“Jabula” means “to be joyful” in Zulu. And joy is what the Wiener Museum of Decorative Art (WMODA) gives to every visitor! The Ardmore Design team continues to reimagine motifs from their iconic ceramic art to transform our living spaces with the beauty of the natural world rooted in African style and culture. Visionary, Arthur Wiener shares his passion for the creative arts by supporting local communities of artists and their environments. The Rickie Report shares the details and some sneak peeks of the newest WMODA Exhibit, “A Safari for the Soul” available now through December 31, 2022.
481 S. Federal Highway Dania Beach, FL 3300
Gallery Hours: Tuesday thru Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
A Safari for the Soul
Be inspired by the Ardmore works of art
and the words of wisdom
from Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, who
said “I am the captain of my soul.”
Step into A Safari for the Soul to experience the wild and wonderful world of Ardmore Ceramic Art. Imagine yourself as an intrepid explorer traveling through the magnificent mountains and grassy savannas of South Africa to visit the Ardmore community of ceramic artists. Our destination is KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa which means “children of heaven” in the Zulu language. The Ardmore studio was founded in 1985 by Fée Halsted who began teaching local people how to create unique ceramic art. The fame of the developing studio spread internationally as collectors discovered the wit and whimsy of Ardmore ceramics which can be experienced in the WMODA Safari for the Soul gallery. Ardmore began experimenting with fabric design in 2010 and launched the Qalakabusha sofa, meaning “new beginnings”.
Each Ardmore piece is unique, a one-of-a-kind work of art which typically involves a thrower, a sculptor, and a painter. The studio is full of talented men and women who create dynamic and diverse imagery, ranging from lyrical foliate forms inspired by Africa’s flora and fauna to intricate patterns reminiscent of Zulu beadwork and basket weaving. Over the years, sons and daughters have joined their mothers, fathers, aunts, and uncles at Ardmore to create new family traditions in this remote region of South Africa. They collaborate in the spirit of Ubuntu, meaning “we are because of others”.
Wearable Art
Ardmore Sabie Kings Flame Scarf
The success of Ardmore’s fantastical furniture and fabrics heralded an exciting new design direction for the ceramic art studio. The new Ardmore Design Studio gained international recognition in 2013 following their collaboration with Hermès, the luxury French brand. Talented Ardmore artists, including Sidney Nyabeze and Abel Mohloakoana, worked under the guidance of Fèe’s eldest daughter, Catherine Berning, to create a stunning range of silk scarves. Ardmore’s latest sensational silk art collection featuring the Sabie Kings is now produced under their own brand.
Environment and Culture
The Ardmore Studio helps create awareness of the plight of endangered animals in Africa and the need to protect the environment. Their initiatives to address issues such as ivory poaching, illegal hunting and trafficking are represented in sensitive studies of rhinos, elephants, leopards, and pangolins. One of Ardmore’s most magnificent sculptures symbolizes sustainability and portrays Nelson Mandela on the summit. Abundance was produced for the 2011 Climate Change Conference in Durban and now has pride of place at WMODA thanks to Arthur Wiener. Arthur has been collecting Ardmore avidly for over ten years and he is glad that his purchases help support vulnerable communities in South Africa. One of the most impressive masterworks is Somandla Ntshalintshali’s symbolic vessel, created with Fée’s creative guidance, which is currently on exhibition in South Africa. The crocodile at the base represents ancient spirits and evolves into a pangolin, symbolizing sanctuary. The secretary bird emerges victorious over perilous times holding in its talons snakes and a bat which represent the COVID-19 virus.
Pottery to Pillows to Poufs
Ardmore’s graphic designers have also translated the studio’s lush patterns of African fauna and flora into a vibrant range of furnishing fabrics and pillow designs in luxurious silk, velvet, and cotton, as well as outdoor fabrics for the Solaris collection. Interior designers can create their own safari adventures with curtains and furniture, or they can choose from the stunning love seats, benches, and poufs in the Sabie collection sold at the WMODA shop.
Entertaining with Ardmore
The Ardmore tabletop collection features tablecloths, runners, and napkins for formal dining as well as tea towels, melamine place mats, and coasters for casual entertaining. The latest Sabie collection of textiles was inspired by Fèe Halsted’s vacation in the Kruger National Park where the bush is lush, thick with foliage and abundant in wildlife. Fèe described her magical trip as a “never-ending tapestry of camouflaged beasts, where light, sound, movement and color shift and change”. Her fertile imagination resulted in three designs namely Sabie Forest, Camp Critters and King Cheetah which are available to order in several styles and colors through the WMODA museum shop. All sales benefit the educational programs at WMODA which is a 501c3 not-for-profit museum.
WMODA is a non-profit museum founded in 2014 by Arthur Wiener and his family to inspire appreciation and understanding of ceramics and glass as art forms. This remarkable legacy enables us to celebrate an important aspect of our cultural heritage in an exciting and enjoyable environment.
For more information about this exhibit and upcoming events at WMODA:
Contact:
Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts
481 S. Federal Highway Dania Beach, FL 33004
954-376-6690
For coverage of your events, to place an advertisement, or speak to Rickie about appearing in The Rickie Report, contact:
Rickie Leiter, Publisher
17019 SW Sapri Way Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
