10. African Sketchbook’s Rousseau-inspired, hand-painted wallpapers
An artisanal fabrics and wallpapers studio reinterprets Rousseau’s jungle scenes for a Winelands villa – and in doing so upskills a local comunity.
Reclining on the bed in the master suite of Le Grand Jardin villa in Stellenbosch might just be the closest one can come to being completely immersed in French PostImpressionist Henri Rousseau’s 1910 fantastical-naïve jungle painting, The
Dream. More than a century after the work was created, no virtual reality headset is necessary to be surrounded by Rousseau’s exotic reverie. Rather, it’s quite possible right here, thanks to the bold vision of the villa’s owner and the artisanal work of Cape Town studio African Sketchbook, known for its handpainted wallpapers and fabrics.
On the wallpaper alongside the bedroom’s fireplace, a full moon bathes the setting in surreal tones. To the left, bordering the dressing room and en suite bathroom, cheeky vervet monkeys in a tropical tree steal fruit from its branches. Elsewhere, agapanthus and pink water lilies decorate handembroidered curtains, reflecting a localised interpretation of the jungle that references the wonderland garden beyond.
“It was a relief to see the project come together as we had imagined,” says African Sketchbook owner and creative director Di Christian. “There’s since been a feeling of pride in the studio – everyone’s walking a little taller.” For her team, working from a compact studio in Diep River, Cape Town, one of the key challenges the project posed was imagining what the completed installation would look like, as the studio’s limited wall space allowed slim opportunity to display the designs as they would be installed.
But while the social entrepreneurs at African Sketchbook may have small premises, their hearts are big. For almost two decades, Christian and partner Anne Bicker-Caarten have looked to the surrounding impoverished communities of Lavender Hill and Retreat as recruitment grounds for studio staff.
“These communities have many talented people who have nowhere to apply their talents. We give them the opportunity to shine,” says Christian. Applicants fill a fabric square with spirals, allowing the owners to identify those with a steady hand and discerning eye. “We upskill new team members by teaching them stencilling, hand painting and silk-screening, and as we all work together, new recruits get hands-on advice from me.”
For some at African Sketchbook, the reward is a skill finely honed. For others, it’s realising that a project as creative as this is akin to an aesthetic dream.
AT LE GRAND JARDIN, IT'S POSSIBLE TO FEEL SURROUNDED BY ROUSSEAU'S EXOTIC REVERIE.