Ceramic art that tells the Zimbabwean story

A BLEND of creative design and visual art skills is all a Bulawayo ceramics company needs to convert locally available raw materials into attractive finished home decoration and kitchenware products for the domestic and export markets.

Trading as Hippo Studios, the business of decorating ceramics started in 1997 and over the years its products have extended market appeal mainly to the tourism client through telling Zimbabwe’s unique cultural heritage story.

In 2016, the current owner of the business, Shaun Dearlove, purchased the assets and art rights from the founders, inspired by the love of the character and diverse culture of Zimbabweans.

Due to its business impact, the firm has been taken on board by the national trade development and promotion organisation, ZimTrade and will be assisted in gaining more exposure through exhibiting at high-level local and international trade expos.

Our news crew visited the firm at its Belmont plant where a variety of ceramic products such as vases, teapots, plates, mugs and lampstands are produced. Workers were busy doing what they know best with some engaged in hand-painting that exhibits the country’s rich wildlife, forestry and other natural heritage sites.

Storytelling with pottery decoration is a unique way of recording and reinforcing cultural beliefs for future generations.

This practice has been prevalent since ancient times, with many civilisations using it to record distinct aspects of their culture.

“The studio in Bulawayo employs six full-time staffers, each bringing in a skill set to the craft of ceramics. Currently, we have 12 self-employed decorators using the tools and material provided to decorate ceramics in our designs,” the company’s marketing manager, Ms Vanessa Cottam, said in an interview.

“We sell our hand-painted produce through various retail shops in Harare, Victoria Falls, and Bulawayo. It is a small-scale business with a small footprint as everything is hand-made by the skilled artisans at the studio.”

She said the company was sourcing the bulk of its clay from Nkayi or Gwayi while bespoke pieces were imported from South Africa.

“We choose artists who have experience in ceramic painting. It happens that we have a lot of women decorating at the studio,” said Ms Cottam.

“We can’t comment on gender issues, but we can say it is our privilege to sustain the skills of artists and artisans. Many of these skills are dying and we need to ensure the story of Zimbabwe’s character and culture continues to be told through art.

“It is a tough business and we all work hard to uplift one another, so we may make a meaningful contribution to our community.”

Ms Cottam said they were excited to be supported to participate in ZimTrade-sponsored exhibitions and hoped such exposure would help grow the business.

“We are very grateful to ZimTrade for availing an opportunity for us to exhibit during the Zimbabwe-Botswana Business Forum,” she said.

“We will be attending the forum hoping to meet potential customers and also to meet the customs and excise authorities so that we can understand both tariffs and export duties.

“We are also very excited that we are committed to attending the ZITF in April. ZimTrade will be paying for the exhibition stand, which is a very big help and we are looking forward to these initiatives to expand our markets,” said Ms Cottam.

She said the company suffered a major setback during the Covid-19 pandemic era, which saw them closing the Victoria Falls branch.

The pandemic led to a reduction in staff and missing out on exporting to the United States of America. Before Covid-19, Ms Cottam said Hippo Studios used to employ about 20 artists but they now have 12.

She said the ZimTrade initiative will help them to get back to the pre-Covid-19 levels and they have cast their focus on the Botswana market.

Ms Cottam added that before Covid-19 the company was exporting individual orders, which they get through their social media platforms.

“In the pre-Covid-19, we had a big export order to America, but unfortunately, that didn’t continue after the pandemic. We used to get individual orders from Germany, the United Kingdom, the USA and Australia,” she said.

“We have the capacity to export but now we are only producing for stocks as the business is low but if we have orders, an artist can produce 30 pieces per month.

“We have experience in exporting in terms of packaging and working with a freight consultancy and feel confident that we are ready and we should find some customers in Botswana. Many of our designs are for the carrier tourist market.”

Last week, ZimTrade officials visited Hippo Studios and the trade development and promotion agency said the vibrant Matabele and Mashona collections at Hippo Studios reflect Zimbabwe’s rich culture and landscapes.

ZimTrade southern region manager, Mrs Jacqueline Nyathi, confirmed that they were working with Hippo Studios to identify and develop buyers for the company’s unique ceramic products, which have attracted the interest of tourists and players in that sector.

“To ensure easier linkages with buyers in the region, we are facilitating for the company to be part of a delegation of Zimbabwean companies that will take part in the Zimbabwe-Botswana Business Forum that we are jointly organising with the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre in February,” she said.

“In April, the company will also showcase its uniquely crafted products at the local ZITF as we seek an opportunity for them to connect with buyers in Zimbabwe and other countries that will be participating at the trade fair.” – @SikhulekelaniM1