{"id":296911,"date":"2026-04-23T10:14:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T08:14:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/?p=296911"},"modified":"2026-04-23T10:14:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T08:14:27","slug":"retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/","title":{"rendered":"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

GAMTOOS VALLEY<\/strong> – A retired art lecturer with decades of experience is looking to inspire a new generation of artists in the Gamtoos Valley by sharing his knowledge and skills in ceramics and beadwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Colin McDonald’s ceramic piece with Khoisan drawings. PHOTO: Razaan Plaatjies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Colin McDonald, who retired to the Gamtoos Valley 17 years ago after many years in Sea View, Gqeberha, where he ran his own private studio, has spent much of his life immersed in the arts. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his career, he not only taught art for many years but also played a key role in the local art scene as a founding member of Art in the Park, an open-air exhibition in Gqeberha where he showcased and sold his sculptures.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, McDonald developed a unique method of working with clay and ceramics, even building his own equipment to bring his creative visions to life. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, he hopes to pass on this expertise to others, particularly in communities where opportunities are limited.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McDonald said that the Gamtoos Valley, including towns such as Patensie, Hankey and Loerie, has significant untapped potential. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“With high levels of unemployment and limited opportunities in agriculture, I believe that ceramic work and beadwork can be an avenue for income generation,”said McDonald.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He believes that clay found in areas like Thornhill, Hankey and Loerie is among the best in the world and could be used to produce items such as bricks and tiles.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am eager to arrange a partnership with the Kouga Municipality and the Khoisan community to share my skills and act as a guide to establish a programme that will teach people how to create ceramics and beadwork that could lead to employment,” said McDonald.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After approaching Halalisana Township Incubator, a non-profit organisation in Humansdorp, with his idea of establishing a programme to uplift the community, the organisation suggested that he consider utilising the Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance in Hankey.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This would provide him with a base where training in ceramics can be done.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the centre has remained incomplete since construction began in 2014, limiting its current use.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Some of the ceramic pieces created by Colin McDonald. PHOTO: Razaan Plaatjies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The organisation has also indicated that while they are inspired by McDonald’s vision to uplift the community through skills development, they were unable to assist with securing meetings with relevant stakeholders.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McDonald said that the Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance would be a great opportunity for participants to create designs depicting the late Sarah Baartman on ceramics as a form of commemoration.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He further said that his passion for art is deeply connected to cultural preservation.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many years ago, McDonald said he developed a strong interest in Khoisan cave paintings and began recreating these designs in his sculptures. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through his work, he hopes to contribute to preserving and promoting Khoisan culture.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Khoisan paintings are far superior to anything else I have seen in the world, and I have travelled to many different places,” said McDonald.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that there is a strong market for culturally inspired art, particularly among international visitors. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“When foreigners visit South Africa, they want to purchase cultural designs that resonate with the country’s heritage,” said McDonald.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite facing challenges, including the loss of several individuals who had shown interest in supporting his initiative, he remains hopeful. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McDonald is calling on others to come forward and support his vision of skills development and cultural preservation through art.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, contact Colin McDonald at 073 165 7664.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ MORE<\/strong>: Somerset West women pioneers automotive training hub<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Veteran art lecturer brings decades of expertise to Gamtoos Valley, eager to mentor emerging artists through hands-on ceramics and beadwork.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":296912,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"74","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"30","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozabloemnewsexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeoplespost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozatygerburger":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavistanews":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweskusnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaworcesterstandard":false,"_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"4","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"1","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_privacy_policy_content":[],"_yoast_post_redirect_info":[],"_yoast_wpseo_video_meta":[],"activation_date":"","archive_insertion_is_repeating":"","archive_insertion_posts_count":"","article_feature_media":"1","article_feature_type":"normal","article_main_image_caption":"Colin McDonald. PHOTO: RAZAAN PLAATJIES","article_media_icon":"1","article_template":"news","author_byline":"Razaan Plaatjies","background_color":"","block_editor":"1","byline":"","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley","hide_border":"","icon":"","is_wp_suggestion":"","issuu_download_url":"","issuu_embed_url":"","language_version_url":"","large_border":"","name":"","nm_contact_name":"","nm_contact_number":"","nm_date_lost":"","no_overlay_background":"","node-url":"","obituary_born_date":"","obituary_died_date":"","obituary_memoriam_text":"","origin":"","overlay_color":"","overlay_opacity":"","overlay_size":"","placement":"","plural_label":"","post_author":"","post_id":"","post_language":"en","secret-key":"","sponsored_utm_campaign":"","sponsored_utm_content":"","sponsored_utm_medium":"","sponsored_utm_source":"","sponsored_utm_term":"","start_date":"","utm_suppression":"","video_embed_url":"","wp_pattern_sync_status":"","data_version":[],"enclosure":[],"pongrass_image":["rpSculptures_P1","rpSculptures_P2","rpSculptures_P3"],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[93,9377,9376,8850],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"publication":[],"class_list":["post-296911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-featured","tag-sarah-baartman-centre-of-remembrance","tag-skills","tag-unemployment"],"yoast_head":"\nRetired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley | Kouga Express<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover how a retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley, inspiring the next generation of artists in ceramics and beadwork.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover how a retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley, inspiring the next generation of artists in ceramics and beadwork.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kouga Express\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PEExpress1\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-23T08:14:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-23T08:14:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1149\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Razaan Plaatjies\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kouga Express\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kouga Express\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d1ca9a7485fc5ec64ff4daf5b9e211aa\"},\"headline\":\"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-23T08:14:25+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-23T08:14:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":597,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Featured\",\"Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance\",\"skills\",\"unemployment\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2026\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/\",\"name\":\"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley | Kouga Express\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-23T08:14:25+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-23T08:14:27+00:00\",\"description\":\"Discover how a retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley, inspiring the next generation of artists in ceramics and beadwork.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":1149,\"caption\":\"Colin McDonald hopes to share his knowledge and skills in ceramics and beadwork with the next generation. PHOTO: Razaan Plaatjies\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/\",\"name\":\"Kouga Express\",\"description\":\"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Kouga Express\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/kouga-express-site-icon-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/kouga-express-site-icon-1.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Kouga Express\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/PEExpress1\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/express_newspapers\\\/\"],\"description\":\"Kouga Express has been the eyes, ears, and voice of the Kouga area since 2004. Established with the goal of keeping the Kouga and Koukamma communities informed, we have grown into one of the most trusted local news sources in the region, with 20,000 free copies delivered mostly door to door every week. Kouga Express\u2019 distribution area includes Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, St. Francis Bay, Cape St. Francis, Aston Bay, Patensie, Hankey, Storms River, Tsitsikamma, Misgund, Joubertina, Krakeelrivier, Louterwater, Kareedouw, and Uniondale.\",\"email\":\"kougaexpress@novusmedia.co.za\",\"telephone\":\"042-992 5650\",\"legalName\":\"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd\",\"foundingDate\":\"2025-01-01\",\"vatID\":\"4100318916\",\"taxID\":\"2000\\\/018234\\\/07\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"51\",\"maxValue\":\"200\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d1ca9a7485fc5ec64ff4daf5b9e211aa\",\"name\":\"Kouga Express\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kouga Express\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/author\\\/kougaexpress\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley | Kouga Express","description":"Discover how a retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley, inspiring the next generation of artists in ceramics and beadwork.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley","og_description":"Discover how a retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley, inspiring the next generation of artists in ceramics and beadwork.","og_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/","og_site_name":"Kouga Express","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PEExpress1\/","article_published_time":"2026-04-23T08:14:25+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-23T08:14:27+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":1149,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Razaan Plaatjies","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kouga Express","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/"},"author":{"name":"Kouga Express","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#\/schema\/person\/d1ca9a7485fc5ec64ff4daf5b9e211aa"},"headline":"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley","datePublished":"2026-04-23T08:14:25+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-23T08:14:27+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/"},"wordCount":597,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg","keywords":["Featured","Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance","skills","unemployment"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/#respond"]}],"copyrightYear":"2026","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/","name":"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley | Kouga Express","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg","datePublished":"2026-04-23T08:14:25+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-23T08:14:27+00:00","description":"Discover how a retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley, inspiring the next generation of artists in ceramics and beadwork.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg","width":1200,"height":1149,"caption":"Colin McDonald hopes to share his knowledge and skills in ceramics and beadwork with the next generation. PHOTO: Razaan Plaatjies"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/retired-lecturer-brings-art-skills-to-gamtoos-valley\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Retired lecturer brings art skills to Gamtoos Valley"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#website","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/","name":"Kouga Express","description":"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-ZA"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#organization","name":"Kouga Express","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/kouga-express-site-icon-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/kouga-express-site-icon-1.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Kouga Express"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PEExpress1\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/express_newspapers\/"],"description":"Kouga Express has been the eyes, ears, and voice of the Kouga area since 2004. Established with the goal of keeping the Kouga and Koukamma communities informed, we have grown into one of the most trusted local news sources in the region, with 20,000 free copies delivered mostly door to door every week. Kouga Express\u2019 distribution area includes Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, St. Francis Bay, Cape St. Francis, Aston Bay, Patensie, Hankey, Storms River, Tsitsikamma, Misgund, Joubertina, Krakeelrivier, Louterwater, Kareedouw, and Uniondale.","email":"kougaexpress@novusmedia.co.za","telephone":"042-992 5650","legalName":"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd","foundingDate":"2025-01-01","vatID":"4100318916","taxID":"2000\/018234\/07","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"51","maxValue":"200"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#\/schema\/person\/d1ca9a7485fc5ec64ff4daf5b9e211aa","name":"Kouga Express","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kouga Express"},"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/author\/kougaexpress\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ColinMcDonald1_20657.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":57404,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/youpsa-supports-national-book-week-20180905-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":296911,"position":0},"title":"YOUPSA supports National Book Week","author":"Kouga Express","date":"6 September 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"YOUTH Potential South Africa (YOUPSA) is set to launch a Book Buddies Programme in partnership with four schools in Gamtoos Valley, in celebration of National Book Week from September 3 to 9.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":297246,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/breaking-news-urgent-evacuation-order-issued-for-gamtoos-valley-as-kouga-dam-hits-113\/","url_meta":{"origin":296911,"position":1},"title":"BREAKING NEWS: Urgent evacuation order issued for Gamtoos Valley as Kouga Dam hits 113%","author":"Kouga Express","date":"7 May 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Kouga Municipality has issued an urgent evacuation order for the Gamtoos Valley after the Kouga Dam exceeded full capacity, now sitting at 113%.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"SANParks suspends trails and water activities across multiple sections as Orange Level 8 warning signals dangerous conditions in the days ahead.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/fence-7435286_1280-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/fence-7435286_1280-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/fence-7435286_1280-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/fence-7435286_1280-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/fence-7435286_1280-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51939,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/discover-the-new-trans-gamtoos-hike-20200923-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":296911,"position":2},"title":"Discover the new Trans Gamtoos hike","author":"Kouga Express","date":"24 September 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"SLACKPACKING is more than the new buzz; it is the new craze \u2013 less stress on your back and knees, while hiking and exploring.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/daad08ea47cd4955ab76cc6af84d3fc7.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/daad08ea47cd4955ab76cc6af84d3fc7.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/daad08ea47cd4955ab76cc6af84d3fc7.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/daad08ea47cd4955ab76cc6af84d3fc7.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49759,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/enjoy-strawberries-honey-and-gin-in-beautiful-gamtoos-20211220-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":296911,"position":3},"title":"Enjoy strawberries, honey and gin in beautiful Gamtoos","author":"Kouga Express","date":"20 December 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"This festive season, Kouga visitors and residents have many opportunities to experience the Gamtoos Valley at its best.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7a1f57aad2e44c42b5c8fd2a911895b8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7a1f57aad2e44c42b5c8fd2a911895b8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7a1f57aad2e44c42b5c8fd2a911895b8.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7a1f57aad2e44c42b5c8fd2a911895b8.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44887,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/revive-rejoice-and-support-the-soul-of-the-gamtoos-valley-20240605\/","url_meta":{"origin":296911,"position":4},"title":"Revive, rejoice, and support the Soul of the Gamtoos Valley","author":"Kouga Express","date":"6 June 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Yellowwoods Jazz Festival is set to make its comeback at Yellowwoods Park in Hankey, on 14 and 15 June 2024.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7deb6e7447cb47d09fe699dffdb0ac2e.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7deb6e7447cb47d09fe699dffdb0ac2e.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7deb6e7447cb47d09fe699dffdb0ac2e.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7deb6e7447cb47d09fe699dffdb0ac2e.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7deb6e7447cb47d09fe699dffdb0ac2e.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7deb6e7447cb47d09fe699dffdb0ac2e.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57450,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/water-campaign-launched-in-gamtoos-valley-20180829-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":296911,"position":5},"title":"Water campaign launched in Gamtoos Valley","author":"Kouga Express","date":"30 August 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"KOUGA Municipality has launched a door-to-door campaign in the Gamtoos Valley area to complement its drought-mitigation efforts.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Kouga Express","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=296911"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296911\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/296912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=296911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=296911"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=296911"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=296911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}