HOMEMAKERS Fair has enjoyed a long-standing collaboration with Mervyn Gers Ceramics, internationally renowned for their one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces and handmade dinnerware. Uniquely handcrafted in Cape Town for a world of function, soul, and style, the multi award-winning company is all about individuality and durable design — with a dash of sexy rebel spirit.

The mastermind behind the eponymous brand is Creative Director, Mervyn Gers. “I started the company in Paarden Island in 2011 with a team of only eight. Today we employ a team of more than 50 and offer a wide range of products and finishes. We’re dedicated to supporting local job creation and are passionate about handcraft every step of the way, from clays mixed in-house to unique glazes developed over years,” he says.

The company’s signature style is a truly handmade product, passing through 22 pairs of hands, being imperfectly perfect. Rich in texture, colour and patterns, their pieces have found their way into Southern Africa’s best restaurants, hotels, game lodges, guest houses, local and international retail outlets as well as stylish homes around the globe.

For the Love of Ceramics

Gers adds that he always wanted to pursue his love of ceramics and art. “My local school did not offer art as a subject, so I started off leaning by myself. Ceramics is a fascinating and complex field and I’m still learning to this day. I started my full-time artistic journey in 2006, creating vases and pots of all shapes and sizes in a monochrome pallet of black, white, and grey. I’ve always been fascinated by ceramics from the Far East, Japan, Korea, and China, and especially love the Hagi, Shino, and Celadon glazes. I admire all those who came before me and made this exquisite art form what it is today and have been a collector of pottery since I can remember.”

Where it started

He grew up in Danielskuil, a small town bordering the Kalahari Desert in the Northern Cape. “My family owned the general dealer as well as a hotel in the town. After school, I completed a BA degree in Communication and then moved to Cape Town, wanting to study drama at UCT. I soon realised it wasn’t for me and started working at a PR company, followed by a graphic design company. I was then head hunted to join the then Radio Kontrei, now known as Kfm, as programme and station manager, followed by a stint as marketing director once the station was sold by the SABC. During these years I took pottery to feed my creative side.”

Prior to making a living from ceramics, he used to flip houses. “I thoroughly enjoyed buying, renovating, and selling again. There is definitely a DIY-enthusiast in me and probably always will be. That’s why we love to support HOMEMAKERS,” he explains.

Creating a better life

Never seen without his three beloved dogs, Gers enjoys an early morning swim most mornings in the ocean, winter and summer. “I want to live a healthy, purposeful, and full life. Life isn’t always easy. It calls for commitment and perseverance. You have to take each day by the horns and make the most of it! I’m fortunate in that I’ve always had a creative, independent spirit. It has helped me a lot over the years. It’s important to me to be surrounded by my loved ones, including my dogs. I also enjoy being fit and eating healthy foods.”

Job Creation

He is proud of the fact that Mervyn Gers Ceramics has become a sustainable, job creating company. “Our wonderful, hard-working team and beautiful handmade products inspire me every day. I’m looking at starting a bespoke range of décor items and will always be inspired by the Kalahari and Namibia. Vast open spaces feed my soul,” he says.

His dream for the future is to ensure that his staff will always have employment, even when he is not there anymore.  “We’re dedicated to supporting local job creation. Our biggest challenge now is load shedding. Our kilns need to fire at a temperature of at least 1 000° Celsius for ten to thirteen hours at a time. It would be too expensive for us to use alternative sources of energy, making our product unaffordable. As so many other manufacturers, we hope that Eskom will find a way to deliver on promises made by President Ramaphosa. We’re grateful to live and work in Cape Town, where the Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis do their best to manage the situation,” Gers concludes.

Get in Touch

Visit their website.

Store:  4A Dorsetshire Street, Paarden Eiland,

Email: info@mervyngers.com

Phone:  021 510 2385

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