6 Must-See Artists at CCDI’s MAKE IT NEW Exhibition

Running from 10am until 6pm from the 15^th to the 24^th of October 2014 at the Cape Town Stadium, the MAKE IT NEW exhibition is hosted by the Cape Craft and Design Institute (CCDI). It also forms part of World Design Capital’s Makers + Thinkers event.

Here are 6 artists to watch at this exciting exhibition.

1. Lucinda Mudge, ceramic artist

With her work exhibited at reputable galleries and exhibitions across the country, Lucinda’s unique ceramic vessels and vases have become highly collectable. While global pop culture and time spent in England has influenced her style, her love of South Africa is evident with plenty of bright and quirky cultural references. Her sense of humour is also a dominant feature in her work, with fun phrases and imagery giving each of her bold and satirical pieces a little something extra.

Her work will be featured in the “Colonial Lounge” at MAKE IT NEW.

2. Patricia Fraser, artist

Working from her home studio in Newlands, Patricia is a multi-disciplined artist working in various mediums from acrylic and charcoal to lino. Her latest exhibition at Chandler House explores the lushness of KwaZulu-Natal’s landscape. Patricia worked in advertising and graphic design for 30 years, winning several awards for packaging and corporate design. In 2005, she decided to focus on painting.

One of Patricia’s bold paintings will be featured in the “Indoor/Outdoor” room as wallpaper at MAKE IT NEW.

3. Lucie de Moyencourt, artist

Lucie is a young Capetonian artist with talent that warrants thorough scrutiny. Most mornings, you’ll find Lucie walking through the Sea Point neighbourhood, sketchbook in hand, before she heads off to her job as an architect. She derives inspiration from Cape Town’s urban and rural surroundings. Lucie studied architecture at the University of Cape Town but has had no formal art training. She opted to rather practice her art while travelling in London and Paris and continues to do so almost daily. She has exhibited at Salon 91 and Chandler House.

One of Lucie’s ink pieces will be turned into wallpaper with the help of Robin Sprong at MAKE IT NEW.

4. Jean Theron Louw, sculptor 

Evocative and thought-provoking, Jean Theron Louw’s sculptures explore our connection with the world around us. This Somerset West-based artist had a passion for sculpture early on in life, winning the Sanlam African Art Award while she was still at school. Jean uses a wide range of materials for her work, ranging from timber and metal to bronze and wire. Besides aiming to evoke human consciousness, she also experiments with scale, producing both life-sized and more intricate pieces.

Jean’s iconic bird sculptures will feature in the “Indoor/Outdoor” room at MAKE IT NEW.

5. Christina Bryer, ceramicist

You’ll probably recognise Christina’s delicate geometric-inspired porcelain plates. From translucent to almost skeletal porcelain, Christina is well known for her fine, paper-thin pieces. Patterns are based on the geometry in unicellular organisms and the cross-section of DNA strands. While her background is in jewellery design, she studied ceramics in London where she discovered Penrose’s aperiodic tiling that informs the aesthetic principles of her work today.

One of Christina’s platters will feature at the MAKE IT NEW exhibition.

6. Chris Bladen, sculptor

Kalk Bay resident Chris Bladen is an avid fly fisherman and marine life is the primary inspiration for his sculptures. Of particular interest are his Flying Fish and Manta Ray series. Chris is involved in every aspect of producing one of his works, from sketching and moulding to casting and creating the intricate scales and colours of each piece. His smaller works are also created as pendants for necklaces.

Chris Bladen’s work will be used in the “Historical” section of the MAKE IT NEW exhibition.

For more information about this exhibition, visit ccdi.org.za.