Category Archives: Events

One of the highlights on my creative calendar is the Design Indaba Expo, it’s grown from strength to strength over the years and I’m happy to share this year it’s even bigger and better. The talent, especially in the Emerging Creatives field, is outstanding.

I popped in today, though sadly I didn’t have NEARLY enough time to take it all in, but what I saw impressed me, below are a few of my personal highlights.

First up is Mr. Fox, a young duo from Durban. The owners, both in different creative fields, wanted to try their hand at product design. The results are spectacular! Two desk lamp offerings, a pendant light, a table, magazine rack and shelves, all reasonably priced. They’ve chosen to stick with white oak as their wood of choice, which is sustainably sourced and makes them stand out from others who’ve chosen to go with the ubiquitous ‘Scandi’ choice of birch and/or ash.

While on the topic of sustainability, nothing came close to matching Milkshed. Owner Blaire Rieger works in the building industry by trade and out of that spun a desire to the offcuts and waste to create bespoke pieces, creating the cutest furniture, hand turned out of her Grandfather’s old Milkshed. Better still is that 100% of the profits are put back into local community programs in the Eastern Cape where they are based. Above are her reversible tables and chairs made of reclaimed Oregon pine and 10mm steel. The trike is a one-off piece made from a reclaimed mahogany window frame and powder coated pulleys for wheels.

Interior designer Nina du Plessis’s pulp light fittings turned eyes, seen hung between her faceted wall hooks, again made from reclaimed timber, primarily oak and beech and affordable at only R80 each!

Lighting was strong this year with another offering coming via my friend, Graeme Bettles, of Graeme Bettles Designs. The sitting lamp comes in two sizes and he’ll also be launching two new products at the expo this weekend.

After running the emerging creatives gauntlet I headed over to the food court to check out my Mexican food friends, El Burro’s new food wagon, she’s a beauty, the food even more so. Keep an eye out for them coming to a venue near you soon!

Marc & Lyall of Thingking fame never cease to amaze, and while the plant stands aren’t a new product per say, they are one of their latest commercial offerings. I fell in love with them at the Flower Safari Exhibition and still have plans to add one to our ever-growing plant collection.

I popped into to see my good friend Lucas R Adams at his Kraftisan stand, which was HUMMING. If you recall last year he launched his Luna Light there as an emerging creative and sold out on buyers day. This year he launches the flapstand, a laser cut birch ply laptop stand, which I’m using as I type this. He made 70 for the show and at close of business today he was left with 7.

On my way out I stopped by Saks Corner, Dan was exhibiting his mid-mod furniture. I bumped into him earlier this week and he asked if he could run it by me and I offered him a few suggestions and tips, being a first time exhibitor.

Overall a fantastic event, if you’re in town you HAVE to visit and huge kudos to Kelly and her team for pulling together yet another benchmark event.

Last night saw the launch of the Southern Guild’s new exhibition, Heavy Metal.

The list of exhibiting artists includes: Aaron Kearney | Atang Tshikare | Bad Machine | Brendon Edwards | Brett Murray | Bronze Age | Ceramic Matters | Cheick Diallo | Conrad Hicks | Dahla Hulme | David Brown | David Krynauw | Dokter and Misses | Dylan Lewis | Egon Tania | Etienne De Kock | Gregor Jenkin | Guy du Toit | Pieter Henning | Porky Hefer | Shirley Fintz | Sibusiso Mthembu | Steetwires | Willard Musaruwa | Willie Bester | Willowlamp | Xandre Kriel | Haldane Martin | Hamed Outtara | Heath Nash | Imiso | James Hannah | Joe Paine | John Vogel | Jop Kunneke | Kyle Morland | Laurie Wiid van Heerden | Liam Mooney | Michael MacGarry | Michael Methven | Michele Mathison | Mokena Makeka | Nic Bladen | Pete Eastman & Philippe Bousquet

Porky Heffer’s “Black Hole” – R45,000,01

Haldane Martin’s “Hex Nesting Tables” – R29,241,00

It’s billed as “Collectable Design” and while several of the pieces are out of reach of most middle-income earning mortals, it didn’t stop hippies and hipsters alike from coming out to enjoy the event alongside Cape Town’s elite.

I was most taken back by Joburg Based design duo, Doker & Missus, futuristic mid-mod pieces, which were realistically prices for the average middle class art lover.

I finally met Joe Paine in person. I’ve mentioned Joe before, but we’ve never actually met, despite owning several of his pieces, including some custom work. So that was a highlight for me, very down to earth, humble and engaging.

He showcased his Talk Bench, a new take on his older design, done in anodized aluminum and featuring an umbrella mount and drinks table.

The Exhibition runs for the next 10 days, and is FREE and open to the public from 9am – 4pm at the Woodstock Foundry, 150 Albert Road, Woodstock.