Theresa Acker

Artist Statement

Based in Kommetjie, I am a ceramicist whose creative journey has evolved through many forms — from graphic design and illustration to acrylic painting, mosaicing, and engraved aluminium. My artistic expression has always been shaped by curiosity and a love for texture, pattern, colour, line, and storytelling. Though painting on ceramics is nothing new to me and stemmed from a childhood facsination of collecting little bits of broken delft crockery in my neighbourhood park (I loved the tactlie connection to the history of my forefathers, the van Breda family, original owners of the Oranjezicht Farm) it was only recently — during a period of profound personal transformation — that I truly found my passion by working directly with clay (earthenware and stoneware). After a serious health scare prompted a major career shift, I returned to art not just as a practice, but as a pathway to healing. This experience echoed a similar turning point in my twenties, and reminded me of a truth I hold close to my heart: experiencing joy is an essential part of any healing journey. All my work connects in some way to joy and healing — even in my career as a graphic designer and illustrator: my clients include NGOs connected to child -health -education and -well being as well as adventure activities that bring joy and connect people to nature. Each piece I create is an exploration of that joy — a tangible, grounded response to being alive and present in the moment. Handbuilding in clay allows me to slow down, to reconnect with the earth, and to give form to a deeply personal process of renewal. My work is also inspired by the natural world that surrounds me: fynbos, shifting tides, and ever-changing textures of the ocean landscape. Ultimately, my ceramics are about connection — to nature, to process, and to the gentle, persistent act of bringing beauty and meaning into everyday life.