Celebrating Atistry @ FIFA

While many eyes are focused on the fields of play, others are reveling in the incredible artistry of South African women. ATASA Trust is hosting an exhibition of artisans' work. Stop by 54 Jeppe St, Mary Fitzgerald Square, Johannesburg to see the artistry of Ndebele artists, Lesotho handcrafts, fabulous beadwork and wooden products from the Wild Coast, Pondoland and work from northern KwaZulu Natal. Craft and art shown is predominantly made by women.

We are particularly fond of the traditional beaded necklaces. And if, like us , you are following the football from afar and can't get to the exhibition, do stop by our gallery for our selection of South African artistry.

Conscious consumption

A while back, we read a blog post by Seth Godin, where he commented on conspicuous consumption. He notes (emphasis is mine)

"Rich people will always indulge the desire to stand out, but I wonder if there's a new version:

Spending on and investing in time, not stuff.

And it's not so wasteful, this focus on craftsmen.

The new trend in spending money is to buy things that are painstakingly handbuilt instead of efficiently mass produced. It might not be a better price than what you could buy at Target, but the very fact that you can pay for an artisan to create it, an artist to design it, a talented worker to bring it to life--that act makes a powerful statement about what you can afford and what's important to you. Instead of a bigger house, it's a house that's built from scratch by craftsmen. Instead of a bigger steak, it's a handmade dish of local poached vegetables."

Thanks for expressing what is important to us. For us artistry is not a way to impress or show off; we believe in the inherent value of something hand crafted. It is conscious, thoughtful consumption.


Original Women celebrates the artistry of human nature -- all the creativity, thought, skill, effort, imagination, time and heart that goes into handcrafted creations. Artistry changes lives and communities, connects people and expresses the cultural richness of our planet.