May 23 - Lowveld

work with earthenware (red or white).
I love wheelwork just as much as hand
building techniques, but I mostly do
slab building using moulds to make
plates, bowls, etc. Cups and vases I
make on the wheel. And the rest is
just experimenting with different
methods.”
One of those experiments includes
incorporating flowers and birds into
her work in some form. She adds that
while she loves colour, she also likes
plain - it all depends on the day and
the piece. “You’ll never have two of
the same from me. I love to play with
textures in glazes, different colours,
methods of applying glazes, styles of
hand building and also wheelwork.
I like to do floral imprints, but I also
like to just go with what I feel on that
specific day. I always thought that
I needed a set style, so that when
people see it, they think, yes, this is
Moné’s work. But you know, early
on I decided that I’m not there at
the moment. I’m still enjoying the
freedom the medium offers me. So,
it’s different, imperfect and happy -
that’s what sets it apart.”
All of this pottering around in the
mud is great for childen as well, and
Moné’s are no exception. As mum
to three amazing little humans (two
girls aged seven and two, and a boy
of five), Moné says her kids, especially
the girls, love playing with clay. “They
create the most weird and wonderful
abstract things with their hands,
and my little boy loves the pottery
wheel (show me a boy who doesn’t
love a wheel!) It’s wonderful to see
the different ages coming up with
their own unique ideas without any
guidance from me,” she laughs. Being
creative is obviously a very personal
journey, irrespective of age, evoking
emotion not only for the artist, but
also for the people who experience
the finished product.
That being said, she stresses that
you need to work really hard and
build up a name for yourself before
you can start thinking about making
a profit. “I definitely think if you
do this for money, you are in the
wrong profession. There is a spiritual
connotation to the medium, and
emotions are triggered through the
texture of the clay and glazes. I love
working with this medium. It gives me
freedom to experiment with different
methods and styles, which I love
because I do get bored easily.” Loadshedding
and kiln firing obviously
don’t get along well, but Moné gets
around this by making sure her kiln is
always packed, ready to fire whenever
she needs to.
While she says that mummying is
what keeps her busy most of the
time, Moné explains that claywork is a
wonderful escape, incorporating her
creativity with her greatest passion,
flowers. “Unfortunately,” she laughs, “I’m
not great at growing them, so I have
decided to paint them instead. Flowers
make me so happy! And that is what I
want for my pottery business in 2023,
happy designs and happy pots, and
flowers motivate me so much.”
Working on a number of new designs,
Moné says this year she plans to focus
more on functional pieces that are
also artistic, such as wall murals and
sculptures. We’ll be keeping an eye out
for her creations. After all, with flowers,
mud and an abundance of enthusiasm,
the sky truly is the limit.
Details: Moné Ceramics and Art,
072 880 9410, monevanrooyen@gmail.
com, www.moneceramicsart.co.za,
Facebook/Insta: mone.ceramics.art
May 2023 Get It Lowveld 13