Later Rouz takes part in ‘Cooperative des Artisans’ celebrations |23 September 2013
The Cooperative de Artisans celebrated its 75th anniversary this month and to mark the occasion many local craftsman and ‘artisans’ came down to its office in town to either either exhibit their locally-made products or to produce them on site. The cooperative on Independence Avenue near the Barclays Bank main branch and opposite the Victoria Post Office started operations in 1938 thought he date is not c certain. It started functioning under the name Seychelles Home Industries but during its course it acquired other names like La Boutique des Artisans and Lakaz Korperativ. It has kept its trademark hand-made in Seychelles up to this day.
Mr Mickey Arnephy, who owns Later Rouz, a small (atelier) at the Craft Village, Au Cap, Anse aux Pins, which specialies in pottery was among the local craftsmen and wpmen present in the grounds of Cooperative des Artisans demonstrating to locals and tourists alike the art of pottery making using local red clay. It must be noted that My Arnephy and his products were very much photographed while he busily turned the wheel to produce his pottery objects.
In a short interview with www.nation.sc Mickey recounts how it all started this passion for pottery making.
“It dates back to 1978 when after studying “Art Plastique’ in France. When I came back I went I attended Ecole Ceramic ‘ annexed to the Mont Fleuri Police Station where it is till there but in an abandoned state,” said Mickey. “That school was runned by the African Inland Mission and the USA Voluntary Service, an American group. I clearly remember my teachers’ names at that time – on the USA side was Jack Wilson and Brian de Schmidt on the South African side,” he said.
Five years later the school was handed over to the government of Seychelles and was named Ceramic Training Centre falling under the umbrella of the College of the Arts. But after some years it closed down and was never revamped.
“Making pottery has a very good psychological effect on a person ,’ said Mickey without elaborating how. But he also had something sad to say about that art. Though the demand is there especially among tourists, pottery-making is dying. The young people are not taking up that art anymore, “ he continued. “But it is understandable as the equipment is quite costly but the biggest problem is the lack of a good location, he said. “We need to have a place where I for example can give training to young people interested in pottery making – a place where they can also display and sell their works,” Mickey added. He every now and then takes on two Seychelles Polytechnic students on training at his small workshop at Au Cap. “But then they do not take up that type of work because of them reason I mentioned before – therefore no follow-up.”
Mickey Arnephy concluded by re-affirming that he will continue doing pottery as long as he can because he has a great love for that art. All the best Mickey!
Mickey Arnephy busy at work in the grounds of the "Cooperative" (top right) and Mickey's pottery products ‘Made in Seychelles’