Bead work

Imfibinga/Ubuchwabasi (Jobs tears/river stones)

These beads are usually found along the side of the river.

They come in natural grayish shades and they are almost shaped like an onion, with a semi oval top and a slightly rounded bottom. They have a hard shell like cover and they are soft in the middle with a hole that runs through, from top to bottom.

I felt interested in the way they naturally come in different shades so I decided to used that to create patterns for beaded neck pieces.

Triangle patterns using the Zulu love letter stitch to make a choker.

An Ombre of the variety of the shades from the beads, using the Rope stitch on a 4 strand pattern.

A twisted effect using the rope stitch, on a 3 strand pattern

I would enjoy to explore a bit more with these beads, for an example, to colour them in bright colours and use them in smaller jewellery pieces. 

Plat Africa Competition 2015

                                                          working drawings

Inspiration

Design concept 

Finished piece

Artist statement

Midi-rings on display

I felt the need to display them with pictures to show how and where should they be worn.

Designing a collection of jewellery inspired by my findings from the Phansi Museum.

Beaded neck piece.

Icansi/Isicephu  bangle

Ihlali bangle

ELPPAG branding iron

Letters punched to brand a leather strip on a denim jacket with challenges of the letters not on the same level and no equal space in between (no accuracy).

4 view design for iron branding on Rhino

Roland WJX 10 CNC (Computerized Numeric Control) cutting machine in a process of cutting a more accurate branding mechanism on wax.

 Finished wax piece, ready to sprue and invest.

Sprued, ready to invest then let it dry for at least 3 hours before being put in a kiln overnight to burn the wax out.

Casting brass in progress.

Patiently waiting for the metal to cool down.

Cleaning up the investment and cutting off the sprues.

Branding iron mounted on to handle.

Burnt branded bag.

Embossed branded test piece.

Stone cutting

My interest of cutting stones resulted to a pair of oxidized silver and Transvaal jade studs.

Now looking forward to find out what is this mysterious looking stone. It is predominantly brown with white and some beautiful spectrum colour specs. 

Pansi Museum

Beaded waist, arm and neck pieces with different stitches and patterns.

All of these peices are worn by females of different age groups in the Zulu culture and some are accessorized with brass stud material to enhance their value.  

Zulu traditional beaded accessories with bright colours and geometric patterns.

Zulu woman traditional outfit, with beaded accessories and Impala horn pendant. 

Zulu beaded waist belts for ladies, added as accessories on a black Isidwaba (leather skirt) and on red fabric material

Rickshaw hat with beaded accessories and painted Nguni cattle horn.

Wooden hand carved and painted fighting sticks

Wooden hand carved walking sticks and knobkerries accessorized with telephone wire and steel studs.

Hand woven grass baskets with geometric patterns.

Painted umgibe (Grass mat hanger).

Iziqhaza (ear-clips), painted and studded.

Telephone wire woven vase.

Imbenge (the lid), made from telephone wire on a traditional beer pot with carved out patterns.

Ibheshu (loincloth) accessorized with steel studs and reflective lights.

Isihlangu (shield)

.

Walking sticks accessorized with telephone wire and brass studs

Fabric material bags, accessorized with beads and tassels.