Just potty about clay

When visiting the Litchi Orchard Market’s favourite potter, you are welcomed by the rural charm of the Tugela Mouth, a steep driveway and Borris the dachsie.

Inside the interesting home lives Sue Tuffin – a cute, small lady with porcelain skin and clay covered hands.

Her name is synonymous with handmade, glazed ceramics in shades of blue and green, her signature item being big serving bowls.

From the first moment she was exposed to ceramics at DUT, Tuffin knew it was what she wanted to do.

“Pottery is like magic to me. You take clay out of the ground and by simply molding and adding heat to it, you can create anything you like.”

Her talent was soon recognised and she was given a bursary to go to England for a year to gain experience.

Going by plane was too boring, so she decided to go overland. Carrying a pen knife, sleeping bag and mosquito net, she got onto a truck with 12 brave adventurers and left Johannesburg in 1971.

“The journey was supposed to take six weeks. Nearly six months later, we arrived in England. We had countless breakdowns and hit just about every political problem in Africa. Nevertheless, it was the most amazing trip.” Once there, she worked for a Germancalled Fritz in his pottery and learned all about mass production.

“I never wanted to do mass production, but I appreciated what it taught me – time is of the essence.”

After a cold, British year, Tuffin came back to Durban, where she lectured ceramics at DUT for five years.

When life brought her to Tugela Mouth, she started living her dream – owning her own workshop and working for herself.

Together with her husband Alan Tuffin, a European ceramics buyer , she set up shop in the late 70s.

“I sat at the wheel making pots from 6am till 11pm. We employed five people, fired about 700 pieces a time in our gas kiln and supplied pots to Johannesburg, Swaziland and all over. It was slick.”

Political unrest slowed down business and then her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2000.

“It was the worst seven years of my life. I was trying to keep everything going, make pots and money, while my husband was losing his mind.”

When he died, Tuffin had to reinvent her business and reluctantly, she tried the markets.

“When I first went to the Ballito market, I felt like the bag lady. Really down and out. I was so embarrassed to ask people to buy my stuff. But everyone was so nice and I met the most interesting people.”

She joined the Litchi Orchard Market soon after it started and has been merrily pottering along since.

Check out her stall at the market or give her a ring on 073 130 5089 for custom made ceramics.

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