This Week: David Schlapobersky

In 1972 David and his partner, Felicity Potter moved to Cresset House.

They became house parents to 12 young people and also worked as class helpers and taught art.

Management approached them to investigate starting a pottery workshop at Cresset and they met with Gordon Wales, a founder member of the Association of Potters of Southern Africa (APSA), now known as Ceramics SA. David had his first experience of throwing a pot on the potter’s wheel under his guidance at that time.

By 1977 his interest in pottery and growth of knowledge and expertise led to the establishment of his own studio in Parkview and increasingly he and Felicity began to be recognised both in South Africa and overseas for the quality of their work.  

Their interest in the importance of art during the politically dark days of the 1980's led to the establishment of the Alexandra Art Centre where they worked with Bill Ainslie and the Johannesburg Art Foundation from the very beginning.

Increasing international and local recognition eventually enabled them to move to Swellendam in 1996 and the establishment of Bukkenburg Pottery.

Next Week

Our speaker will be Julian Apfel, District Grand Master for the District of Central South Africa of the Scottish Constitution of Freemasonry.  We have a mutual interest in supporting various NGO's and it will be interesting to see if there is possible common ground where we can be of assistance to each other.

International - Netherlands

A passion for peace prompted five Dutch Rotaract clubs to hold a symposium on conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On 21 September, the International Day of Peace, club members welcomed Pappy Orion, founder of a nonprofit called Focus Congo, who discussed his journey from child soldier to peacebuilder. The event included panel discussions on the humanitarian crisis and celebrated Congolese food, visual arts, music, and dance. “Our club adopted the project because we want to raise hands, raise awareness, and raise funds to raise hope in the region,” says Nicholas Egunjobi, of the Rotaract Club of The Hague International. The event raised about $7,400 for Orion’s nonprofit. “The projects we are aiming to support include building and maintaining camps for internally displaced people,” says Ana Zlatevski, a member of The Hague international club.