
Zebra handled coffee cup – Ardmore
Ardmore Ceramic Art – Feathered Armour SOLD – Sculptor Somandla Aaron Ntshalintshali and painter Jabu Nene
Great Zambezi Masterpieces series
Ceramic leopard tureen – Ardmore
Carmine Bee-Eater Teapot made by Ardmore bird-lady, Betty Ntshingila, and painted by Wiseman Ndlovu
Ardmore Ceramic Art Zambezi Crocodile Queen Vessel – Sculptor Sondelani Ntshalintshali & Painter Zinhle Nene
Great Zambezi Masterpieces series
Ardmore ceramic dish with pink flower motifs and winged zebra, tiger and leopard relief figures
Ceramic box with zebra lid – Ardmore
Catherina Pagani
Resident in Cape Town since 1981, Catherina Pagani is a practicing ceramist and sculptor who creates stoneware works of a distinct nature.
South African contemporary sculpture – Catherina Pagani
Three piece sculpture set – Catherina Pagani
Wood fired stoneware sculpture – Catherina Pagani, Cape Town
Ceramic sculpture – Catherina Pagani
Three piece stoneware sculpture – Catherina Pagani
Cecilia Robinson
Black ceramic vase – Cecilia Robinson
Two porcelain vessels – Cecelia Robinson
Black ceramic vase – Cecilia Robinson
Cecil Skotnes
‘Puppeteer’ panel – Cecil Skotnes, ZA
Cecil’s early use of the medium of woodcutting soon translated into a focus on the block itself. Instead of cutting the block and then using it as a means to an end – the print – he began to colour and shape the blocks, using them as a surface for paint and dry pigment. He also began to work in mural, using a technique of coloured cement laid into lime plaster which he would then engrave away exposing layers of colour and incised lines.
For Cecil, his lifelong mission has been to nurture talent and encourage creativity, particularly in places where the apartheid government had deliberately excluded this possibility. The effect of this has been a major contribution to the diversity of South African art. He set up the first art school for black African artists in South Africa.
On travelling to Europe, Skotnes was inspired by the rich heritage of the Renaissance, Greek mythology and Greek and Roman architecture and art. Later in Africa he would be nourished by the space, its harshness and its sense of wild mystery.
“Whatever achievements have been registered by black artists are monuments to their natural ability and their desire to create in the face of the most astonishing difficulties.” – Cecil Skotnes
Charmaine Haines
Charmaine Haines Cubist vase
photo Marie-claire Dubourg
Ceramic wall plaque – Charmaine Haines
Charmaine Haines
See another Veniceclayartists article on Charmaine Haines here
Potterseed, Capetown
Native ZA flora bowls – Potterseed
Leaf design cups & saucers – Potterseed
Curvy bowl – Pottersee
Christine Williams
‘Blue Head’ – Gerard Sekoto
1961
Three vases – Clementina van der Walt, Cape Town
South African ceramist Gerhard van den Heever
Ceramic guinea fowl tea coffee set
Cultures International African Marketplace
South African ceramicist Helen Vaughan
Embroidered ceramic wall art – Hendrik Stroebel
Andile Dyalvane
As a well traveled designer, Andile prides himself as being South African and presents it through his work at every opportunity. Clay gives him the ability to create something beautiful, valuable, and usable with four elements of life: Earth, Water, Air and Fire.
Large floor vase – Andile Dyalvane, Imiso Ceramics
Ceramic cup and plates – Andile Dyalvane, Imiso
Imiso ceramics ‘Africasso’ coiled vase – ‘Self Portrait’ by Andile Dyalvane
‘Nkwakhwa I’ –Small (Clan Totem Animal), 2016 – Andile Dyalvane
Imiso stoneware press moulded ‘Africasso ‘vase ‘Ubuhle bentombi’ ( beauty of a virgin)
Andile Dyalvane in Cape Town studio
Geometric and free form sculpture – Andile Dyalvane
Slimline Soma planters from Indigenus, ZA
Lady Godiva – Tania Babb
Louise Gelderblom
“I make large-scale one-off original sculptural vessels, which retain a strong element of traditional African craft production methods while embracing a modern global urban aesthetic. My working methods are firmly rooted in the vibrant African clay tradition.”
Louise Gelderblom contemporary pot with classical from
Black and white striped jug – Louise Gelderblom
Abstract motif vase in black and white – Louise Gelderblom
Michelle Legg
I make one off pieces inspired by the strong forms of South African Traditional Ceramics. I am passionate about age old coiling techniques using terracotta clay. I don’t let the technique of production dictate the end result and sometimes use alternative methods of production such as throwing and casting based on the African forms.
Michelle Legg, Sth. Africa
Michelle Legg, Sth. Africa – long neck globular base sgraffito vase
Monica van den Berg
“Central to my work is humanity, and most notably, the human head, the center of thought, reason, and creativity. My sculptures reflect an intense relationship between myself and the clay with which I am working.”
Monica van den Berg ceramic head sculptures
Monica van den Berg ceramic sculpture
South African Zulu artists:
Nic Sithole
Jabu Nala uphiso
Jabu Nala burnished pot
Jabu Nala
Zanele Nala
Clive Sithole
Cheryl Malone
“The analogies found between the coil-forming process and growth patterns of plants continue to be the most important source of inspiration, with Fibonacci rhythms, phyllotaxis and logarithmic spirals all informing the work.”
South African ceramist Cheryl Malone, Porcelain vessel
South African ceramist Cheryl Malone, Porcelain vessel
Ruan Hoffman
Ruan Hoffman – ceramic baluster vase with gold foil
Ruan Hoffman asymmetrical vase
Ruan Hoffman blue baluster vase
Shelley Maisel
South African clay pot – Tsonga and Pedi people
height 15 inches
Magdalene Odundo, Kenya
Magdalene Odundo black asymmetrical pot
Magdalene Odundo black and tan burnished pot
Magdalene Odundo orange pot with flared rim
Magdalene Odundo
Lidded ceramic vessel – Muya, Ethiopia
African Allure
Ukhamba African basket Zulu ilala palm
Shona carved stone sculpture hippo
African mask Ashanti
21 inches tall
Large Tikar coin mask
Height – 11 inches
Large Zulu uphiso pot
Carved stone Shona sculpture, Zimbabwe
NEXT POST — Steven Forbes deSoule – Raku with lush hues
