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

The Pretoria Social Market

Meet The Choker that I made with pleated fabric material and gold plated silver.

I used cotton to create that clothing feel to it. The aim was to make a jewellery piece that feels like it is part of your clothes but also stands out as a jewel to adorn the neck, where most clothes don't reach.

I love to work with models that take their fashion to extremely unusual levels but also keep the ethnic african look.  

Jewellery

I am attracted to the contrast between oxidized (blackened) silver with lightly polished wire detail layered on top. In a process of making these pieces, almost half the time I can hardly visualise the end product, I make decisions and change my mind as I go until I achieve what I would describe as balance. The relationship between the negative spaces, flat planes, layers and the detail on each piece.