Born in 1975, Madoda Fani grew up in Gugulethu township in Cape Town and discovered his love of clay as a fine art student at Sivuyile College. He worked as a ceramic painter in various pottery studios, gradually developing his own pieces and style. In 2000, his work was selected for the Salon Internationale de l’Artisanat de Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. There he met the ceramicist Simon Masilo, who introduced him to smoke-firing. In 2009, he moved to Johannesburg and began to deepen his craft at the Kim Sacks School of Ceramics. He learned how to burnish clay with a stone from Jabu Nala, the daughter of legendary Zulu beer–pot maker Nesta Nala, and mastered smoke-firing techniques under the guidance of Nic Sithole.

Who is it for

For anyone interested in working with clay, curious about the creative processes and willing to learn. Artists, designers and creative communities who want to expand their knowledge of ceramics and those who want to experience clay meditations.

What you need

You need not have any previous knowledge albeit jargon familiarity may come in handy when questions are asks by the audience. An eagerness to discover the creative process of ceramics is essential.

Materials Needed: Attention and your hands, a notebook or sketchbook, pencil, clay, air dry clay or play dough, a round wooden board (bread board size will do) or round bat.