LA DiOSALA DiOSA is a London-based jewellery design company that seeks to empower women, by designing signature statement jewellery, featuring colourful chunky gemstones in celebration of modern Goddesses everywhere. LA DiOSA was founded in 2007 by Ugandan-born Natasha Faith, and Semhal Zemikael born to Ethiopian/Eritrean parents; friends who first met whilst studying Philosophy, and now create their gorgeous designs from a showroom in Hatton Garden, London’s famed jewellery quarter. A combined interest in fashion, led the duo to exploring the idea of creating and selling their own jewellery. The name' La Diosa', means 'Goddess' in Spanish and as the name of their company pays homage to the influences and place where it all began; Mexico. [Image credit: Kezen Necklace - LA DiOSA] Prior to starting the company the duo travelled the world for a year, visiting and drawing inspiration from far-flung places such as Thailand, Singapore, Tokyo and Malaysia; but it was a six-month stay in Mexico that Natasha and Semhal learnt their trade, spending time with a group of local women who taught them invaluable jewellery-making skills. Upon their return to the UK; and with help and advice from the Prince’s Trust, launched their multi award-winning label.
[Image credits: top, Hathor Multi-Stone Bracelet; bottom, Asteria Amethyest Druzy Ring - LA DiOSA] LA DiOSA’s handcrafted designs are made with rare and unusual gemstones, and precious metals, taking care to source the materials ethically.
Fred Mutebi Using a flat surface of wood and engraving or cutting out lines, Ugandan master woodcutter and printmaker, Fred Mutebi tells stories that document important events in Ugandan life, as well as going out into the community to observe and record day-to-day life. Fred's colourful, intricate woodcarvings are laden with parables and metaphors and subject matter also extends to wider social issues having an effect across the African continent. Fred began printmaking whilst a student at Makerere University in Uganda between 1990-1993 and so began a career experimenting with block printing. It was during this time the Fred noticed that there was a gap for practicing Ugandan printmakers and sought to fill the gap, and is today an internationally acclaimed artist, whose work has been included in exhibitions in Africa, Europe, Asia and America.
[Image credits: top, Urban Madonna; centre, One Woman, One Man; bottom, New York Underground in Winter - Fred Mutebi] A social activist and environmentalist, Fred sees art as a vehicle to 'educate the present and the future' generations, by opening up dialogue round the issues that affect our lives. Through his work Fred aims to elicit an emotional connection with the viewer, as well as offering a source of inspiration for example helping towards ways of overcoming the problems that one may be struggling with. Using art as a tool to empower people to explore and talk about the challenges facing their communities, Fred set up Let Art Talk, an organisation that helps open up the dialogue on issues such as poverty, child labour and gender by engaging the mainly young people he works with in interpreting the subjects through art. Fred is also aware of the need to involve the elders within the communities, getting them to share their wisdom and experiences, and together work towards affecting positive change. Committed to the success of the organisation fifty percent of the proceeds from a sale of Fred's artwork goes into the Let Art Talk organisation to help set up a programme, buy materials or fund a trip. Recognising how art can connect and impact people, regardless of who you are, Fred is continually seeking ways to bridge the gap between the underprivileged and the affluent.
Ugandan Ceramics Closely aligned with Vision for Africa International, and Austrian based Christian organisation; Ugandan Ceramics is a pottery school based near Kampala, Uganda. Offering training in the various methods of ceramics production, the students who attend the school are given the opportunity to study with artists from Uganda and Europe, amongst them are former students who have gone on to become instructors themselves. Uganda Ceramics Pottery School also has a dedicated gallery showcasing the artists’ work, which is located at the Vision for Africa premises in Mukono Kiyunga. The products produced encompass decorative sculptures; functional pieces such as pots, platters and vases. The students have taken part in local, regional and international events and exhibition introducing their creations to wider audiences; and the School's workshop is open to visitors to meet the artists and get an insight into how the pottery is made. The big ceramic plates make for collectable items that you can continually add to create a dynamic wall feature.
Additional details:
For further information about Ugandan Ceramics and order enquiries visit: www.ugandaceramics.com
Sseko In February of last year African Daydreams did a feature on Sseko sandals and how the business is helping young women in Uganda go on to higher education. This month the business marks its third year in business, significant in that it means three classes of women have graduated from Sseko and are now in university. To celebrate this achievement Sseko has just released The Swiss Miss Clutch, a range of handcrafted clutch bags, that are perfect accessories for day and night; and have kindly offered African Daydreams readers 10% of the new Swiss Miss Clutch bags valid from now until Tuesday, 31 July 2012. All you need to do is enter the code - africandaydreams into the 'coupon box' at the checkout to get your discount. [Image credits: Swiss Miss Clutch top, Beatrice; middle, Aubonne; bottom, Annaliese - Sseko] The Swiss Miss Clutch is made with a Scandinavian inspired cotton textile on the front of the bag and depending on the colourway chosen, the back has a complementary soft caramel or dark brown coloured leather. The leather used is oil tanned and comes from Kenya. The clutch is a simple fold over design that secures your items with a magnetic closure and features two inner pockets, inserted to store essentials like your phone, money and cards. Choose from three patterns and colourways; Annaliese with warm orange tones; Aubonne with bright tones; and Beatrice with multi colour tones.
Bruno SserunkuumaRather like the illustrations from a storybook, the distinctive imagery adorning Ugandan ceramicist, Bruno Sserunkuuma's work depict a social and cultural commentary of Ugandan life in the form of stylised figures and shapes, enhanced with elaborate patterns. The clay surface is Bruno canvas on which he experiments with industrial oxides in a range of colours. Drawing on the culturally rich environment he lives in, the pottery forms are based on traditional Ugandan vessels, and are made using locally available materials such as Ngombe clay. Mixing the old with new, Bruno's technique is based on old Indian-Ugandan batik drawing styles, which he has borrowed and adapted to create a visually strong graphical style that would work well a feature pieces in the interior.
Through his work Bruno seeks to challenge the viewers perceptions about African art and art based on the African experience and in addition to creating his ceramics, he is also a ceramics lecturer at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art of Makerere in Uganda. ...functional ceramics that uphold the tradition of telling stories through art Additional details:
Select pieces available at Afro Art in Denmark priced from: 595kr-1,975 kr
For further information about Bruno Sserunkuuma visit: www.kentaro-art.com
To purchase from Afro Art visit: www.afro-art.dk
José Hendo An ancient craft performed by the Baganda people of the Buganda Kingdom in South Uganda Bark cloth is a unique material, made from beaten tree bark in a centuries old technique, and is considered to be the oldest manmade fabric resulting in it being declared a World Heritage Material in 2005. Bark cloth is the fabric of choice for Ugandan fashion designer José Hendo whose award-winning collection entitled Resonance was made entirely of the material. In a deep hued colour palette, the Resonance collection is quite futuristic, and features strong sculpted forms rather like Japanese origami, apt given the material used, and Jose has drawn inspiration from Japanese cutting and tailoring techniques. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is José's mantra, inspired by a return to University which saw her learn about about the life-cycle of a garment, from growing the crop to landfill and recycling. Designing with an increased awareness of the impact the fashion industry has on the environment, José aims to challenge fashion's throwaway culture, through her choice of materials, clever cutting and simplified production processes utilised within her London-based studio. Combining design with sustainability, José's collections are based on the use of eco-fabrics like organic bark cloth, cotton, raw and untreated and recycled fabrics and used garments reworked into unique one-off pieces. Customers can also bring their own garments to José to be reworked.
An active member of her community Jose runs free workshops educating attendees on the need for sustainability in fashion; and also hires apprentices and offers work experience within her studio. Each José Hendo sale sees a percentage given back to charity.
Ndali I love the taste and smell of vanilla; and find creamy vanilla ice-cream, the kind where you can just see the bean flecks, and light fluffy sponges made with real vanilla extract irresistible and comforting. Good quality vanilla bean pod sticks, extract and paste is valued by bakers and chefs looking to add that familiar rich flavour and intense aroma to their culinary creations. One brand favoured by some of the UK's leading chefs is Ndali; a 1000-acre farm located in the midst of the explosion craters of the Ndali Volcanic Field in Western Uganda; and is a farm that specialises in producing high quality vanilla extract, powder and pods. Extracted and cured on the farm, most of the vanilla produced is exported in bulk, with the cream of the crop packaged into small batches and sold under the name Ndali. The Ndali estate has a long history, originally bought in the 1960s by Major Trevor Price who initially meant it to be a tea growing estate but found the soil to be too alkaline, resulting in the farm being left to grow wild. Following a period of political turbulence the farm was seized by the state but today is now privately owned by the Price/Sturdy families; with Lulu Sturdy having taken over the farm in 1998. Lulu began experimenting with growing chilli, rice and coffee before turning to, and finding success with vanilla. Ndali vanilla products are 100% vanilla; no pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilisers are used, along with no additives being used in the curing and extraction processes. Ndali is fairtrade focused; and as well as growing vanilla on the farm vanilla is also sourced from local farmers in a partnership that has seen 1000 farmers becoming fairtrade accredited. The farmers cultivate their vines along 200 miles of road, stretching from the Congolese border to the Rift Valley. Vanilla is an orchid vine that originated from Central America and is a plant that grows in leafy tropical latitudes, requiring lots of patchy sunlight, buckets of rain and rich soils. Vanilla thrives best as small-scale forestry as it requires large amount of care; pruning, mulching and hand pollinating. Taking around five to seven years to break even with a vanilla crop, vanilla beans are harvested 9-11 months after pollination and the longer the beans are left on the vine the better the quality. Alongside cultivating vanilla, the farm also breeds milking cows; grows bananas, cocoa, cardamom, Arabica and Robusta coffee; and distils banana gin. ...if looking for other ways to cook with vanilla besides baking, the Ndali website offers some tasty recipes Additional details:
Vanilla price ranges from: £4.99-£5.99
For further information about Ndali and for bulk orders visit: www.ndali.net
Ndali Vanilla available from leading supermarkets and delicatessens across the UK
pureDKNY Whiling away time in House of Fraser, a leading UK department store that got their byline 'temptation on every level' bang on, I found myself wandering the perfume aisles and came across, pureDKNY, a perfume with a purpose that was launched by the quintessential New York fashion label last year. Designed to make a difference the first pureDKNY fragrance entitled ‘A Drop of Vanilla’ comprises as the name suggests a drop of vanilla in water as the main ingredients. The vanilla used comes from Uganda, sourced with the aim of working towards sustainable long-term vanilla production in partnership with local vanilla producers, most of whom are women. pureDKNY A Drop of Vanilla is a fresh, clean scent packaged in recycled and recyclable materials; and is ideal for summer. pureDKNY was created to instill a sense of calm and pureness, a a concept carried through to the simplicity in the design of the bottles which remind me of water bottle and give of the feeling of a refreshing and cleansing product. I, however didn't smell much of the vanilla notes; I don't like sweet smells staying on my skin as they start to get a bit sickly making me feel slightly nauseous as the day wears on, however I feel the fragrance could have done with just a touch more of the vanilla notes. pureDKNY A Drop of Vanilla is ideal for those seeking simplicity in their fragrances, if you like CKOne you will love this. Joining A Drop of Vanilla is the latest release, pureDKNY Verbena, in what the company hopes will become a growing collection of fragrances designed to give back to the communities they work with. A zesty citrus and floral fragrance, pureDKNY Verbena uses the Verbena Basil a sits main ingredient, a plant sourced from farmers in Togo, and is one that has a citrus lemon like quality that give the fragrance its signature scent. The Verbena Basil is a plant that has been used in creating fragrances and infusions for centuries.
[Image credits: pureDKNY - Verbena] Proceeds from pureDKNY go towards funding initiatives by the humanitarian organisation; CARE. Based in Uganda's Mukono district in the south west of the country one of CARE’s projects includes working with Ugandan vanilla bean producers, and sees DKNY’s involvement in a project supporting approximately 900 producers who are part of the Ugandan Vanilla Association. Also in partnership with CARE DKNY ‘s involvement in Togo will go towards supporting Verbena Basil farmers in the country. ...As we approach the season of giving for every pureDKNY gift set bought, DKNY will donate £1 to CARE Additional details:
pureDKNY currently priced at: £48-£67 (100ml) USD$30-USD$85
For further information about the perfume, to purchase or find a stockist in the US visit: www.dkny.com the project being supported visit: www.dknyfragrances.co.uk
CrOp by David Peck David Peck is an American fashion designer whose innovative custom made prints are turned into elegantly, quirky fashion collections. Launched for Spring/Summer 2011, CrOp by David Peck is a collection of some gorgeously feminine dresses, skirts and tops. It was the prints and the inspiration behind them that especially caught my attention; the collection entitled ‘Common Threads’ was based on a collaboration with Houston-based photojournalist Jamie Leigh Collier, whose photographs taken in different locations around Uganda were then translated by David into stunning custom fabrics used to make up the collection. Placed side by side you can immediately see the evocative quality the photographs bring to the clothes. I’ve fallen in love with the different variations of the beautifully printed Bridgette dress. Based on collaborations with other creative individuals who share in the common goal of giving back, CrOp stands for ‘Creative Opportunities’ and David aims to develop a community of artists who can work together to devise new opportunities. As a designer who has made a commitment to sustainable design practices the CrOp collection is made using 100% organic and certified fairtrade fabrics. David’s signature custom made prints use methods that have minimal impact on the environment and 10% of every CrOp collection goes towards a charity related to the inspiration behind each collection produced.
Trained as a fashion designer in Paris, David went onto launch his eponymous collection in the city in 2006, moving to New York in 2008 where he launched Untitled 11:11, and has now moved to Houston where he launching CrOp by David Peck in 2010. Mixing Parisian elegance with American practicality, the influence of David’s time spent honing his skills in some of Paris’s most famous luxury fashion houses is evident in the quality and luxury that go into his designs.
...evocative prints that carry stories within their imprints
Additional details:
Collection available on the website priced at: USD$D95-USD$485
For further information about CrOp by David Peck and to purchase visit: www.davidpeckcollection.com
Gloria Ssali A long held passion for clay saw Ugandan-born ceramicist, Gloria Ssali give up a career as a pharmacist to pursue her dream fulltime time. Having moved to the UK with her family aged eleven; it was during a class she took during her senior school years that Gloria was first introduced to clay modelling and was instantly drawn into the craft. To achieve her goal of becoming a full-time artist, four years ago Gloria returned to college to train as a ceramicist experimenting with techniques and learning about the different types of clay. Describing her career change as a new chapter in her life, Gloria uses her artform as a platform to share her life experiences and reflect the beauty of the world around her through the diverse cultures that have had an influence. Gloria’s faith is also a strong presence within her work, everpresent through biblical depictions and devotions. In 2010 Gloria was awarded the ‘Best Tile Cultural Heritage’ award from Elit-Tile, an invitation only international tile competition held every two years in the Dominican Republic. I prefer Gloria's abstract compositions, the free flowing nature makes them interesting and although there are recognisable items like vases, quite a lot of the pieces available are presented as tiles upon which images are painted on with glaze; this means that you can mount the tiles directly onto the wall or floor, even set into furniture like tabletops according to you interior requirements or simply opt to frame the pieces and display as artworks. I was particularly drawn to the ‘Love’ series, which look like shards of broken pottery gathered from an ancient excavation sight; a factor which gives them the quality of precious collectibles. I would have the four pieces in the ‘Love’ series 1-4 framed and hung on the wall as shown. Gloria retails her ceramic creations through Fine Art America, a site that allows a customer to purchase original works of art or should they wish purchase a copy of the original piece as a paper print, framed print, stretched canvas or greeting card according to preference. The dotted patterns prevalent throughout her work and seen in the Bikira Maria, above remind me of batik techniques and the effect that the wax and dye have on the finished fabric. ...intriguing art pieces, each time you look at them different images and patterns Additional information sourced from:www.harrow.ac.ukAdditional details:
Prices on Fine Art America start at: US$7.95 For further information about Gloria Ssali and to purchase the original artworks visit: http://fineartamerica.com
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