From the Free State
TWO ARTISTS HAVE DEVELOPED A NICHE BUSINESS IN THE MIDLANDS BY BEING VERSATILE AS WELL AS LOOKING FOR FAVOURABLE OPPORTUNITIES, WRITES
ATRISH BEAVER
LADDINS-DE-LIGHT is a mustsee spot on the Kwazulu-natal Midlands Meander. The route, known for its arts and crafts, was the perfect spot to settle for this husband-and-wife team.
When Louise and Jan van Niekerk decided to move to Nottingham Road 23 years ago, they were looking for a place on a popular art and tourism route. They had been creating and selling their arts and crafts at various markets and decided they needed a stable base to grow their business.
These former Free Staters fell in love with the Midlands and decided to settle in the hamlet. But moving to the countryside and making a business successful does not happen overnight. The pair has worked for many years to make the business sustainable and to a reputation that has spread far and wide.
Producing beautiful stained glass lamps and windows and firing unique pottery was not always enough for them to make ends meet. They decided they had to use their premises as a resource. Initially, they created a studio and shop by renovating old stables.
To supplement their income,
Louise used her passion for food. She and Jan ran a popular coffee shop and restaurant for many years. She loves to cook and is known in the area for Lulu’s Pies.
Over the years they have created many sidelines as accomplished artists. They have a bicycle rental for day tourists who wish to explore the area. They also have an art shop to display the work of local artists, and they have a bookshop. This helps to fund the local Feral Cat Project. Louise loves her cats and is a soft touch for any strays that arrive on their doorstep.
Aladdin’s De-light has been through a few transitions and Louise, who is always busy and full of ideas, likes to try her hand at many things.
The pair envisaged a space where they could make their creations and also a gallery where they could sell their work and the work of other artists.
Aladdin’s restaurant closed six years ago and they expanded their studio. They now work full-time creating beautiful items. Their stained glass studio is well-known and with the recent boom in building and expansion of houses in Nottingham Road, they get many commissions.
“Clients from Johannesburg and Durban come to our studio looking for inspiration. They might have an idea in mind or something they have seen in a decor magazine,” said Louise, who is skilled in many art forms but pottery and stained glass are her mediums of choice. She says her approach is to get a feel for her clients and their taste in decor.
“Sometimes they bring a picture or a piece of fabric that has beautiful patterns or an idea of what they want.” She explains that stained glass windows are extremely strong and long-lasting and likely to outlast the buyer, so she wants to make sure that the client will be happy with their choice of design.
Some clients prefer the traditional stained glass designs and others are looking for a contemporary twist. Louise says that while stained glass is an ancient art form it can be adapted to suit any home or space.
“Some people come to me with an idea and a picture while others don’t know what they want. It can be like marriage counselling getting a husband and wife to agree on the final design.”
She creates the design and plans the construction and husband Jan uses his technical expertise to help make the creations a reality. “We are a great team, as I am the artist and Jan is the engineer and his abilities help me put my ideas into reality. We are a good combination.”
They make glass panels for doors, windows and cabinets and they also make beautiful stained glass lamps and lampshades. Recently, they completed a beautiful window for the Cordwalles School chapel in Pietermaritzburg.
Louise’s cats are her other passion and she can’t resist a stray looking for a home. The cats have made their way into the designs on vases and they often curl up in between the delicate lamps and pottery bowls.
She has made pots from porcelain and clay but her hand thrown ceramics are mainly made from stoneware and earthenware.
Her favourites are raku and smokefired vessels. She says she is not dictated by fashion but creates what she feels like.
“I often get compliments from overseas tourists who tell me I have original style and high quality work. But it is hard to get people to realise that they are paying for years of experience and experimentation.
“A beautiful pot is not created overnight.”
Her pottery workshops and mosaic classes have become a feature in Nottingham Road and she especially likes to see children trying new skills.
“Children are not as stuck as adults in a creative sense. They are free from the labels that we adopt as adults. Kids are open to ideas and they don’t have any idea that what they create may not be good enough. Adults are ruled by self-doubt and a need to be perfect.”
She also holds pottery team building sessions and the results are very interesting. The team has to create an item and they have to work together. Louise says that every person leaves an impression in clay which says a lot about their personality and their role in the team.
Investing in their property as a means of making income means they offer comfortable accommodation as well for visitors who want to stay in the scenic town. In their Chameleon cottages you can see an abundance of the pair’s creative touches in the decor.
As long as there are opportunities to live and work in a beautiful country town they will continue to evolve and create more favourable circumstances.
E-mail info@aladdins.co.za or visit www.aladdins.co.za