By Dianne Bayley

 

 

On just about every South African street corner you can find amazing bits of artwork, from recycled tin clocks to tiny geckos made of wire that sell for around R5.00 – or some 70 cents US.

 

For most of these artists, every sale means a meal. They have no formal training or education, so wire and beadwork is how they make a living.

 

South Africans – and visitors to our country – have the luxury of being able to buy these artworks just about anywhere, at little cost. Local companies are also discovering that if they commission artwork – from beaded Christmas ornaments to wire and bead “boxes” complete with their logos – their corporate gifts not only support an artist, they are also greatly appreciated “green” gifts that recipients treasure.

 

Most of these incredibly talented people will never be known to the rest of the world, even while their life-size wire and bead sculptures of sheep, lions and warthogs decorate affluent homes across the globe.

 

Some, though, get a break: Wire artist Masimba Jefta Mwazha stands beside his monumental chicken-wire sculpture of former president Nelson Mandela, called “Madiba’s Ground”. Jefta left Johannesburg for Cape Town where wire craft was his bread and butter. Now his work is exhibited in Cape Town’s 34 Long Street Gallery, alongside other well-known sculptors’ work.

 

Folk Art South Africa also has a selection of unique collector’s pieces. Handcrafted by some of South Africa’s leading artists, these pieces are a worthwhile investment. Each piece is one-of-a-kind which not only increases their value, but also makes them that much more special!

 

Folk Art South Africa was born out of a passion for South African folk art and a strong desire to contribute to the needs of those living with HIV/AIDS. 10% of all proceeds from your purchases are donated to the South Africa Development Fund which sends funds directly to HIV/AIDS projects in the Western Cape.

 

While more and more people are “hooking up” with wire sculptors and putting their work on the internet, there’s still much value in stopping at the side of the road to choose pieces directly from the artist. If there’s nothing that strikes your fancy, ask the artist to create something for you in a beaded colour scheme that suits your home.

 

For those who have never seen wire and bead sculptures, note that the beads – also used in traditional Zulu beading – are tiny “seed beads” and hundreds of thousands of them are used to make up on life-sized goat or sheep.

 

The intricate work and creativity that goes into each piece is truly amazing. Hats off to the street artists, who make our corners that much more colourful!