NIEU-BETHESDA NEWS — For a month now, residents of Nieu-Bethesda have been curious as to the goings on at one of the local guesthouses on the edge of the village.
Unusual and wonderfully formed black vessels seem to be sprouting from the wall of the stoep - and tools, equipment and finished products hint at frenetic productivity.
On Monday the vessels, made from a range of recycled materials including inner tubes, valves and other found objects, migrated to 'Die Waenhuis', where they now make up a stunning exhibition of Karoo inspired, functional vessels.
These exquisitely crafted forms are the result of a collaboration between garden designer James Barry and product developer Magda van der Vloed.
Barry has been living in Bethesda for a month, putting the designs into action - and the result is well worth a look-see. The body of work known as the "Van der Vloed and Skaamhaai Colab", comprises vessels that are filled with a good dose of humour - and are perfect housings for Karoo succulents.
With names such as "Vlotterklep", "Frommeloor", "Knorpot" and "Oorkruiper", the individual pieces evoke real joy. From a distance, the pieces look similar to highly polished ceramic ware - but on closer inspection, they are soft and warm and full of incongruities. These are not simply pots... as Barry says, these works are about, "making love out of nothing at all.",
These irresistible artworks, filled with local plants such as Noorsdoring and Gompol, would take pride of place in any home or garden, and range in price between R450 and R1500 a piece. This unusual, cutting edge exhibition makes it well worth a visit to "Die Waenhuis" in Nieu-Bethesda.
'We bring you the latest Nieu-Bethesda, Karoo news'
