Ekipa celebrates 20 yrs of artwork

IN a colourful corner of the Namibia Craft Centre, Ekipa Jewelry and Art is quietly celebrating 20 decades of organization.

Started by learn goldsmith Grit Böttcher, who fell in like with the state just before starting the business in 2001, Ekipa is a cheerful stall adorned with paintings, pendants, jewelry and ornamental items reflecting Böttcher’s really like of all points normally Namibian.

“I came to Namibia as a traveller in 1996. In the course of my travels I fell in enjoy with the region and all it experienced to give – the desert, the animals, the open areas, the sunshine, and the helpful and openminded folks,” says Böttcher.

“In 2001 I started out my have enterprise at the Namibia Craft Centre, manufacturing jewelry impressed by pure patterns and resources. I use oryx horns, springbok hide, ostrich egg shells, porcupine quills, desert sand and recycled African glass beads in mixture with aluminium, copper and silver.”

Böttcher also will make use of important and semi-important Namibian stones, these kinds of as tourmaline, aquamarine, amethyst, citrine and quartz to make items in line with Ekipa’s merry motto of ‘sometimes funky, often stylish’.

Named following the Oshiwambo term for jewel or one thing treasured, Ekipa has a special gem of its have in Gertrud Kavari, who has labored with the business considering that 2006.

“I am thankful to my shoppers for their assistance during the a long time. As a imaginative artist, I need feed-back from people today to continue to be determined and influenced,” suggests Böttcher.

“2020 was the most hard and difficult year, and we hope visitors will search via the colourful assortment of tiny retailers symbolizing the art of Namibia now and in the upcoming.”

Twenty yrs in and continue to going sturdy, Ekipa is situated at the Namibia Craft Centre on Tal Road.

– [email protected] Martha Mukaiwa on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

marthamukaiwa.com