Hello

Born during the Zimbabwean Liberation War, and my family’s subsequent move to South Africa had a tremendous influence on my outlook on life.  As an young immigrant I suffered from feelings of isolation and dislocation and was never comfortable in the conservative mining town of Welkom, South Africa. The repressive nature of growing up the Apartheid era, fed my need to escape and create. I have had unwavering support in my artistic endeavors from my family through various mediums such as pottery, painting and performance art during my youth.

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In 2003 I helped form ‘The Drumming Co.’, an African performance-based tourism entertainment company. The company operated throughout Southern Africa, specifically Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It partnered with tribal performance groups to empower local artists and foster skills development. Some of these artists have gone on to own their own drumming entertainment companies in other parts of the world.

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Returning to South Africa in 2008, I began working in the corporate environment, studied Early Learning Education and volunteered at ‘Children at Risk’  teaching mathematics and English to children impacted by HIV/AIDS. 

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She was able to once again take up ceramics and joined renowned South African artist Digby Hoets at his Studio in Carlswald, Gauteng. During this period Marie took part in a number of group exhibitions.

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Coming to New Zealand in 2015 offered an opportunity to further her artistic career. She at Whitireia Polytechnic winning The Curators Choice Award for ‘Choices and Chances’, a mixed media installation piece looking at immigration to New Zealand from a South African perspective at the Strata Exhibition. In 2018 she received a Bachelor of Applied Arts majoring in ceramics and object art. Post graduation I have been involved in a number of group and solo exhibitions.

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I have an ongoing relationship with community groups, doing free ceramic workshops for social groups and upliftment projects. I am currently doing experimental work with ceramics and ferrous metals out of my studio in Porirua.

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