The Poetry of African Clay - SOLO

One of my finer collections of ceramics, has to be this collection of 80 pieces at my recent exhibition, The Poetry of African Clay at Ebony/Curated in Franschhoek. 

Inspired by Africa, the colours, the textures, the landscapes and the polarities in every day life. I spent a year literally building up this collection. 

The collection depicts a sense of sophisticated style yet maintaining a freedom in colour and design that are often so integral in my work. 

A Little Bit of Play with a Little Bit of Clay - Let's call it MEMPHIS!

I've always done things a bit differently, pushing design limits in shape, colour and texture. I've never been able to conform to conservative design trends. Instead I express my creativity through experimentation. At times, my work may have "toned down" a bit but at other times it depicted my wild side, the playful element where design rules get thrown out the window and I just create what feels right. My latest range, Memphis is just that. It's a platform to break all rules, play a bit and explore my creative freedom. This is my take on a kind of "Modern Memphis", throwing in random shapes of colour yet still preserving my basic fundamental forms that have modestly evolved into the latest Clementina ranges; Afro Deco, Afro Retro and now Memphis. 

Afro Retro in My Studio

Having developed several ranges throughout my ceramics career, I'm always driven by the desire to change, develop and create something new in my work. My latest range, the Afro Retro Range, aims to reawaken a nostalgic artistic era, of modern funk and 70's decor, spiced up with a contemporary African edge. 

Pastels overlap a thick black glaze forming an unusual contrast of light and dark, with an exciting middle ground where the colours blend unpredictably. The forms have taken on a new look - simple shapes with Retro inspired spouts and angular handles.

Capturing the Moments in My Studio

I’m often delighted when visitors capture scenes from my studio, depicting my all too familiar space, through their eyes... literally seeing the studio through different lenses. It reminds me how much I treasure this sacred space…my studio! Recently Miss Moss and Monya Eastman visited my studio in Woodstock. Snapping away and chatting over coffee, they captured the essence of my studio, the visual charm and the inspiration that makes up this creative space. Together the two compiled a beautiful article for Miss Moss’sblog, describing the mood, my work and the general atmosphere also portraying magnificent images that would inspire any artist. Photos by Miss Moss

Autumn Feasts & Easter Treats

Once again Easter is round the corner and the Karoo has many beautiful autumn treasures scattered along its landscape. New buds are popping up everywhere and the valley is green once more! The Groenfontein valley is my sanctuary, my go to place, for peace, for quiet, for  inspiration. At this time of year, the light glows golden as the sun moves gently through the shady Gum trees that canopy over our old rickety rooftops and illuminates the land as it descends over the mountains and filters through the sky over the dusty farm roads. The golden autumn sun…Could one find anything more beautiful than this in the Klein Karoo? I find such joy in the pleasures that simple farm life offers and I am always delighted to share it with anyone who comes to visit or who pops in to say hi. 

Please do pop in at the gallery/studio to see my latest work, or for a little chat or even a cup of tea! We are here for a few days and would love you to visit. It's best to email or whatsapp  me beforehand if you are coming out specially, just in case we are out and about. Our gallery is approximately 11km out of Calitzdorp.

Kraaldoring Gallery open daily (except Good Friday) from today until Saturday 11th April from 11am - 4pm

clementina@mweb.co.za 0829250871

Make it a date - Thursday Late!

We are inviting our friends and followers to Thursday Late, 19 March 2015, where we will be opening our shop for extended hours, from 6:30pm - 9:00pm. This is an excellent opportunity for browsing the many interesting shops that the Old Biscuit Mill has to offer like Clementina Ceramics, Heartworks, Quirky Me and many more... We will also be serving a complimentary glass of wine in our store. Please pop in and say hi. We would love to see you!

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African Design in all it's Glory

Southern Guild are renowned  internationally for their world class shows of South African art. Guild Design Fair is a show that opens this Wednesday, at the Lookout at The V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, and will run till 1 March 2015.

For this show, I played around with some quirky characters, but also tried to keep the ceramics as "raw" as possible.

I also have work on show at Artisan, Passion & The Still Life. This is another one of Southern Guild's shows, at their new Cape Town gallery. It opens on 27 Feb and runs until April 2015.

Take a Walk Down Memory Lane at the Antiques Art & Design Expo

Nothing can replace an antique and this year's Antiques Art & Design Expo has a great mix of some exquisite pieces of antique art and furniture on show. The Lookout provides a great open space, providing natural light to showcase different collectors, galleries and artists and is centrally located within walking distance to the V & A Waterfront. The surrounding views are an added bonus to this outing at the sea.

Hennie Meyer at My Table

My dear friend and fellow ceramicist, Hennie Meyer visited the studio yesterday. He was filled with excitement as he unpacked his latest work, explaining the processes, glazes and techniques he has recently explored. 

His new work was met with great interest and enthusiasm as we all listened to him and sampled the work over lunch. 

We are thrilled that Hennie has already given us some pieces of his new work to sell in our shop at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock. 

For more information or to order please email us info@clementina.co.za or visit our website www.clementina.co.za

Red Hot and rearing to go for Valentine's Day

I thought having a competition would be a fun way to start off the year and what better way to celebrate Valentine's day than to give one of my "colour me bright" plates away! The competition runs from 14 Jan 2015 - 14 Feb 2015. It entails one to follow me on Facebook by liking my page, sharing the competition post, liking it and leaving a comment! 

Please find me on Facebook and enter. Who knows, you might just be the lucky winner!

Hanging on the Wall

My Karroo plates hanging on the wall at the Casa Labia Gallery in Muizenberg. 

Seeking Eden

A few of my "Karroo plates" and two Jungle vases will be exhibited at the third exhibition of the "In Bloom" series, curated by Margie Murgatroyd of Africa Nova. This year's theme, explores the myth of the Garden of Eden from a South African perspective and will feature 50 artists working in a variety of media, from ceramics to photography, to jewellery. The exhibition will be at Casa Labia Gallery in Muizenberg and opens on Wednesday 10 December 2014. The exhibition runs from 11 Dec - 22 Jan 2015. Gallery is open Tuesday - Sunday 10am to 4pm.

My Work on a Stamp!

One of my vases dating back to 1991, entitled Urn for Colonial Ashes, which is currently part of the ceramic collection at the Iziko Museum of South Africa, was selected as a limited edition of postage stamps depicting South African ceramics. The South African Post Office has highlighted a selection of South Africa’s finest ceramic vessels from pre-colonial to contemporary times in this edition of stamps.

My vessel (bottom left stamp) subtly references social and political conflict in South Africa by way of a collage of applied images, juxtaposed with bright on-glaze painted African designs. The angular shape of the vessel conveys a sense of disjuncture, loss and threat.

The stamps are available from post offices countrywide at R30 per stamp booklet and R18 per envelope and online from www.virtualpostoffice.co.za   Enquiries can be sent to sa.stamps@postoffice.co.za

From African Earth

The Kalkbay Modern will be hosting an exhibition, Sculpture & Ceramics, which opens tonight at 6pm. This exhibition, themed From African Earth is part of the Month of Ceramics and will showcase sculptors and ceramicists from the Western Cape.

I have some new vases on show...please do pop in when you visit Kalk Bay!

Stern's Eccentricities to Life

Lien Botha and I were recently featured in a great online article in the Mail & Guardian by MELVYN MINNAAR who describes the exhibition as a staged intervention in Irma Stern's house. He goes onto say that "A flamboyant set of tableware is laid out as for an artsy banquet" typical of the late Irma Stern in "colours that bounce off the tones in the surrounding paintings." For more on this online article, read here

  

Play time with Clay Time

The November issue of House & Leisure has a wonderful 5 page spread about ceramics, ceramicists and all one needs to know about clay craft & design in the Western Cape. The article comes just in time to celebrate the inaugural ceramics month entitled "From African Earth", where exhibitions, events and studios will be opened to the public to appeal to and attract ceramic enthusiasts from all over. 

If you are indeed a ceramic enthusiast like myself, I highly recommend buying this issue, and popping into the many events that will be taking place over the course of the next few weeks. Hopefully after paging through this article, you will want to get stuck in to a lump of clay or simply invest in a beautiful clay work of art! For more information, watch this space or follow us on Facebook, Clementina Ceramics.

SPRING IN THE KLEIN KAROO

Spring has finally arrived in the Groenfontein Valley (outside Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo) - recent rains have resulted in wonderful fresh tones and textures of green. Take a drive out from Calitzdorp and rejuvenate your soul!

The Kraaldoring Gallery will be open most of this week from Monday 6 - Friday 10 October  - not the weekend though..(: There is no cel reception or landline here so best to whatsapp 082 925 0871 or email clementina@mweb.co.za if you are driving out specially. We might just have to nip out into the dorp to get provisions....
 
It seems appropriate to cite this wonderful poem by Afrikaans poet 
C. LOUIS LEIPOLDT  1880-1947

Oktobermaand

Viooltjies in die voorhuis,
        Viooltjies blou en rooi!
Viooltjies orals op die veld,
        En orals, ai, so mooi!

Dit is die maand Oktober,
                       die mooiste, mooiste maand:
Dan is die dag so helder,
                       so groen is elke aand,
So blou en sonder wolke
                       die hemel heerlik bo,
So blomtuin-vol van kleure
                       die asvaal ou Karoo.

Dit is die maand Oktober:
                       die varkblom is in bloei;
Oor al die seekoegate
                       is kafferskuil gegroei;
Die koppies, kort gelede
                       nog as ‘n klip so kaal,
Het nou vir welkomsgroetnis
                       hul mooiste voorgehaal.

Dit is die maand Oktober:
                       die akkerboom is groen;
Die bloekoms langs die paaie
                       is almal nuutgeboen;
En orals in die tuin rond
                       ruik jy sering en roos,
Jasmyn en katjiepiering,
                       lemoen en appelkoos.

Al was die dag soos yster,
                       lank in die vuur gesteek,
Die varings in die klofies
                       deur hitte geel verbleek,
Tog as die son daaronder
                       agter die berge gaan,
Dan word oor heel die wêreld
                       die mooiste geur geslaan.

Dit is die maand Oktober:
                       die kokewiet is uit;
Boomsingertjies en kriekies
                       die hoor jy orals fluit;
Fiskaal is op die oorlog:
                       daaronder by die sluis,
Daar is ‘n dor ou doringboom
                       sy spens en sy kombuis,

Dit is die maand Oktober:
                       ek dink, die mense vier
Vir ewig in die hemel
                       Oktobermaand soos hier!
Wat wens jy meer as blomme,
                       as helder dag en nag?
Wat kan jy beter, mooier,
                       of heerliker verwag?

Ek is nog in Oktober:
                       my tuin is nog so groen,
So wit met al wat mooi is,
                       met bloeisels van lemoen,
So pragtig in die môre.
                       so heerlik in die aand!
Ek is nog in Oktober,
                       die mooiste, mooiste maand!

Wat gee ek om die winter?
                       Wat praat jy nou van Mei?
Wat skeel dit, as ons later
                       weer donker dae kry?
Ek is nou in Oktober,
                       die mooiste, mooiste maand,
Met elke dag so helder,
                       so pragtig elke aand!

Viooltjies in die voorhuis,
        Viooltjies blou en rooi!
Viooltjies orals op die veld,
        En orals, ai, so mooi!

                    ********************************************************

Translation of 2 verses into English by Eleanor Lemmer

Month of October! Loveliest, loveliest month of all!
The day so clear, so green at twilight,
The sky above, so blue and cloudless,
As vivid as a flower-garden, the ancient grey Karoo,
As vivid as a flower-garden, the ancient grey Karoo.

It's the month of October!
Seems folk here celebrate forever
in a month as heavenly as October!
Who can wish for more than flowers, as bright as day and night?
Who expects better, lovelier, glorious?
Who expects better, lovelier, glorious?
What care I for winter?
Why talk now of May?
What does it matter if dark days re-appear?
I'm now in October, loveliest, loveliest month of all
Each day so clear, so splendid every evening!

The Stern Exchange

You are invited to THE STERN EXCHANGE

an exhibition by Lien Botha and Clementina  van der Walt

on Saturday 4th October 2014 at 10:30

as part of Designing Destiny 

The Cape Town Month of Photography,Film & New Media ’14 Festival.
 
To be opened by Michael Godby
 
Exhibition styled in collaboration with EBONY
 
Walkabout on Wednesday 15th October at 10:30

 Exhibition closes 25th October 2014
 
MOP6 Festival program 15 September – 31st October on www.photocentre.org.za 
 
The UCT Irma Stern Museum
 
Cecil Road, Rosebank, Cape Town Tel. 021 685 5686
Opening hours:
Tues-Fri         10:00 - 17:00
Sat                  10: 00 - 14:00
www.irmastern.co.za

The Stern Exchange is a collaboration between lens-based artist Lien Botha  and ceramic artist Clementina van der Walt and will also be part of the Sixth Cape Town Month of Photography.

     Whilst the artists will each independently be investigating aspects of the Irma Stern Museum and reflecting these in separate bodies of work in their respective mediums, the original idea was  to present something along the lines of the Grayson Perry installations in the British Museum – The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman – in 2011/12.

Botha, besides exhibiting work from two existing portfolios called Moundou (2008) and Plant Press (2009), also created a unique set of eight photographic prints, featuring staff of the Irma Stern Museum and which can best be described as an idiosyncratic insertion into the raison d’être of this venerated building.

Van der Walt will show ceramic works which embrace both the utilitarian and contemplative aspects of the ceramic discipline. Much of the style and methods of working have been inspired by experiencing two parallel lives – an urban life in the City of Cape Town and a rural life on a farm outside Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo where she spends many weeks of the year.

     Her  intention is to ‘seek the sacred in the ordinary’; “I endeavour to make contemplative objects which have a utilitarian dimension. My aesthetic inspiration is drawn from the patterns, colours, light and textures in the urban and natural African landscape.”

Finally, the interplay between ceramic work and photographic prints will be tied together with furniture - supplied and coordinated  by Ebony Design.

*Esteemed academic and Art Historian, Professor Michael Godby will open the exhibition.

*There will be a walkabout on Wednesday 15 October with Irma Stern lucky packets available for sale.

 

My Recent Visit to Taipei

I have just arrived back from an incredible 10 day trip to Taipei, Taiwan. My partner, Albie Bailey, and I were fortunate to visit this city and explore the streets, taste the exotic dishes and meet the beautiful people. 

The reason for our trip was to visit the Yingge Museum of Ceramics where my work is on display for a few months as part of an international Ceramic Exhibition. 

Masquerade is an installation of mine, comprising of 18 masks and is on show at this prestigious Ceramic museum. In this picture, I was lucky enough to meet the director of the museum, Chen Chun-Lan. 

My installation is also featured in their exquisite 215 page catalog, which comprise of pictures and blurbs about each Ceramicist taking part in the show from across the globe.

We were welcomed with absolute warmth and reverence by the director as she awarded  me with this Certificate of Gratitude. I thought this was a lovely gesture.

Ceramic Culture on Show in Japan

This piece was selected for Honorable Mention in this international competition. 

Intending to promote development of the ceramic industry and exploring culture through international exchanges of ceramic designs, this exhibition comprises of ceramic work from across the globe, displaying innovative ideas and beautiful designs.

The exhibition is opening today 12 September -Sunday 19 September 2014.

For further information, please visit Ceramic Exhibition in Japan