When Jabu Mteku and Jill Sachs were invited to attend a prestigious ECD Service Excellence Awards  function held at the Golden Horse Casino Hotel on the 18^th of February, little did they know that they were at the top of the list of those to receive recognition for their special diligent roles.    Their contributions towards establishing the ECD programmes from the mid 1990’s up  until 2006 were recognised in the form of gifts, trophies and certificates of excellence.  As Deputy Chief Education Specialists at that time, Jabu was awarded a certificate for her contribution, and Jill was honored for being Pioneer in phasing in ECD.    Their work involved many long journeys to the most rural KwaZulu districts.   We take pride in their wholehearted efforts that went into the laying the foundations for the phasing in of the reception year, so critical in harnessing young minds of greatness.Now, as a result of their pioneering work, the department boasts 5 500 grade R classes, with more than a 100 000 pupils accessing these facilities within the KwaZulu Natal communities. Jill’s deep-rooted dedication continues into her retirement from the department, seeing her designing the fully accredited Caversham eYe programmes, a flourishing initiative.  Last year Jill, with the assistance of Jabu, ran a course for the Lidgetton pre-school and Foundation phase teaching fraternity, where she looked at growing facilitation skills and focused on the Arts as a tool for teaching numeracy/ literacy skills, as well as  being carriers of psycho-social and cultural residues in the earliest developmental stages of the young ones.    We congratulate Jill and Jabu on receiving the recognition due to them! Witty Nyide

Last week  (January 26th) once again  saw the beginning of a lively and re-engaging time at Caversham, both in studio and beyond.At the top of the ongoing activities is the Creative Cultural Dialogue international residency.  This is a 3-week-long interactive forum that has brought a group consisting of writers Mxolisi Nyezwa (Port Elizabeth, SA) and F. Geoffrey Johnson (Atlanta, GA, USA), together with visual artists Tony Bingham (Atlanta, USA, GA) and Sabelo Khumalo (Newcastle, SA). 

Each day of this inspirational journey is being evidenced in the work that has come out over the past days of interaction.  Harmonizing the intensity of the process was the gift of silence which fellows underwent on Wednesday.  Muted conversations with Caversham as both a spiritual as well as a creative space resonated, compelling each to pause.  Reflecting on what it means for creative beings to be in this space at this particular moment, Mxolisi said;

“The past days at Caversham have been brilliant! We had a lively, fruitful and a life changing time.  The sessions with Malcolm and the other artists were super.  I so much enjoyed myself.  The discussions in between the two worlds – Africa and America – brought great insight.  All these for me reaffirmed in a way the commonalities and contradictions between and within the two opposing and sometimes complementary worlds.” 

As part of the experience beyond Caversham, the energetic climate in the studio stretched into the workshops at Ulwazi, where, despite the varied age groups of the kids, the fellows wholeheartedly dug deep to give the kids the experience of a lifetime. We voice our gratitude for these indispensable contributions!   Tony, on time spent at Ulwazi CreACTive Centre:  

“It’s always been my hope to see the visions captured when children of African communities have a pinhole camera.  Today that dream was realized.  With the poets and writers and as a group we created and enacted stories which were then captured by the children during our all morning workshop.  We hope that in leaving behind our material of gel, torch, paper and chemicals that the students will continue to create the paper negatives.  All of which can be scanned into Photoshop, reversed and then printed.  These are images for the world!”

I was both privileged an honored to be part of the Caversham writers workshop and greatly appreciate guidance provided by Kobus during the process of creativity  Although undergoing the process of Reflection for the second time, the experience was both new and unique.  It enabled me to unlock my inner selves and communication with the self.The group of writers that were present at the workshop provided me with an appropriate platform to explore and appreciate the self.  Nozipho Zulu

Caversham for me has been indeed a home not far away from home.  A  week is over hey.  Time spent here was remarkable for me.  If this was a book I’ll re-read the chapters all the time.  Re, an important word that I’ll take back home and I will empower others with the rich knowledge that I have.  Having said that, I won’t beg you to invite me again because I will come back anyway.Sne Mkhize

The workshop has made a huge difference to me.  I’ve discovered so many things about myself; my ability to writ and express myself in writing.  I am now spending time and reserving time for writing which is something I have never done before.  I would only write my diary when something has happened to me.  I’ve never actually thought of writing a poem.  This workshop has helped me realize that with more effort and enthusiasm anything is possible.  Thank you Kobus!  Hlengiwe Dlamini

Finding space to put one’s foot became a mission as crowds gathered for the launch of the Bonnie Ntshalintshali Museum at Ardmore on Saturday  20^thSeptember, coupled with a celebration of Gabisile Nkosi’s Beyond legacy.  As part of Caversham and Ardmore’s joint partnership, Caversham was provided with the opportunity to profile its CreACTive™ Centre Initiatives which were so much part of Gabi’s life and legacy.  The show runs until the 4^th of October.

On entering the gallery space, a multitude of exquisite Bonnie-inspired ceramic pieces carry one through to the centralized, gigantic representation of a zigzag-fold book that captures the CreACTive spirit.  As one navigates the pages within the long narrow room in which it is installed, the richness and generosity of spirit of each CreACTive catalyst’s vision is poignantly evidenced through symbols and text.  This provides a point of departure to read the layered messages imbedded in the body-maps hung on the right-hand side of the room.  Each image in the miniature prints on the left-hand wall carries the stories that Gabi unleashed in Ulwazi CreACTive Centre kids starting in 2002, when she shared her meticulous lino-cutting skill.  On purchase of a print, the audiance will be enabled membership of Caversham  CreACTive™ Centres Beyond Initiative.

This combined visual feast encapsulates the enormous extent to which both Bonnie and Gabi situated themselves as prominent and inspirational artists within their areas of specialty.        

During the opening event, insightful words from Feē Halsted-Berning, Malcolm Christian and Jabu Mtheku drew from the meaningful contribution and roles of both these artists as influential protagonists beyond the visual arts communities, in South Africa and abroad.  Resonating the words of previous speakers, the South African High Commissioner to the UK, Her Excellency Dr Lindiwe Mabuza, sealed and affirmed the relevance of community empowerment through creativity,  acknowledging her honor and privilege in becoming a patron of the Caversham’s CreACTive™ Centre Initiatives as a contribution to the Beyond fund.  The fund is a means to sustain and carry forward the CreACTive™ legacy.  

One of the focal points for this joint event was the auction of works from some of the late artists’ portfolios as well as work highlighting their influence. All the earnings from the auction have been contributed to the Beyond fund. Underpinning the CreACTive™ Centre network is empowerment through contribution. This initiative encourages individuals of passion and vision to grow leadership and mentoring skills within their own communities.  This is the driving force behind the joint CreACTive™ initiative between Caversham and Ardmore named Ukwaba. ‘Ukwaba’ is the Zulu ritual defining the exchange of gifts between two families after a wedding.

The overwhelming success of this event is indebted to the wholehearted effort in preparation from the CreACTive Catalysts: Nokuthula Madinane (Kwa Dabeka), Khululiwe Mabanga (Mtubatuba), Lindiwe Shabangu (Rorke’s Drift), Nokukhanya Sibiya (Kwa Mbonambi), Nomandla Nodola (Harding), Mapule Motau (Lidgetton) and the wise guiding force of the Caversham team.  

Witty Nyide

 The 27^th of August was both exciting and overwhelming, as I was  introduced to the Interprint 2008 participants, followed by the massive printmaking facilities that the London College of Communication houses, as well their products of excellence. Interprint continued with workshops run by fine master printmakers including Malcolm and Vuli. On Friday, they co-facilitated a miniature book workshop, which was a continuity of a woodcut process.  Other workshops covered book art, screen print, collographic techniques, lithography and etching.   Each day ended with evening lectures aimed at sharing background whilst eliciting dialogue and networking. The weekend was a dynamic and exciting experience involving the longest walks.   My gratitude to those who offered to host and ‘tour guide’. Witty Nyide

Caversham is well-represented at Interprint 2008 taking place at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. Malcolm, Witty Nyide and Vuli Nyoni are all attending and we look forward to an in-depth report back when they return next week.

What more suitable mode to have begun Woman’s Month than a sharing forum amongst a group of remarkable woman who’s varied CreACTive contributions to their communities continue to ignite self-belief.  This was a week-long Vision Sharing Residency constituted by the powerful presence of Khululiwe Mabanga (Mtubatuba), Khanya Sibiya (Kwa Mbonambi), Lindiwe Shabangu (Rorke’s Drift), Nomandla Nodola (Harding), Nqobekile Dlamini (Bulwer) and Mapule Motau (Lidgetton).   As usual, dynamic dialogue emanating from individual challenges as well as fulfilling impacts of being role players in empowerment carried the process through to yet another inspiration- charged end.  

 Special Celebration and Exhibition

Amongst Caversham’s many meaningful involvements of the past weeks, one highlight was being part of an astonishing function held by Creactive Catalyst, Nomandla Nodola.Despite the many pots that this virtuous woman has to tend to, amazingly they all seem under perfect control.  It is not only their enormous number,  but the distance in between these that is most impossible to imagine.  We’re talking here about the incredible role at Ulwazi CreACTive Centre, not to mention the sizzling Ingcambu Ezikile CreACTive Centre she started recently back at home in Harding, her work at Ardmore, coupled with her first love for research on the origins of her Nhlangwini tribe.  Her research findings have inspired her dream to start a museum in which these could be housed.  Explaining the motivation underpinning this vision,  Nomandla said, “My aim about my research is to keep Nhlangwini material and history for people to see and recognize.  That is why I want to open my own museum.”   The marvelous success of her present initiatives resonated at Nomandla’s function, which took place on the 19th of July at her home.  Rev Radikobo Ntsimane spoke of Nomandla’s outstanding performance whilst a student at the University of KwaZulu Natal’s visual arts department, describing her as “one person who always engages herself wholeheartedly”. The occasion  was a special celebration and exhibition of Nomandla’s work, all wrapped by a divine ceremonial event of her official return to her home area, ukubuyisa.     Caversham Centre was privileged to be part of this momentous event, where UKZN’s Prof  Juliet Dutoit, Rev. Radikobo Ntsimane, Ms Joana Duguid and Ms Sarah Whittal were joined by the Nhlangwini’s Chief Fodo Dlamini, together with a very large number of community members, to celebrate  with Nomandla. It was certainly one of the highlights in the development of the visual arts in South Africa, specifically in the rural community.  Some of Nomandla’s work has been collected by the Old Court Museum in Durban.   We watch your space, Nonkanyiso! This is a Nguni name that chief Fodo dubbed Nomandla as he applauded her endeavors.  It translates as ‘one who gives light’.   

Witty Nyide 

The time spent in Buenos Aires (which came from the name Port of St Mary of the Fair Winds, Santa Maria del Buenos Aires being the patron saint of the early sailors who visited these shores of the Rio de la Plata in early 1500’s), can be likened to dancing the Tango - absorbing, entrancing and at times a spectacle. It has been a time of different rhythm, of responding to one’s partners moves and engaging with people where the common use of one’s own language does not work. This forces one to resort to other ways of connection from kissing everyone on the right cheek, to wild gesticulation, rampant mispronunciation or handing written addresses with hopes that the taxi driver will take you there and not on a ride to visit all the sights before depositing you on the pavement.  In other ways it has encouraged walking from place to place allowing a more intimate experience of this vast high rise city for both the living and the dead and life of its inhabitants. Included amongst who is an abundance of furry four-footed friends, which seem to take delight in leaving fresh reminders of their presence just where you are about to place your foot. My son, with wry humour, suggested that maybe this was the beginning of the elaborate steps of the Tango…..  

Buenos Aires is a place where one seems to eat from morning to morning where the coffee and the sweet tempting pastries are in abundance and in their multifaceted folds and fillings, reflect the rich diversity and warm heart of the people. Even the prevailing  general tension and uncertainty created by the farmers’ protests with 300,000 taking to the streets in campaign against increased taxation on their profits, generated positive images of flags and people involved in effective democracy.   The apartment where we stay is in the heart of down-town which provides easy access to a variety of interesting places. Proyecto’ace however is situated in Colegiales, three stops down the Mitre line and then a short walk from the station. It is housed in a restored 19^th century apartment with elegant high ceilings and well designed working spaces that reflect the founder, Alicia’ Candiani’s, skill as both printmaker and architect. Coming in off the street, having negotiated crossings which require looking the opposite way so not to be mown down by no-stop traffic, ‘Malcolm don’t expect anyone to stop for you at pedestrian crossings’ and what seems like all 13 million of the city’s population on the pavements, an old marble staircase leads you up into an oasis of quiet and order. This incorporates well-equipped print studio with two etching presses, darkroom, office, gallery and a space where each day we gather to eat and socialize.   Assisted by her team of Alvaro, Patricia, Adriana, Valeria and Bruno, Proyecto’ace is a much-respected and involved force within the arts in Buenos Aires.   As reflected in the workshop participants who were from all over Argentina and included young and established artists and faculty, each brought a personal insight and a passion for the arts which was continuously affirmed in the number of openings and exhibitions that we have attend.  Plans are in the making to continue this partnership, with Alicia visiting Caversham Centre next year.  Thanks to all at PROYECTO’ace for making this such an enjoyable experience. 

Malcolm  

Proyecto’ace, Argentina  

Malcolm is currently in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where is he is running a course at Proyecto’ace, International Artist in Residence Centre in the Visual Arts for Printmaking and Photography, Design and New Media.Alicia Candiani, the director, invited Malcolm to run workshops on non-adhesive structures in artists’ books. Participants combine the exploration of content as a springboard for simple book structures – following the theme of Caversham Centre’s Hourglass Process. For more info on this residency facility take a look at the Proyecto’ace website: www.proyectoace.com.ar