Thursday, June 17, 2010

Ann van Hoey Workshop

Come and meet Ann van Hoey, an internationally known Belgian ceramic artist, who will talk about her work and show us how she makes her exquisitely elegant pots.
She works in earthenware and porcelain, building her pieces with meticulous attention to detail. using the three-dimensional form to explore bold encounters between the circle, the square, the triangle and the straight line, as well as making delicate cups and saucers.
She has won numerous international awards and her work is in great demand in many countries.
Fortunately for Ceramics SA she has accompanied her husband to South Africa for the World Cup – and has accepted our invitation to share her work with us on one of her free days.
MAKE SURE you book a place at -
Tshwane South College, Centurion on Saturday, 3 July from 10:00 – 13:00
Cost: Members R200 / Non members R300
Bookings: Cynthia – 011 791 5153 / e-mail ceramicssa@icon.co.za
Tea and Coffee will be provided, as well as soup and bread for lunch.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

NATIONAL SELECTION DATES

Western Cape
Grande Provence Gallery, Main Road,
Franschhoek
Delivery of work: Wednesday 29 September
from 09:00-13:00

Gauteng
Tshwane South College, Centurion
Saturday 18 September from 09:00-13:00
(Note: 18 Sept is Yom Kippur. Jewish members
can contact Cynthia on 011 791 5153 re special
early delivery arrangements for their work)

KwaZulu Natal
Kearsney College Art Dept., Botha’s Hill, Durban
Delivery of work: Thursday 23 September
From 09:00-10:00

Eastern Cape
Ceramic Dept. NMMU 2nd Avenue Campus
Delivery of work: Saturday 25 September: 13:00

Members more than 150 km from regional selection points
Country members will be permitted to submit photographs of entries, with 3 (three) different views, for selection to their Regional selectors as listed below by no later than Friday 10 September 2010. This also applies to Regional members who live more than 150 km from their Regional Selection point.

Gauteng: Marentia Kooiman, Tel: 084 567 8296 e-mail: marentia@yahoo.com
KZ-Natal: Lynette Morris-Hale, 16 Dorsetshire Road, Westville Durban 3630
E. Cape: Margie Higgs, P O Box 6284, Walmer, 6050
W. Cape: Ralph Johnson, 13 Chesham Road, Claremont 7708

The Selectors’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. The awards will be chosen from the selected works.

A non-refundable entry fee of R100.00 will be charged.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Traditional Hand Built Vessels Workshop by Michelle Legg

Traditional Hand Built Vessels Workshop by well-known SA Ceramic Artist Michelle Legg

Michelle has over 25 years Ceramic experience and studied and worked closely with Nesta Nala. Michelle has exhibited her work locally and internationally and is holding a workshop for all levels of ceramicists from beginners to advanced. Take advantage of the wealth of experience that Michelle has to offer by exploring hand-building techniques made famous by our wonderful South African potters. Michelle has her Masters in Ceramic design from the University of Johannesburg.

When : Monday 28th, Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th June 2010
Cost : R 1250.00 for the full 3 day course, all materials and firings included.
Times: 10:00 am till 4pm everyday.
Includes: Expert hands on tuition by well-known Ceramic Design Artist Michelle Legg. Michelle will give a computer presentation introducing two of South Africa’s indigenous ceramic methods of construction, namely Zulu and Venda, and discuss the firing and decorating techniques. Participants will construct their own pots, decorate and burnish them. Pots will be bisc fired once dry and participants are invited to return to smoke fire their pots with the assistance of Nic Sithole. All materials required for the workshop will be provided.

Bring: Own picnic lunch. (Mr Delivery menu available and Woolworth’s is just 2 blocks away)
Loads of energy and enthusiasm to make the most of this fantastic opportunity!
Wear comfortable clothing; bring apron and special tools.

Where: Colleen Lehmkuhl’s studio (ps - underfloor heating will take care of otherwise freezing feet)
24 Old Kilcullen Road, Bryanston
(Nearest big intersection is William Nicol and Ballyclare Road, near Bryanston Shopping Centre)
Bookings: Contact Colleen or Michelle to reserve your place on this exciting course - banish those winter cobwebs!
Colleen : 073 481 0889 or 011 463 7262 or email Colleen@potterystudio.co.za
Michelle Legg : 083 730 0250 or email Michellejanelegg@gmail.com

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Dear Ceramics SA members,




Yes, sandstone is HARD and it is HEAVY, somehow I had underestimated both aspects, and I put quite a lot of strain on my trailer and two 4x4 s, which mastered the task of transporting the stone the 80km from Fouriesburg to Clocolan  bravely.
Putting the stones into position was also backbreaking work, thankfully we had the help of some very willing and slightly bemused farm labour
Once our stones were firmly placed on tables, the actual process of chiseling into the stone was fairly straight forward. Some special chisels called ‘points’, or ‘Spitzeisen’ were given to us by Florian, together  with a one pound hammer and / or a wooden mallet. With a vague image in our heads, and some references from books as to what we wanted to carve we got to work.
I found that I entered into a kind of ‘dialogue’ with the stone and slowly but surely the shape revealed itself but not without changes that somehow came from the stone.
As ceramicists, most of us are fairly strong and used to carrying weight. Therefore strong arms together with a good rhythm patience and tenacity, as well as the occasional help of the angle grinder get you a long way.  
The whole experience was so opposite to that of building up with clay, however the naturalness and honesty of the material would, I think, appeal to all ceramicists.
What I love most, is that I need not fettle, fire or glaze my sculpture , it stands proudly at my entrance as testimony to a good hard working weekend in one of the most beautiful parts of our country.
We hope to do this again next year, and hope to see you there.
The images shown are from a series compiled by Adrian Whines who joined us on the sandstone weekend and I could not have put together a better selection of pictures to capture the spirit of the weekend.
Marina