Creative and other delights at Wakkerstroom Arts & Craft Fair

Bookings are now open for the annual Wakkerstroom Arts & Craft Fair (WACF), which will be held from September 22 to 25 in the villages of Wakkerstroom and Esizamelene in Mpumalanga.

This year’s theme is “Re-Imagine.”. The full program and booking form are available at www.wacf.info.

Being held over Heritage Weekend, the WACF is not only about the enjoyment and promotion of good art and crafts, it is also about learning and teaching how to make art and crafts.

“It is a celebration of a shared creative spirit in companionship with like-minded people,” says organizer Engela van der Hoven.

The WACF runs over three days, starting on Friday evening, September 22, when it kicks off with a street fire and food stalls to welcome the festival artist for 2023, Corina Lemmer.

Lemmer is well known throughout South Africa and has exhibited in Mexico and Peru. Her current interest lies in mixed media and fiber art. She will be presenting several workshops during the WACF.

The social fun continues on Saturday evening with a retro dinner dance (two-course meal included) with music by the rock band Spillage. And, of course, big-screen rugby to watch the Bokke demolish Ireland!

Saturday and Sunday are packed with art and craft workshops, exhibitions, and activities.

There will be impromptu free activities for children on both days and a village market behind The Bioscope on Saturday. Badenhorst Street will be a hive of creative activity.

• RE-IMAGINING our world:

A big drawcard will be the enormous street installation in Badenhorst Street. Van der Hoven has re-imagined the #TurnOffThePlasticsTap concept of Von Wong Productions by constructing a giant tap spewing plastic for the WACF.

“The aim is to spread the message that plastic production must get under control and people must become aware of how dangerous plastic is for our planet,” she says.

Much of the plastic was collected, cleaned and supplied by the UTHAKA Recycling Initiative in Wakkerstroom. The sculpture will eventually be taken apart and the plastics will be taken to recycling plants in Johannesburg.

To support this theme, a “Recycled Fashion” workshop will be held for primary and high-school learners from schools in the area on Saturday morning.

The learners will create outfits or accessories using old clothes and recycled materials and will model their creations for a photo shoot. Lovely cash prizes can be won.

• Exhibitions:

Paintings, drawings, sculptures, pottery, ceramics and mosaics will be exhibited at various venues in town. Entry to all the exhibitions is free.

Among the artists are Muzi Makhubu (using wood from invasive alien trees for his bird carvings), Colette Edmunds (focusing on rubbish as art and rubbish collectors) and Thelma van Rensburg (re-imagined jewellery from waste).

A visit to local artist Bonginkosi Tsotetsi, who works in alternative media on various surfaces at his home studio in Esizamelene, can be booked at the WACF caravan.

Carol Slabolepszy will be exhibiting her weather-resistant sculptures of hares, dogs, cats and pangolins, and three artists from Rooiberg Gallery in Limpopo (Elsje Meyer, Nellie Boswell and Nadine Matthews) are also exhibiting.

Unusual and beautiful mosaic artworks will delight viewers, as will the exhibitions focusing on nature and birds is, after all, a birder’s paradise.

• Courses and workshops:

Festival artist Corina Lemmer will present three workshops: Basic Drawing, Expressive Drawing and Wild Drawing.

Other art workshop presenters include Elaine Marx (oil painting), Matilda Angus (clay sculpting), Juanita Wilkinson (mindful sketching) and Thelma van Rensburg (collage).

Craft workshops include making a dream catcher (Coretha du Plessis), felt flowers and fabric beads (Elaine Barnard) and a genuine leather bag (Biani Dreyer). Last year’s festival artist, Flip Hatting, will present workshops on basic papermaking and making Yorkshire buttons, and show local women how to make a Tetrapak wallet.

The highlight will be the Paint Nite, where everyone is welcome to re-imagine an old, unloved painting.

• Fun for kids:

In addition to the “Recycled Fashion” workshop on the Saturday morning, activities for children include various stalls where they can create and paint.

They can also feed the donkeys at Hare’s Rest and participate in a fun boeresport on Sunday morning.

All these activities are free. Oom George and Oom Johann will teach boys (and girls) how to make a kettie (slingshot) (booking required).

• Other activities:

Local beekeeper William Wilkinson will present a stoep talk on bees, and coffee lovers can test their mettle at Theressa’s Coffee Roastery in the Coffee Cupping tasting competition that is run over four rounds.

The winner will be rewarded with a Theressa Coffee Roastery Hamper.

All the restaurants and the bakery will be open and there will be food stalls, pop-up eateries and street food. Souvenirs, art and crafts, pottery, plants and jewellery will be for sale, among other things.

• Booking details:

Bookings are open for the Retro Dinner Dance, courses and the “Recycled Fashion” workshop for primary and high-school learners.

• Retro Dinner Dance: Roy at 072 647 2066
• Courses: www.wacf.info; email booking forms to: vanderhoven@mweb.co.za
• Recycled fashion workshop: Gerdi at 074 934 6631
• Accommodation: https://wakkerstroom.co.za/where-is-wakkerstroom-accommodation

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