An Ardmore Ceramic Art Festival to celebrate the opening of the Bonnie Ntshalintshali Ceramic Museum at Caversham on 20th September 2008

18 August 2008

For immediate release - Ardmore Ceramic Art announces the opening of the Bonnie Ntshalintshali Ceramic Museum at Ardmore Caversham on Saturday 20th September 2008. The museum celebrates the life of renowned ceramic artist Bonnie Ntshalintshali, the first artist to work at Ardmore Ceramic Art with Fee Halsted-Berning. The museum showcases work by Ntshalintshali, Ardmore’s Zulu Cultural Collection and the HIV/AIDS Educational Works.

Dr Lindiwe Mabuza, the South African High Commissioner in London, will officially open the Bonnie Ntshalintshali Ceramic Museum. As part of the celebrations, Ardmore artists have produced an exhibition to commemorate Ntshalintshali’s life and artistic contribution. Inspired by her groundbreaking talent, this series of works draws on the iconic decorative imagery that characterised Ntshalintshali’s pieces. Their interpretation revives Ntshalintshali’s aesthetic and enables lovers of Ardmore a unique opportunity to add a new dimension to their collection.

In celebration of the museum opening, Ardmore has planned a festival of art, music and food to be enjoyed by all who attend. This fund raising event has been organized by the artists to raise funds for the Ardmore Excellence Fund (Section 21 Company), which is dedicated to training, health and wellness of artists and their families at Ardmore Ceramic Art.

Ardmore’s neighbour in the Midlands, The Caversham Centre, will join the festivities to further highlight the transformative power of artistic creativity. Their Cavesham CreACTive™ Centre Initiative, which enjoys Ardmore’s support, empowers communities to take ownership for turning their creative talent into concrete action that improves their lives. Children and women belonging to established CreACTive™ Centres will sell their creations to raise funds for community development efforts. The Cavesham CreACTive™ Centre Initiative will be the beneficiary of an auction of historical prints by Fee Halsted-Berning, Gabisile Nkosi, Bonnie Ntshalintshali and Wonderboy Nxumalo produced at The Caversham Centre. Dr Lindiwe Mabusa will accept patronage of the Cavesham CreACTive™ Centre Initiative at the event.

The ceremony for the opening will take place at 10:30am, with an introduction by Fee Halsted-Berning of Ardmore and Malcolm Christian from Caversham Centre. The auction will be held at 12pm. Throughout the day visitors will be able to view the museum as well as purchase works for sale.

About the Bonnie Ntshalintshali Ceramic Museum
Bonnie Ntshalintshali was the first artist to work with Fee Halsted-Berning at the Ardmore studio in the Central Drakensberg, KwaZulu Natal. In 1990 they jointly won the Standard Bank Young Artist Award. Bonnie Ntshalintshali’s work is represented in major collections throughout South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom. In November 1999 Bonnie died of HIV related diseases.
The Zulu Cultural Collection was created by artists at Ardmore Ceramic Art from 1997 onwards. The work also illustrates Zulu cultural activities and way of life. As well as Zulu history including the Anglo Zulu Wars, fought in South Africa in 1879. The HIV/AIDS Educational Works are a collection created by the Ardmore artists to bring awareness of HIV/AIDS to the local community and the world at large.

About the Excellence Fund
The Ardmore Excellence Fund is a section 21 Company that was established to support the Ardmore artist community. Six percent of all sales are transferred directly into this not-for-profit Fund that is used to:

  • Empower artists by increasing the opportunity for artistic training and development of management, marketing and leadership skills.
  • Assist with health care and help artists with the frequent calls made on them by their extended families - particularly as a result of the Aids pandemic.
  • Operate and continue with the development of the Bonnie Ntshalintshali Museum which served both as a teaching venue for students and as an attraction for tourists and collectors.


    • About the Caversham CreACTive™ Centre Initiative
    Gabisile Nkosi, an internationally recognised fine artist and community activist established the first Caversham CreACTive™ Centre at Jabula Combined School in Lidgetton in 2002. This inspired the formation of the Caversham CreACTive™ Centre Initiative with a vision of empowering self-belief through self-expression. Gabisile was tragically shot in May 2008.

    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. They partner with existing structures such as schools, churches and community/arts organisations where diverse workshops are run for children, youth and women. Incorporating creativity and the arts as vehicle to nurture talent, they build self- awareness and collaboration expanding the role that the arts can play in our society. They offer an ideal opportunity for established artists to mentor the next generation. At present the CreACTive Centre Network is in KwaZulu Natal but it is envisaged that this successful programme will be expanded nationally and beyond our borders.