Norma Guassardo Bequest (ceramics)

35 Artworks in Collection

Norma Guassardo Bequest (ceramics)

Norma and Michael Guassardo often visited Kimberley where they spent many happy days with family and friends. Years ago, the couple gave a glaze and decorating workshop at the gallery. Later in their lives they discussed moving into a smaller manageable home, and some of their possessions had to go. As they had one or two notable and large pieces in their ceramic collection, Norma thought they should be donated to the gallery. Her premature death prompted Michael to expedite her wishes. The “collection” is a reflection of the type of work she loved and admired. These few pieces not only gave her much happiness but also, in their own quiet way, challenged her creative instincts. A few more pieces of Norma’s work were added as a retrospective. Norma was born in Johannesburg in 1937 where she completed her formative schooling and college education cum laude. She became interested in pottery a little more than a dozen years ago, and rapidly became known as one of South Africa’s leading glaze exponents. Her knowledge of chemistry and glaze chemistry in particular was all self-taught. For the next ten years, Norma produced nearly 1000 glazes and she gave generously of her time and knowledge to all. Norma was a selector for Natal in the Association of Potters of Southern Africa National Exhibition in 1988 and was asked to be an assessor of the Natal Expo ’93, but unfortunately, it was at this time she became ill. She was a guest exhibitor in every region of South Africa and twice in Natal. Her work is in many private collections as well as in permanent collections of the Durban Art Gallery (KZN) William Humphreys Art Gallery (NC) and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, Gqeberha (EC). Norma was given two months to live. She nevertheless fought cancer with hope, courage, and dignity. She threw her last pots in February 1995, including some new designs, again in her quest to innovate and forge ahead. She died quite unexpectedly six weeks later.