Ardmore Blog

The Florida Ceramic Art Show, presented by Pascoe & Co in West Palm Beach, is one of a kind and quite extraordinary. Some works on the show have never been seen before. Ed and his team are unbelieveable. I feel so honoured that Ardmore fits and sits amongst the best ceramics in the world: Royal Crown Derby, Lladro, Royal Doulton, Moorcroft. The greatest compliment was paid to us yesterday by John Bromley from Stoke-on-Trent (he recently modelled Kate and William figurines). He said, “I feel so humbled by the purity of Ardmore. The artists’ work is alive and vibrant. It blows me away and makes me feel inadequate.” What a darling to pay such a compliment to our artists. It was special to see our dear collectors Blair and Kenny Beale and Mr and Mrs Leverett Miller who came to support the show and add to their collections. The Riders are greatly admired and prized.

An interesting thing happened to me at the Florida show: I rediscovered an amazing Ardmore urn bought by Pascoe & Co two years ago. Sculptured by Bennet Zondo in 2008 and painted by Virginia Xaba, it is of angels supporting and carrying ill people, as if transporting them to Virginia’s paradise garden. It reminds me of a Chagal’s Ascension painting and truly deserves to be in a museum.

Sooo exciting – the stunning fabrics that will be released by Ardmore Design Collection are almost ready for production. We are doing some final colour tests and then we can roll….These gorgeous fabrics will take us to a whole new world and we are excited to see our fans’ response. While en route to the USA for the Florida Ceramic Art Show by Pascoe & Co, Meg and I passed the sofa at Oliver Tambo. I was so proud and fell head over heels with it all over again. Dying for one in my home!

The artists have all returned back to the studio after taking a well deserved break over the festive season. This means fresh ideas and lots of energy at the studio which is great to see! We have a number of exciting projects, exhibitions and ideas for 2012 so watch this space.

Megan and I will be traveling with many of our “Riders” to the international Ceramic Show in West Palm Beach on the 27th to the 29th of January at the Hilton Hotel. We are guests of Pascoe and Company and I will be lecturing on Ardmore and traditional Zulu Ceramics. If you are in the area we would love to see you there or pass this onto your friends.

My ‘cuz from Aus’ Annie and I flew to Cape Town on Thursday  to meet with Random House Struik (SA’s biggest publishing house!) to go through the final proofs of the long awaited Ardmore book. Sorry, you will have to be patient, as it will probably only be out by June-July 2012 – but it will be worth the wait! More excitement: another chapter is to be added about our momentous 2011 year and there will be a Collector’s Edition covered in our new fabric – a limited edition of just 26 copies with an Ardmore artists’ tile inserted.

On Tuesday we delivered Petros Abundance sculpture to the Beverly Hills Hotel in Umhlanga Rocks, where it is on display to be contemplated and admired by heads of state and the likes of Angelina Jolie, Bono and Leonardo DiCaprio – all delegates at the COP 17 climate change conference-taking place in Durban. In Cape Town our South African botanical collection will be on show at the Labia Bloom exhibition (from 7 December to the 29 of February 2012).

Yet another new global territory opens up for us – Ardmore is now heading to Australia! A passionate Ardmore enthusiast, Kelly Foster, has arranged an exhibition at the new Peter Pinson Gallery in Sydney, opening on 14 December – and being opened by Ms Koleka Mqulwana, the South African High Commissioner.  This is so exciting for us all….We wish Kelly all of the very best!

Our second exhibition at the Anagama Gallery in Versailles, France, was an amazing success. Beatrice Poussin, a great supporter who again arranged the exhibition, sent me a mail just after the opening on 6th November, saying ”It was just wonderful! I sold 18 pieces – we at Anagama are thrilled! When is the next kiln arriving??? We trust your genius and courage so much.” She signs herself, “Beatrice Musketeer” !