#creativeenterprises

For Jane, the work benefits of getting involved in various professional initiatives include meeting a range of people from different cultures, upbringings, religion and lifestyles. She is inspired by this interaction and applies what she learns to her own creative work and life. Jane enjoys working with groups (workshops) and alone in her studio. The challenge, of course, is that everything happens at the same time. Jane copes by writing organic lists (wearing different hats) and finds common threads to link the various projects in which she is involved. For example, her Positive Power textile print was based on the HI virus, and here she spanned work with people living with HIV, to creating a textile design with a message. “Sometimes it feels as if I’m not doing anything properly,” Jane admits.  She tries to not have too many projects running simultaneously; and then completes one before taking on another.  Jane believes in being present in what she is doing, keeps a journal for free writing and drawing to process her thoughts, and takes time to do yoga, walk on the mountain and relax with friends and family. Zizamele Ceramics’ Toni Burton has a Fine art degree from UCT and a diploma in Higher Education. She taught High School art for 15 years and lectured in ceramics for five years before focusing on Zizamele Ceramics. Now she juggles the design and business aspects of Zizamele, gives a lot of her time and energy to skills transfer and is involved in the Ceramics South Africa Association.  

Toni’s role model, she says, is her remarkable grandmother who transformed an old boarding house on the KZN south coast into a small hotel called The Crayfish Inn.  She decorated it with flotsam and jetsam from South African shipwrecks and later scoured Hong Kong ship-breaking yards for more treasures.

“I was working at the hotel from about the age of 12, at reception and helping to total restaurant bills.  This experience taught me a lot about customer relations and hard work. Now, we are a busy family (Toni has three children), so having a multitude of jobs does not appear odd or strange to me.  I do a lot of yoga and I hike in the wide outdoors and of course I love to travel. “Professionally, I believe the benefits of being involved in every aspect of the sector I am in, is that I feel a true understanding of how things fit together,” she says.  “I believe teaching is a calling, and for me to stop teaching would be impossible.  I also love children (especially young adults and teens) and think art has a unique role to play in balancing out these difficult and complicated years.”   Obviously, time management skills are important and knowing how to prioritise is really essential, says Toni.  As a business owner, cash flow is key and she never overlooks getting invoices paid to Zizamele and taking in deposits on time, even though her next creativity or product design workshop might be on her mind.

 This year she has been focusing on new products and glaze finishes.  “We are very fortunate in having an iconic product that does not date, but knowing how to tweak it and extend its life requires some concentration.  Sometimes something I am teaching becomes something I can use on a new product and vice versa.” Facilitator and creative entrepreneur Mara Fleischer has combined her curiosity in recycling and African innovation with community development, starting up several enterprises. These have produced functional design products, while promoting ethical employment.

“I love being involved in all aspects of creative energy and working with people,” Mara says. “I get a bird’s eye view one day, and the next day I can zoom in and participate, react and engage with all walks of life. It gives me enormous empathy, energy and inspiration to create more.