WINDHOEK – One of Namibia’s top ceramist and winner of the Lifetime Crafts Achievers Awards at the Bank Windhoek Triennial, Sarie Maritz, share her joy, views and life in the world of ceramics with Time Out’s Pinehas Nakaziko.
How long have you been in the arts industry (making ceramics) and how do you feel about this?
I have been doing ceramics for the past 51 years. My first meeting with the process of making ceramics was in 1963 in a well-appointed teaching studio at the Pretoria Technikon’s Art Department. I was immediately fascinated and enthralled by what happened in the kiln as my cups and jugs were transformed into brightly coloured jewels. I was hooked and just kept on working, discovering and developing skills over the years.
What is your biggest achievement so far as a ceramics making artist?
I am beginning to understand the properties of the clay, the glaze, the firing and how they interact so that I have a fair amount of successful articles coming from each firing that gives one a good feeling. Whether the artistic expression – the form, the surface texture, colour, is what I want, that is where the difficulty lies. Between the idea and the execution lies the gulf… There will always be uncertainty, but at least I now have better control over the process. I feel that this fact, having achieved some skill, and being able to continue with the work has been my greatest reward.
Who inspired you to do ceramics and where did you study?
Inspiration in terms of ceramics came from many sources such as other potters, teachers and demonstrators at workshops and books. I was greatly influenced by “A Potter’s Book” by Bernard Leach although I never followed the stoneware tradition of the Japanese; trips to other places – Scandinavia, I was enthralled by their wonderful design in textiles, glass, silver and architecture; a potters’ study tour to Japan when I was in my forties and still an amateur potter with a very humble idea of the place of pottery in the general culture where I discovered the opposite view, how the Japanese revered their fantastic ceramic tradition, all their traditional arts like calligraphy, landscaping, writing poetry and brush painting. My parents had many interests and also loved art and books. I grew up with art as a normal part of my life. Paintings on the wall, books about Picasso and the Impressionists. Crayons and watercolours in the cupboard rather than many toys. I did Art as a seventh subject for matric (Grade 12), and afterwards went to university to qualify as an architect.
You have been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award-Crafts at the Bank Windhoek Triennial? What was your reaction?
I was totally surprised. Of course one feels a bit flattered, although not really deserving. But I feel very happy about the fact that art and craft is acknowledged in Namibia, in spite of very little, perhaps nothing, being done about its development in schools, while so much is invested in sport for example. (It would be interesting to hear about the state of art development in education). Hats off to Bank Windhoek and the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN) for this recognition. Perhaps a little seed is being sown.
Apart from that, what is so important being a ceramics making artists?
Awards are not important in themselves. Neither is making ceramics ‘important’ as such. But making ceramics is what I do. I use all my faculties: My creative and emotional brain, thinking, organising and doing all my human capacities and I find it stimulating and enjoyable, although the technical challenges can be frustrating. But at least I am alive to something interesting and stimulating. I like the idea that one can integrate beauty into life, and using beautiful handmade bowls and dishes to prepare and present food is an everyday way of delighting in colours and textures.
Also tell me, what is the theme of your art works and tell us how you do your work, what you use and everything else to bring up a ceramic?
I mostly make articles to use on the table, but also some sculpture. My studio is at my home where I have two kilns. I work mostly in red earthenware, fired to 1100°C, and use glazes, mostly in whites, blues and greens that I mix myself. I have worked in stoneware, porcelain and raku. Smoke firing is also done.
Are we expecting a new exhibition from you this year?
I am busy preparing for this year’s exhibition titled Sarie Maritz Ceramics, which is opening on Friday, 14th November at my home in Klein Windhoek. So far everything is going well and some excellent ceramics have come from the kilns. The exhibition opens at 19.00 at 19 Barella Street, Klein Windhoek and closes on the 25th November.
Some of the ceramics of Sarie Maritz featuring at her exhibition opening on November 14 at her home in Klein Windhoek.