The Don Teams Achievements as Makers in South Africa
20yrs Ago not many knew about the water art techniques of marbling so the team set out Teaching in Schools in KZN, tutoring thousands of children and teachers in the art of marbling.
They became Supplier of Marbling Equipment and Kits to Markets and local SA Craft Shops. Extensive Demonstrations and retail at Agricultural & Art Shows like Hiltons Art Festival were interactive marbling was on offer along with supplies and printed stock.
International Collaboration with UK Bookbinders Society and Paul Delruerenowned late Binder from Wales. 120 children marbled book papers which was sent to Wales were Paul and his Bindery Team made books for the kids using their papers, engraved their names with gold etc and then returned the completed books for year end hand out at St Charles College, PMB
International Exhibit in Madrid East Meets West in all Decorative Design of Brocade, Paste, Suimonga, Suminagashi, Ebru and Marbling on Paper, Fabric, Canvas and Ceramics in collaboration with Trayci Tompkins. Renowned SA Artist and Collectable Ceramist.
International Suminagashi Collaboration with late Elsje van Ploeg. Renowned origami and letter folding Artist in layering of marbling and suminagashi techniques to educate an international following.
Marbling of an Entire Range of Hand Thrown Zulu-Lulu ceramics by Trayci Tompkins and her team. Everything from tiny condiment plates and bowls, goblets, cups, dinnerware with 3 sizes of bowls and serving plates. The collection stretched over a year and only came to an end because of load shedding disasters.
Blue Betty Handmade Shoes from KZN launched an Out of Africa Zebra leather shoe, which the SA Team printed with black and gold marbled zebra design.
Bomber Equestrian SA requested Polocrosse Rackets to be marbled in Neon Sports colours to gift to International Polo Players as Awards for special Achievement.
Judith Atelier Won the 2015 SA Fashion New Talent Search Competition and then followed using a marbled stone drop design throughout her SS collection. Winning her a SPREE Online Supplier Contract and a platform to dress local SA Celebrity like Christia Visser who wore 4 different marbled Judith Atelier garments at her premier and gala of Alison in New York,US and Durban. She returned for AW to produce the most spectacular Seeds of Life Range. In each collection she asked for bespoke prints in more than 5 garments.
Local SA TV show – “ Mooiloop” visited the SA Marbling Studio in Fouriesburg, 2016 - to interview the team and show SA what these textile artists get up to deep in the Maluti Mountains doing Marbling for our SA Designers.
VG Atelier showcased in Milan with her collection from SA using marbled prints created by the team in several of their garments. It was the very first Suminagashi Print Collection showcased abroad at this scale.
Collaboration with renowned Pageant Designer Steven van Eeden who has created traditional and gala dress for the wedding and pageant industry for more than a decade. He commissioned Larissa and Stella to marble silk organza to look like Eagles Wings. Miss Namibia was adorned with this haute couture dress while competing for Miss Superbalist in Poland. She was Runner Up. Very Proud and then the dress was included in a lockdown shoot in a derelict building in Cape Town and then Miss Teen South Africa wore the same dress to a SA Polo Event in Jozi. She made us Proud.
Thebe Magugu WONthe LVMH Young Designer Award in 2018 using 2 suminagashi designs created by Larissa & Stella, bespoke for his collection which was showcased abroad. He Won and returned home a Hero. Production supplied several International Boutiques in Singapore, Japan, Nigeria, Milan, Paris and South Africa.
Thebe Magugu returned for The INternational Woolmark Prize where he was a finalist. Eco Printing using 12 different indigenous Healing Plants where used to create a bespoke SA Print to the World during lockdown. The second Print was created by building a rust printing machine using rusted roof sheeting and transferring the alchemical reactions caused by rust, vinegars and oxygen. This print was inspired by the zinc roof sheeting held down by rocks scattered through the South African landscape. The team were published and mentioned in several international fashionmagazines including Vogue US.
Artho Eksteen, young designer from CT, used marbled prints by The SA Team in his SA Fashion showcase. He Won the New Talent Search in 2020 and has been back season after season giving hand printed fabrics a special place in each collection. He predominately works with natural fibers and his designs are quirky and timeless.
VIVIERS Studio Lezanne showcased in Milan for her SS and AW collections during 2023. All handprints created for her were totally aesthetic using only natural matter like lake pigments from hemp, cochineal, walnut and rose to do the marbling and fine boku inks to execute the profound and master level pattern called Tiger’s Eye which has never been created on fabric for the industry before. The team were mentioned on SA TV show Insider when they interviewed Lezanne Viviers at her Studio. The collections received extensive publication and showcase opportunity at SA Fashion Weeks in Jozi & at The Italian Embassy in Stellenbosch, The National Karoo Wool Festival and at Belmont Nelson Hotel in CT.
Larissa and Stella showcased in Clarens, Eastern Free State, with Addy Hoyle Art Gallery (the oldest gallery in Clarens) to display what they create using pigments from the local area and to promote their techniques and Textile Art.