Ewuraba - Professional African Women with Class and Style

Josephine Ghesa was born in 1958 in Lesotho. An orphan, Ghesa was raised by her grandmother, a traditional potter in the village of Thaba Tseka , in Lesotho. She had no formal education when she arrived at Ardmore Ceramic Art Studio in 1990. There, under the tutelage of Fee Halsted-Berning she was taught the basic techniques of coiling and constructing forms from clay. Ghesa showed a pronounced aptitude for sculpture and was encouraged to persue her own particular vision. Within six months, her clay figures were purchased by two major South Afri can galleries. Unique, and at times haunting, Ghesa's work was described by Chicago University Dean Carol Bekker as "some of the strongest work I've seen ".

Ghesa combines animal and human forms into sculptures that blend the legends of her S'otho childhood with her own highly personalized mythology. She coils her forms using a terra-cotta clay body fired to 1200 degrees and then finished with a variety of media from oil paint to boot polish. Her work is represented in major South African collections as well as private collections throughout Europe , Africa , and the United States. Joesphine Ghesa is single and has six children.

Awards:

• 1985
  • Natal Arts Trust Special Award
• 1987
  • Corona del Mar Young Artist's Award
• 1988
  • Corobrik;/Tatham award
• 1990
  • Standard Bank Young Artists Award
  • Sculpture Prize, Regional Ceramics Exhibition, Natal
• 1993
  • Merit Award, Natal Biennial
• 2003
  • Claybodies, Pretoria
  • Brett Kebbel Award C.Tarn

Recent Exhibitions

• 1999
  • Bordeaux St Gallery, Franshoek, Cape Town
  • Anglo Zulu war/ Prince Imperial show Standard Bank JHB
  • Anglo Zulu war/ Prince Imperial show Tatham Gallery PMB
• 2000
  • ABSA Bank, JHB
• 2003
  • Earthwork / Claybodies, Pretoria Museum
  • Brett Kebbel Award, Cape Town

Collections:

• Johannesburg Art Gallery
• Carnegie Gallery, Newcastle
• University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg
• Tatham Collection, Pietermaritzburg
• Corobrik Collection, Pietermaritzburg
• South African Airways
• SASOL, Johannesburg
• Durban Gallery
• Bloemfontein National Gallery
• Cape National
• ABSA Collection
• Long House Reserve, East Hampton , NY , USA