Quarter of a century at Belgravia Art Centre’s helm
IN HER 26 years as the Belgravia Art Centre principal, Stephanie Frauenstein has learnt almost as much as she has taught.
Frauenstein, 65, who retires tomorrow, arrived at the centre in the mid-90s as a design teacher and became the principal 15 years ago.
“I have taught three-dimensional design, sculpture and painting, but some pupils taught me a thing or two, like how to be brave with materials and to create with themes.”
Frauenstein taught art in Cape Town and Johannesburg before taking up a post at Belgravia. The centre teaches art to children from Grade 2 to Grade 12 and is also a venue for adult art classes.
“It was a tremendous surprise when I got here – the space, the materials at our disposal and especially the standard of work, which was very much higher than I had experienced in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
“The pupils were prepared to go to great lengths and would even come in on Saturdays to do extra work. They have less time now because of the pressure of the syllabus, but a term’s work here is still in excess of what is required.”
A low point in her tenure at the centre was the destructive 2004 fire, which tore through the building in the middle of the night, leaving the exhibition hall – a former theatre – photographic darkroom, kitchen and Frauenstein’s office in blackened ruins. “It was devastating. It even melted the photostat machine and phone, and we had to exhibit from washing lines in the staff room.”
The hall has since been rebuilt and is now a light-filled, generous space.
This week Frauenstein spent a day there preparing her last end-of-year exhibition.
“What I will miss most about Belgravia is the pottery department. Even though I had no training in pottery, I spent 20 years interfering there and enjoyed it very much,” she said with a smile.
She may be the principal of a highly regarded art centre, but Frauenstein hinted at a mischievous streak when she said she would relish leaving behind odds and ends in “all the drawers” of the sprawling facility.
Having spent so many years at Belgravia, Frauenstein confessed to feeling nervous about what to do once she hands over her principal hat to the centre’s head of department Terry Schultz, who will be the acting principal until a new appointment is made.
“I think I will fix up my house and garden and potter for a year or two. It has been a dream to pursue my own art and I want to keep the inspiration going. I will also come back to the centre to feed the colony of feral cats that live around here.”