Johans Borman Fine Art

Susqya Eline Williams

Date of Birth November 13th, 1939

EDUCATION

1956
Matriculated, Clapham High School, Pretoria
1957 – 1959
Diploma, Pretoria School of Art
1969 – 1973
Honorary Student, Johannesburg School of Applied Arts, Textile Departement, Life Drawing, Painting
1974 – 1976
Developed design and weaving skills
1981
Three week intensive design course with Wojciech Sadely (Professor of Fine Art, Warsaw University)
Travelled to United Kingdom, Europe, Denmark, Sweden
Researched art trends / new techniques in fibre art
1991
Registered as a Higher Diploma Student, Witwatersrand Technicon
Distinction granted in 1994

EMPLOYMENT

1960
Everite Design Studios
1961 – 1962
De Jong Studios, Pretoria and Johannesburg
1978 – 1979
Taught at St Andrews School for Girls, Bedfordview
1984
Appointed Designer for Tactile Carpets (freelance). Continued working on commissions.
1994 – 1997
Employed on a freelance basis by Manufactory Interior Design.
Since 1982, self employed and conducting workshops, designing and executing tapestries. Several three-month courses in basic design and techniques have been conducted in the Johannesburg Studio. Creative journal keeping and general art making workshops were introduced. One week workshops have also been conducted in Durban, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Namibia.
1998
Moved to Oudtshoorn to set up a studio and workshop facility.
1999 – 2002
Facilitating art classes focussing on craft making, basic design, journal keeping and art as a therapeutic practice.

AWARDS

1985
Wool Board competition for best-designed carpet of the year.
1988
Chosen by Sage Life as Artist of the Year and sponsored Retrospective Exhibition held at Randse Afrikaanse University “GENKOR Gallery” Johannesburg

EXHIBITIONS

1966
Solo Exhibition - Helen de Leeuw, Pretoria (Batik, Fabric Collage)
1968
Solo Exhibition - Helen de Leeuw, Pretoria (Batik, Fabric Collage)
1977
Group Show - Gallery S, Nelspruit (Tapestry)
Group Show - Ann Zinn Gallery, Cape Town (Tapestry)
1979
Solo Exhibitions - Lidchi Gallery, Johannesburg (Tapestry)
International Tapestry Exhibition - Gallery S, Pretoria (Tapestry)
1981
Solo Exhibition - Things Gallery, Johannesburg
1982
Living Art Exhibition - Randse Afrikaanse University, Johannesburg
1984
Fibre Art Group Exhibition - Durban and Cape Town
1987
Group Exhibitions - Germany and Austria
1991
Group Exhibition - Europe: Diebold, Schilling Galieye, Lucerne, Switzerland (Tapestry)
Retrospective Exhibition - Randse Afrikaanse University, Johannesburg (Tapestries and Drawings)
1994
Group Exhibition - Natal Arts Association, Durban
1995
Autobiographical Exhibition - Guild Gallery, Pretoria (Fiberworks, Tapestries and Mixed Media Paintings)
1996-2005
Involved in major commissions, painting and teaching.
2008
Solo Exhibition - Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, Oudtshoorn (“Interior Landscape” – Tapestry and Paintings)
2009
Solo Exhibition - Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, Oudtshoorn (Stone Circle Project : Labyrinthian Experience – 101Postcard-size Paintings in Mixed Media)
Collaboration in Word Festival (WoordFees) – Stellenbosch (Ingrid Jonker : Illustrated Poems)
Collaboration at Art Karoo Gallery – Oudtshoorn (Astrological Signs)
2010
Collaboration in Word Festival (WoordFees) – Stellenbosch (Creative Journal “The Nature of Threading Thought” and Nine Drawings)
Collaboration at Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, Oudtshoorn (Mysteries of the Cosmos : The Flower of Life – 19 paintings)

MAJOR COMMISSIONS

1979
College of Education, Johannesburg, South Africa (Tapestry)
1980
Anglo American Corporation, St John’s Place, Cape Town, South Africa (Tapestry – 16m²)
1983
Old Mutual Head Office, Pinelands, Cape Town, South Africa (Tapestry – 12m², Tapestry – 3m²)
1984
Polysius, Randburg, South Africa (Tapestry – 6m²)
Armscor (Infoplan), Pretoria, South Africa (Tapestries – Foyer – 4m²)
1985
Sasko, Paarl, South Africa (Tapestry – 9m²)
Armscor (Infoplan), Verwoerdburg, South Africa (Tapestry – Boardroom – 11m²)
1986
Price Forbes Head Office, Johannesburg, South Africa (Tapestry – 8m²)
National Council for the Blind Head Office, Pretoria, South Africa (Tapestry – 5m²)
Credit Suisse Bank (Private), Johannesburg, South Africa (Tapestry – 4.5m²)
1987
BP Centre (Mine Officials Pension Fund), Cape Town, South Africa (Tapestry – 26m²)
1988
Armscor (Infoplan), Pretoria, South Africa (Tapestry – Restaurant – 22m²)
Sage Life Holdings Head Office, Johannesburg, South Africa (Tapestry – 7.5m²)
Private Collection – Mr & Mrs Coleman, Transvaal, South Africa (Fiber – 4m²)
1989
Private Collection – Mr & Mrs Cohen, Johannesburg, South Africa (Tapestry–5m²)
BASF South Africa, Midrand, South Africa, (Tapestry – 6m²)
Rand Merchant Bank (Tapestry)
1990
Credit Suisse Head Office, South Africa (Tapestry – 6m²)
Sasol Collection, Sastech Building, Secunda, South Africa (Tapestry – 10m²)
Private Collection – Mr & Mrs Diepenaar (Tapestry – Free-form fibrework 14m²)
1991
Sasol, GID Building, Bedfordview, Johannesburg, South Africa (Tapestry – 5m²)
1992
Kangra, Johannesburg, South Africa (Tapestry – 9m², Tapestry – 8,5m²)
Private Collection – Mr & Mrs Selwyn Moss, Johannesburg, South Africa (Fibreworks)
Telkom Head Office - South Tower, Pretoria, South Africa (Tapestry – 15m²)
1993
Private Collection – Mr & Mrs Zyilstra, Johannesburg, South Africa (Tapestry–6m²)
1994
Private Collection – Mr & Mrs Jordaian, Pretoria, South Africa (Fibre work – 4m²)
Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, South Africa (2 Fibreworks)
1995
Durban Art Gallery, Durban, South Africa (Fibrework)
1996
Rand Merchant Bank (Graphic Works)
1997
Guild Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa (2 Tapestries – 3m²)
1998
Private Collection – Mrs Jordaan, Stellenbosch, South Africa (Tapestry)
Fine Art Gallery – Johans Borman, Cape Town, South Africa (Tapestry “Aspirations”) - (Australia)
1999
Jannie Mouton, Stellenbosch, South Africa (Tapestry “Ingrid Jonker I”)
2000
Office of Director General, Western Province, South Africa (Tapestry “Klops”)
2001
Private Collection, Australia (Tapestry “Aspirations”)
Jordaan, Botswana (“Echoes of a Continent”)
2002
“Echoes of a Continent II”
Office of Director General, Western Province, South Africa (Tapestry “Klops II”)
2003
Private Collection, Germany (Tapestry “Portrait of a Landscape”)
2004
Private Collection (Tapestry “Fractions of Colour”) (André Loots)
Private Collection, Cape Town, South Africa (Tapestry “Winged Totem”)
2005
Fine Art Gallery – Johans Borman, Cape Town, South Africa (Tapestry “New Horisons”)
2006
Private Collection - Michael Gibbs, United Kingdom (Tapestry “Raw Earth”)
2007
Private Collection – Michael Gibbs, De Kelders, South Africa (Tapestry “Seaview”)
2008
Private Collection – Michael Gibbs, De Kelders, South Africa (Tapestry “Phoenix Rising”)
2009
Fine Art Gallery - Johans Borman, Cape Town, South Africa (Tapestry “Seventh Totem”)
2010
Plettenberg Bay (Tapestry “Ritual”)

CURRENT WORK

Presently I am teaching and running workshops in Design, Colour, Tapestry and Simple Loom Weaving. In the summer I run Journal Keeping Workshops and Sessions, assisting people in sourcing original ideas and creative thinking. These workshops take place at my studio in Oudtshoorn or on a guest farm in the environs of the town. I also have a facility at the coast where I conduct Creative Journal Keeping workshops. Occasionally I am invited to travel to bigger centers where I conduct workshops on various related subjects. Apart from facilitating and teaching, I continue with my own creative work weaving tapestries, painting and journaling. The nature of tapestry work (which entails many hours at the loom) keeps me focused on my creative life and all its demands.

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