Local artist, Bernadette Swartz, who is the founder of the Be Original online store, proudly represented the Kouga region when one of her art pieces was chosen to showcase at the Beautiful Things Exhibition 2022, earlier this month.
Swartz’s love for crafting began in 2007 when she found an interest in jewellery and then African clothing.
Soon her love for art branched out to crafts and curios which are items purchased by tourists visiting a specific region.
In 2015, Swartz’s desire to share her handmade jewellery and African clothing on an international platform inspired her to establish her own online store titled Be Original.
She said since tourism had always been her passion, her artwork had made it possible for her to contribute towards the tourism sector without physically having to be at a specific location.
“My products have been exported across the world, and it is such a compliment when people choose my pieces to be showcased in their homes,” said Swartz.
Last month, when she saw the Beautiful Things Exhibition 2022 advertised on Facebook, she decided to send various pictures of her items for selection.
To her surprise, her Be Original African Clock was chosen as part of the 90 participants’ entries from across the country which were selected to showcase at the exhibition.
Swartz said when she submitted her artwork she saw it as an opportunity to showcase her products but did not think that she would be chosen because she knew the competition would be tough.
“When one my art pieces was chosen I felt honoured. I realise that South Africa has the most amazing talent and to be recognised as one of the 90 artists that were chosen to exhibit from thousands that entered and to be chosen to represent the Eastern Cape was even better,” said Swartz.
The Beautiful Things Exhibition 2022 ran from March 10 to March 16 at Graskop Gorge, in Mpumalanga.
Swartz said she has always had a passion for the different cultures in Africa and her desire was to tour through Africa to experience all the different foods and traditions.
She said her love for Africa inspired her to create the Be Original African Clock piece which was made of wood and was covered with different colours of fabric which represented all the different cultures and nations of Africa.
“This art piece shows that no matter what we look like or how different we are, we are all part of one Africa,” said Swartz.
She said she hoped the exhibition would draw people to visit her online store or visit the stores that stocked her products namely, Country Khaya, the new curio shop in Tsitsikamma which will open soon, and the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Crafts Council website and online store which will be made available to the public soon.
“COVID-19 has hit the arts and craft industry very hard, and the exhibition is such a great opportunity to attract customers and to showcase what I have to offer,” said Swartz.
She said she was still waiting for feedback from the exhibition curators and organisers about her artwork and whether it has been sold.
Apart from showcasing at the recent Beautiful Things Exhibition 2022, her artwork has also been chosen to feature at the National Arts Festival each year between 2016 and 2020.
In 2018, her artwork was chosen to showcase at the Ironman 70.3 Craft Village and in the same year she was chosen as one of the top 20 crafters in the Eastern Cape by the Nelson Mandela Bay Art Museum.
Furthermore, in 2019 her artwork was showcased at the Ironman Triathlon.
In 2019 and 2020, she was chosen to exhibit her work at the Lithuba Lakho Art Competition at the the Nelson Mandela Bay Art Museum.
Last year, she exhibited her work at Baywest Mall for the Craft Matters Shop by the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and earlier this year her artwork was chosen to exhibit on the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Craft Council’s website and online store.
Swartz said she is currently working hard to establish her Be Original brand across South Africa and to get her products stocked at the various airports throughout the country which would enable tourists to purchase unique South African products before leaving the country.
- For more information contact Bernadette Swartz on 073 099 3418 or visit her online store www.beoriginal.co.za.
