Terug na die natuur

Gina Beretta — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:53:32 +0000

WOORDE Lisa Johnston

Haar verhuising uit die stad het die ontwerper Claire Regnard geïnspireer om haar werk meer “organies” te benader. Lisa Johnston het ’n draai gemaak met die bekendstelling van haar nuwe produkreeks vir 2013.

Toe Claire Regnard die geleentheid kry om ’n winkel oop te maak by die bestaande Ilovani-meubeltoonkamer in The Heath – ’n winkelsentrum langs die N2 net wes van Plettenbergbaai – het sy terstond haar deure in die stad gesluit en afgesit see toe.

Claire was voorheen gebaseer in Johannesburg, waar sy ’n naam vir haarself gemaak het met haar onderneming Amoeba, wat in binne- en buitedekor van lasergesnyde metaal gespesialiseer het. Sy het ook spesiale stukke op bestelling vervaardig, soos haar nege boom-beeldhouwerke wat in Jutastraat in Braamfontein pryk.

Ná haar aankoms in Plett het Claire ’n winkel saam met Lisa Murray begin en die Ilovani-meubeltoonkamer stadig verander in wat nou bekend staan as amoeba@ilovani. Claire se skeppende repertoire het intussen uitgebrei en sluit nou meubels asook organiese en herwinde materiale in.

“Die afgelope jaar het ek daarop gefokus om amoeba@ilovani in orde te kry en my in my nuwe gemeenskap en skeppende ruimte in te grawe. Die toonkamer het heelwat gegroei wat karakter betref en lyk fantasties… dit is regtig oorlopens toe vol met ’n hele jaar se kreatiewe impulse,” sê sy. “Ons is soveel meer ontspanne, en ons kliënte is in hulle noppies. Hulle waardeer regtig wat ons skep en voel dat ons leefstyl – en dus ook ons produkte – om skoonheid wentel. Ons is nie meer deel van die mal mallemeule en komplekse lewe wat ’n mens in die stad leef nie.”

Hierdie soektog na skoonheid in ’n natuurlike omgewing het Claire se uitkyk oor ontwerp heeltemal verander. Haar kreatiwiteit het as’t ware kleintjies gekry, al maak sy steeds lasergesnyde items, wat insluit muurkuns, skerms, teeligkershouers vir die muur, hake en beligting, en spesiale stukke op bestelling, soos die werk wat sy vir die Knysna-munisipaliteit gedoen het.

Pleks daarvan om bome uit lasergesnyde staal te vervaardig, gebruik amoeba@ilovani nou bome om ander produkte te maak. Dit sluit in ’n reeks klein items wat van herwinde eikehoutvate en stukkie inheemse afval-hardehout vervaardug word – enigiets van snyplanke en kombuisware tot buitemeubels, kershouers en wynrakke.

Hulle ontwerp en vervaardig ook groter huishoudelike items soos tafels en rakeenhede van Wes-Kaapse hardehout- en indringer-houtsoorte.

’n Ander afdeling van die onderneming is toegewy aan die ontwerp en bedryf van ’n projek om kandelare uit herwinde wyn- en bierbottels te maak. Die skerwe herwinde glas word saam met stringe glaskrale geryg om hangligte te ontwerp wat elegant na benede tuimel.

Om by te bly met die aanvraag, asook die maatskappy se betrokkenheid by Source-SA en die internasionale geskenkskou in New York, het Claire nou die bedryf en bestuur van die Ilovani/Limited Editions-werkswinkel oorgeneem.

“Dit beteken ek het nou vier baie vaardige houtwerkers wat ek bestuur en oor toesig hou. Ek is dus nou ’n werker en ’n bestuurder en ’n ontwerper van houtmeubels en allerhande ander goeters,” glimlag sy.

Besoek amoeba@ilovani by The Heath, net langs die N2, by Plettenbergbaai. Tel. 082 301 5685, 044 532 7899, amoebaconcepts.co.za

The post Terug na die natuur appeared first on Visi.

Back to nature

Gina Beretta — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:30:42 +0000

WORDS Lisa Johnston

Lees in Afrikaans.

A move from the city has inspired designer Claire Regnard to find a more organic approach to her work. Lisa Johnston caught up with her just as she launched a new range of goods for 2013.

When Claire Regnard was offered the opportunity to set up shop at the existing Ilovani furniture showroom at The Heath – a roadside centre off the N2 just west of Plettenberg Bay – she packed up her business in the city and headed for the sea.

Claire was previously based in Johannesburg, where she built a name for herself through her business Amoeba, which specialised in laser-cut metal interior and exterior decor. She also made customised pieces and sculpture, most prominently her nine tree sculptures dotted around Juta Street in Braamfontein.

On her arrival in Plett she set up shop with Lisa Murray and started recreating the Ilovani furniture showroom, forming what is now known as amoeba@ilovani. Subsequently Claire’s creative repertoire has expanded to include furniture and her medium has grown to incorporate organic and recycled materials.

“Over the past year my focus has been on setting up amoeba@ilovani and settling into my new community and creative space. The showroom has grown in character and is looking fantastic, filled to the brim with a year’s creative overflow,” she says. “We have relaxed and happy visitors appreciate what we create and can feel that our lifestyle, and hence our products, embrace beauty – outside the rat race and complexity of city living.”

This search for beauty in a natural environment has changed Claire’s stance towards design. Although she’s still making laser-cut items including decorative wall art, screens, votive candle wall pieces, hooks and lighting, and commissioned pieces such as the decorative wall art and details, like what she did for Knysna Municipality, her creativity has branched out.

Instead of focusing on trees made out of laser-cut steel, amoeba@ilovani uses trees to make other products. These include a range of smalls made from reclaimed wine barrel oak and indigenous hardwood off-cuts, which include boards and kitchenware, outdoor furniture, candle holders and wine racks.

They also design and make larger household items such as tables, servers and shelving units out of Western Cape hardwoods and invader woods.

Another area of the business is devoted to designing and running a project making chandeliers out of recycled wine and beer bottles. The tumbled shards of recycled glass are wired up into strands of glass droplets, which form cascading pendant lights.

To keep up with demand as well as the company’s involvement with Source-SA at the New York international gift show, Claire has taken over running and managing the Ilovani/Limited Editions workshop.

“Which means I now have four skilled woodworkers who I manage and oversee. So… I’m now a worker and manager and designer of wooden furniture and stuff,” she smiles.

amoeba@ilovani is located at The Heath, off the N2, Plettenberg Bay, Tel 082 301 5685, 044 532 7899, amoebaconcepts.co.za

The post Back to nature appeared first on Visi.

claire regnard Archives | Visi

Terug na die natuur

Haar verhuising uit die stad het die ontwerper Claire Regnard geïnspireer om haar werk meer “organies” te benader. Lisa Johnston het ’n draai gemaak met die bekendstelling van haar nuwe produkreeks vir 2013.

Back to nature

A move from the city has inspired designer Claire Regnard to find a more organic approach to her work. Lisa Johnston caught up with her just as she launched a new range of goods for 2013.