Hylton Nel is the most well respected and well known ceramicist in South Africa. But all that attention and acclaim haven't gone to his head. He is about as unassuming and unpretentious as a man can be.
His studio, located about 4 hours outside Cape Town, on a lonely stretch of highway, is all about isolation. As he explains, he doesn't like to be influenced by what other people are doing. Everything comes from his own experience, his books, and his immediate surroundings.
In fact, he was so unaccustomed to having visitors, that he had to follow us around with his only light bulb, which he would transfer from room to room as we made our way through his house (he's carrying it in the photo). The man had lots of wine, plenty of mature fruit trees, rooms filled with books and artwork, but only one light bulb.
Made me wonder - could I be happy with only one light bulb? I sort of wish I was that "one light bulb" kind of guy, but I just dont think I am.... I think I will always like TV and the internet with my wine, books, artwork and mature fruit trees.
1 comment:
We have frequent blackouts in our town. And frequent Internet loss...and many frequent things breaking that can't get fixed for ages...They make me realize that, as much as in many ways I hate to admit it, I am not really a one light bulb kind of a girl myself.
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