Pretty Nkogatsi
Pretty Nkogatsi / Anointed Hands Arts & Crafts
‘Culture is not a trend, but we make it fashion.’
About
Pretty was born in Mpumalanga in 1978. Upon finishing secondary school, she joined her mother selling beadwork. This was in the late 80s when the apartheid government had drastically limited the number of trading licenses and created ‘trade free’ boundary lines which prevented traders selling their goods. The restricted areas were mostly white-areas, creating a chokehold in which the informal trade business was unable to flourish.
Just over two decades after the collapse of apartheid, much has changed in Pretty’s industry.
Pretty describes how her mother would sell her beading from the floor because a table was too much to carry if the police came by. Today Pretty has more than half a dozen informal stores which sell her designs, all of them tabled.
But there are new challenges emerging for informal traders. Business is increasingly online based, Pretty sites her limited formal schooling and lack of resources as the main barriers to bringing her work online. Despite this, the astute businesswoman is eager to contribute to an online marketplace.
This is where Big Heart comes in.
Previous Work
Born into the art world, Pretty has been beading since she can remember and has probably forgotten more about beading than you or I will ever know. She is constantly involved in new projects. She brings beading and beaded products into a new light for her customers with original designs, high quality beads, and a sharp eye.
Pretty is part of the crew that produced Ralph Ziman’s internationally acclaimed SPOEKI. Invented in the 70s , the 11 ton casspir was covered in 70 million glass beads and displayed around the world as a symbol of change in the militarisation of post-apartheid South Africa, a reminder of the terror that was instilled by the police state, and the continued discussion about the future of South Africa.
Ziman brought together over 100 South African bead and wire artists to produce a masterpiece. Pretty and her team continue to produce work with Ziman and speak very highly of him.
We are so excited to be showcasing Pretty's stunning range of handcrafted jewellery and creative accessories as a part of the Big Heart collection!