5 local ceramicists to keep an eye on

South Africa has no shortage of talent in the increasingly popular medium of ceramics.

I have a serious weak spot for handmade ceramics and pottery. The skill it takes to manipulate a wet blob of clay into a delicate item of beauty is inspiring, and the finished product feels gloriously authentic next to the mass-produced items on most stores’ shelves.

South Africa has a wealth of ceramic artists, and I’ve rounded up my favourites talents who are blurring the boundaries between art, craft and design.

1) The simplicity of Diana Ferreira Ceramics (pictured above) makes her clean and classic tableware absolutely timeless. She usually sticks to black clay and often leaves the outside of her pieces unglazed, creating a beautiful contrast between the matte exterior and glossy, often coloured, interior.

2) Mervyn Gers has become internationally renowned for his his tableware, and locally his bespoke works can be found in some of the country’s top restaurants. His instantly recognisable koi range may be the star of the show, but check out his entire collection, as it’s as broad as it is beautiful.

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3) Imiso Ceramic Studio by Andile Dyalvane and Zizipho Poswa is located in Cape Town’s creative hub of Woodstock. The studio is known for its collector’s pieces as well as its tableware, and takes its influences from nature, textile design, urban culture and local traditions.

4) Lisa Firer makes the most beautiful and delicate range of vases, tea-light holders, pendant lights and vessels. They’re all unique, but can be recognised by the hand-rolled, hand-embossed and imprinted slabs of translucent porcelain that are used to create her signature organic forms.

5) Alexia Klompje is the talented artist behind Klomp Ceramics. She creates her limited-edition, one-of-a-kind plates, bowls and other tableware in her Cape Town studio, and feels a personal collection to her work, believing that each piece is a part of her story, and that Klomp Ceramics is a collection of this unique narrative.