Page 9 - Issue 5 Cornwall Hill

ARTS & CRAFTS

RIANA HEYMANS

UNPACKS OLIFANTSFONTEIN POTTERIES

By Nicole Zerwick Image by Ivan Muller

ituated just over 8km down Why do you think a book about the fun, however, was to travel through South
Main Road, a visit to the Olifantsfontein Potteries is important? Africa with our children in our Kombi,
Clay Café @ the Red Barn is a South Africa has always been fortunate visiting the remotest village in the then
creative way to while away a to possess excellent raw materials for Transkei to take photos of the tile panels
few hours, or even to spend producing ceramics. The earliest pottery made for the post offices - Tsomo, Quembo,
Sa leisurely day, painting made in South Africa already began more Imgedene. We took photographs of every
ceramics. As someone who loves history than a millennium before the occupation single tile panel traveling from Pretoria
and also being able to connect a past of the Cape by the European settlers. The down to Cape Town and returning through
event, or people, to current time and place, practice of making pottery for economic KZN. It is amazing to think how many
I was tickled pink to follow the connection reasons in South Africa, though, only started products were produced here, just a stone’s
between the Clay Café @ the Red Barn relatively recently in the mid to late 1600’s. throw from Cornwall Hill, transported to the
on the Sunlawns agricultural holdings to This book is important because it tells the rest of South Africa as well as exported to
the historically important Olifantsfontein story of a small group of South African artist- England and Europe.
potteries and onto a Cornwall Hill Estate potters in Olifantsfontein, who managed the
resident: Riana Heymans. Riana has first pottery studio to mass produce artistic The potteries are linked to some of the
completed her masters on the potteries of ceramics in South Africa on an economic founding families of the Irene/Doornkloof
Olifantsfontein and has co-authored, with basis. These unique, high quality pottery area. In order to get more information, I had
art historian Professor Alex Duffey and products compared favourably with the best to write many letters (in those days there
curator and art restorer Jan Middeljans, a of their kind in the world at that time and, in were no cell phones or e-mails), send out
comprehensive book on The Olifantsfontein fact, won many coveted prizes worldwide. questionnaires and meet with many people.
Potteries. The clay was of the best, the artists of an I spent time with two of the original artists,
extremely high standard, the influence of Majorie Johnstone Cullinan (of Sunlawns)
How did you get interested in the subject the harsh African light and the forms of the and Thelma Newlans Currie. I was also
matter and decide to research and write African landscape as well as the heritage of fortunate to spend time with the sisters-in-
a book about it? the beautiful indigenous pots of Africa all law, Monica and Diana Van der Bijl (of Irene
I studied History of Art at the University contributed to producing exquisite works of Farm Estate), both of whom had extensive
of Pretoria, completed my Master’s art with breathtaking glazes. But ultimately it collections of Olifantsfontein works. More
Degree on Olifantsfontein potteries is a book which will give unending pleasure recently, Monica’s daughter-in-law, Michelle
in 1989 under the promotorship of to all lovers of interesting bits of history and van der Bijl, lent tremendous help, as did
Professor Duffey and was well on my way things of great beauty. the Ceramics Department of the Ditsong
to completing my doctorate on South National Museum of Cultural History.
African ceramics, with specific reference How did you manage to gather all the
to Olifantsfontein. In December 1989, historical information for the book? An absolute bonus to me, however, in my
however, my life changed completely I was fortunate enough, while preparing quest for information, was the friendship
after a family tragedy and I packed for my doctorate, to visit many ceramic of over 30 years that developed between
everything away for many years. I did museums and attend exhibitions in Britain myself and Pamela Cullinan. She was a
feel obliged, though, to release all the and Europe. At the time of my visit to the steadfast help and for all the many years
wonderful information, which was at the Victoria and Albert Museum, there was a believed in me - and also that the book
same time of course also of academic general strike of personnel all over Britain, would be published! I honoured her by
importance. Over the years, I gradually but John Mallet, the keeper of the ceramics hosting the first launch of the book in her
prepared all the extra information for the (with whom I have established a good magnificent garden at Sunlawns.
archives of the History of Art Department relationship over time), kindly opened up
at the University of Pretoria. Eventually, the collection for me alone. I spent many Finally, I think that the story of
through the inspiration of my husband blissful hours there studying the ceramics Olifantsfontein Potteries feels like part
Johan and my children, and driven by of that period and comparing our own of the overall story of Cornwall Hill. One
a lifelong love for ceramics that was Olifantsfontein pots – favourably - with need only go down to the old Post Office
instilled in me by my late mother, the the best in the world. In London I also saw at the entrance to the station, now part
book was launched at Sunlawns in the work they did for South Africa House of the Railways Café, to see the square
November 2018. We intended, and I hope and Kensington Palace. We visited the pedestals covered with Olifantsfontein
achieved, to honour the South African Ashmolean Ceramic Museum in Oxford glazed tiles, large salt-glazed pots and the
artists and craftsmen who already in the as well as the ceramic museum in Faenza, finely detailed wall panel interpretation
1920’s created a world-class middle point where the greatest exhibition of pottery of the cultural-historical customs of the
for South African art right here on our from all over the world of the 1920’s and Voortrekkers, to be part of the history of
doorstep. 1930’s could be seen at that time. The most Olifantsfontein Potteries.
“It is to be hoped that pottery, as it develops in this country, will reflect the personality of South

Africa and not merely be a soulless imitation of that which originates in other countries.”
-Joan Methley, Olifantsfontein artist, 1926

Cornwall View • Issue 5 2020 7