David Walters: 1950 - 2022
David Walters, one of our country’s master potters, most recently moved to Newlands Village in Cape Town, but lived and worked in Franschhoek for over twenty years.
He was born in Durban in 1950 and matriculated in the class of ’68 from Hilton College, where he was known as Taffy. He graduated in1974 with his wife Michelle from the Fine Arts Department of Natal University (Pietermaritzburg) where they both majored in Ceramics.
David’s flair for finding old buildings with good bones, where they could establish a pottery studio, showroom and home, began in 1984 with the restoration of the 1840 wood-and-iron grinding mill and water wheel at Caversham on the Lions River in Kwazulu Natal.A year later David, together with several local resident craftspeople, founded The Midlands Meander. This craft route is now well established and has economically uplifted everyone in the area. Serious flooding in 1987 swept away the mill and the wheel and roared through their home. This, the political situation at the time and the chance to offer their learning disabled son James, better opportunities, sent the family to live in England.
They began the business again in The Particular Baptist Chapel at Kenninghall in Norfolk, creating The Particular Pottery, and converted the 1794 agricultural timber black barn on the property into a home.
After a successful ten year career, David and his family returned to South Africa. He oversaw the restoration of one of Franschhoek’s oldest Victorian Buildings – Roubaix House (dated pre 1910) to create a home, pottery studio and Gallery. David became a committee member of the Franschhoek Tourism Association and was responsible for marketing the Arts Sector. His skilled throwing demonstrations on the potter’s wheel, their Gallery openings and lively “pop up” feasts at the long studio table with friends and guests, became sought- after village events. During this time, David produced hand thrown porcelain dinnerware for restaurants and local chefs including Reuben, David Higgs and Camil Haas. Many of his bespoke dinner services were shipped to customers all over the world.
Together with Christopher Duigan of Music Revival, David presented Classical Music concerts regularly in the Dutch Reformed Church and helped raise money to buy a piano for the community. David was recognized as a Cape Craft Icon and a Fellow of Ceramics SA. He also curated an annual ceramics exhibition, called “David Walters and Friends”, at the A rated National William Humphries Art Gallery in Kimberley.
He leaves Michelle and their daughter Sarah (a graduate of the Norwich School of Art & Design), who are continuing David’s legacy by running The Ceramics Gallery in Newlands.
David Walters, one of our country’s master potters, most recently moved to Newlands Village in Cape Town, but lived and worked in Franschhoek for over twenty years.
He was born in Durban in 1950 and matriculated in the class of ’68 from Hilton College, where he was known as Taffy. He graduated in1974 with his wife Michelle from the Fine Arts Department of Natal University (Pietermaritzburg) where they both majored in Ceramics.
David’s flair for finding old buildings with good bones, where they could establish a pottery studio, showroom and home, began in 1984 with the restoration of the 1840 wood-and-iron grinding mill and water wheel at Caversham on the Lions River in Kwazulu Natal.A year later David, together with several local resident craftspeople, founded The Midlands Meander. This craft route is now well established and has economically uplifted everyone in the area. Serious flooding in 1987 swept away the mill and the wheel and roared through their home. This, the political situation at the time and the chance to offer their learning disabled son James, better opportunities, sent the family to live in England.
They began the business again in The Particular Baptist Chapel at Kenninghall in Norfolk, creating The Particular Pottery, and converted the 1794 agricultural timber black barn on the property into a home.
After a successful ten year career, David and his family returned to South Africa. He oversaw the restoration of one of Franschhoek’s oldest Victorian Buildings – Roubaix House (dated pre 1910) to create a home, pottery studio and Gallery. David became a committee member of the Franschhoek Tourism Association and was responsible for marketing the Arts Sector. His skilled throwing demonstrations on the potter’s wheel, their Gallery openings and lively “pop up” feasts at the long studio table with friends and guests, became sought- after village events. During this time, David produced hand thrown porcelain dinnerware for restaurants and local chefs including Reuben, David Higgs and Camil Haas. Many of his bespoke dinner services were shipped to customers all over the world.
Together with Christopher Duigan of Music Revival, David presented Classical Music concerts regularly in the Dutch Reformed Church and helped raise money to buy a piano for the community. David was recognized as a Cape Craft Icon and a Fellow of Ceramics SA. He also curated an annual ceramics exhibition, called “David Walters and Friends”, at the A rated National William Humphries Art Gallery in Kimberley.
He leaves Michelle and their daughter Sarah (a graduate of the Norwich School of Art & Design), who are continuing David’s legacy by running The Ceramics Gallery in Newlands.