Exhibitions & Events News South Africa

Make over your home, view ClockArt project at Cape Homemakers Expo

The annual Cape Homemakers Expo, which takes place from 1-4 September 2011 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), showcases the latest trends in home improvement and décor ideas for the home and garden. Fine artists, designers, ceramicists, fashion designers and mosaic artists were invited to create wall clocks, the resultant ClockArt is on show for a charity auction.
Make over your home, view ClockArt project at Cape Homemakers Expo

Expo areas

Apart from the 300 stands, the show offers feature areas:

  • Décor & Accessories - specialises in contemporary décor and trends
  • DIY Workshop - with new DIY Workshop feature area
  • Sound Emporium - latest in home entertainment, sound distribution and digital imaging products
  • d'Vine Life - selection of wines, cheeses, olives and other gourmet goodies
  • Future of Design - features latest in upcycling with some of South Africa's top designers leading the way

ClockArt project

Well known artists, designers and companies each received a clock to do with what they liked. The 28 clocks can be viewed throughout the duration of the Expo and visitors are invited to bid on their favourite piece. Bidding forms will be available at the exhibition in the gallery. The highest bidder for each clock will be the proud owner of a unique art piece. All funds raised will be donated to Habitat for Humanity South Africa.

Artists


  • Ann Gadd of Art for Ewe
  • Aidan Bennetts
  • Art of Hand
  • Michele Barfoot of Bangkok Blondes
  • 34 Degrees South
  • Colette Fransolet
  • Diane Harper
  • Donovan Hanekom
  • Elizabeth J van Rensburg from chewthemagazine.com
  • Ed Suter
  • Fancy That
  • Fred Viljoen
  • Glen Napier of Newly Defined
  • Gary Frier
  • Heidi Ansley of Piet-my-Vrou Mosaic Studio
  • Master Wires & Bead Craft
  • Mervyn Gers
  • Monkeybiz
  • Jacqui Charles of Mosaic Works
  • Karin Wainwright of Mosaic Workshop
  • Murg's Lesley and Ricky Aylward
  • Sharon Boonzaier
  • Sootcookie Ceramics
  • Tamarillo Ceramics & Design
  • Taryn Lewis
  • Tracy Payne
  • Vivien Kohler
  • Wessel Snyman Creative

Artists' inspiration

Wessel Snyman says his inspiration for the clock design was the 1960 Scandinavian modernist design in conjunction with South African functionality and the usual magical elements that underscore his creative practice.

"Also, I tried to rethink our visual understanding of the clock face - how do we tell time and how can we approach the surface of the clock differently."

When asked how one can make a clock the focus point in a room, he responded, "Firstly, a clock has a purpose, so unlike a non-functional object it needs to be at a visually accessible point in the room. We're all familiar with mantle clocks and tall grandfather clocks, but on the scale that this ClockArt project is based on, I think these clocks should be supplementary pieces to already existing focal points in a home.

"Add a cool square clock to a bookshelf to make it more interesting, or a massive round one behind the stove that doubles as a splash back. Use pieces (clocks in this case) in places that you wouldn't normally expect to see them and should make a clock a focal point. Anything that is out of the ordinary is immediately more visible." Snyman used wood, glass, LED lighting and recycled paper for his clock.

Cape Town painter, Tracy Payne, decided to use the palette from a painting she made last year, Babiana Villosa, the last in her series of 'Cape Chakras'. "The colours of the flower are absolutely mind blowing - luminous, magenta pink petals and electric blue stigma and stamens." Payne says the painting itself took her about six weeks to make. "I took the palette to Peacock Glass and asked them to cut a circle and drill a hole in the centre. I chose to use the underside of the glass so that the paint is on the back and the surface of the clock is flat clean glass. I intentionally left the numerals out so the clock itself is defined by its circular shape and the clock hands only. Because of this, the time is identified by what we know about clocks. So, it's a fun contemporary take on a clock."

Another participant, Michele Barfoot, says her inspiration was London, New York, Parys, which is also the name of her clock. "It's a contemporary art piece which is practical. To make the clock the focus point of the room, put it at eye level at a certain point in whichever room works best." Barfoot used Supawood disks, digital prints and Duco spray for her clock and the process took about two weeks.

For more information on the auction and the show, go to www.homemakersonline.co.za.

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