Described by a collector as the ‘best mug in the world’, a Janice Rabie mug is something of a ceramic cult classic, with a dedicated fanbase that has turned collecting the signature design into a hobby.
Also read: Enhance your ceramic collection at the Rondebosch Potters Market
Janice Rabie is a household name among Capetonians ‘in the know’ and apparently further afield in places like London and Berlin. These international collectors go to the trouble of having South African friends and family bring over the Capetonian artist’s latest designs when visiting, and should they find themselves in Cape Town, a stop at the ceramicist’s studio is always on the travel agenda.
This sounds like a lot of fuss for a mug. So, what’s the big deal?
Perhaps it all comes down to the aesthetics – how good the ceramic ware looks displayed on a well-styled shelf – or maybe it’s about the ritual – people are serious about their sacred tea- or coffee-drinking moments that bring solace to their day, and the right mug could make or break the experience. Or, is its popularity purely down to the functionality of its form?
Famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said, ‘Form follows function – that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.’ Sounds deep, but the spiritual union of form and function seems to sum up the success of Janice Rabie’s signature mug. The design has been iconised by its delicate, thin structure, which makes for elegant sipping, as well as the pretty hand-painted patterns that stand out against the white clay.
One thing is for sure, once you acquire your first Janice Rabie ceramic, you’ll be hooked. Although there is a lot of hype about her mugs, Janice’s range also includes jugs, vases, tea cups, espresso cups and more – and they’re just as dainty and beautiful.
A born-and-bred Capetonian, Janice runs her business from her studio at home, which you’ll find shrouded by tall trees on a quiet street corner in suburban Wynberg. Like her home, the artist is a private, reserved person with a peacefulness about her that casts a calming effect on those in her aura.
In her studio, you’ll find Janice quietly going about her business surrounded by shelves of neatly stacked clay moulds and trays of new mugs, cups and jugs waiting for their turn in the oven.
Floating between columns of white, inspecting her work with a meticulous eye, she finds the production of the ceramics to be ‘quite a meditative process,’ something she can do without thinking, like second nature.
She slip-casts her products, as opposed to shaping the clay on the pottery wheel. In slip-casting, a mixture of clay and water is poured into a mould. The clay coats the wall of the mould, which absorbs the water from the mixture and dehydrates the clay to form a solid shape. This is a slightly quicker process than throwing, and it creates a perfectly smooth surface ideal for decoration. The method also allows artists to replicate the same design, which is perfect for a business.
Janice started selling ceramics back in the 80s and her products were well received, but it was only in 2001, when she perfected the style of mug everyone is familiar with today, that her business began to take shape. She decided to start using white clay because she liked how the paint appeared on an all-white background, and in a happy coincidence, her first white clay mug came out considerably thinner than her original designs – and so, a star was born.
In 2003, Janice began stocking deli and decor store Melissa’s with her pottery. The ceramic ware was an instant success.
‘They took off straight away,’ she recalls. ‘The first day they were there, the next day they ordered more.’
Word got out, and the orders kept coming in. In 2018, when Melissa’s became insolvent, Janice’s business suffered a setback. But with a loyal customer base that kept wanting more, she found other local stores that were happy to supply her ceramics. Now, she stocks a few stores across the Cape and sells at various markets as well as from home and online.
For Janice, the most creative element of the production process is the hand painting.
‘The patterns have evolved,’ she says. ‘I used to do two or three colours on a mug, and then I started doing one or two colours in the last five years.’
Her design decisions are based on what’s popular with her customers. At the markets where she sells, she gets a good sense of which patterns people like most. There are some classic patterns, which she has had for years, but she also introduces new ones slowly.
Janice refers to her ceramic business as her ‘bread and butter’, which supports her real creative outlet, her painting. Her artwork is a lot more demanding of her time. She is currently exploring the theme of manmade structures versus nature, and she describes the conceptual and creative process of painting as ‘something of an obsession’.
As for her famous mugs, she’s content with her small business and is not looking to expand or open a store. Like a true artist, she prefers working alone, in her own space, and in her own time.
If you’re interested in starting your personal Janice Rabie collection, this is where you can shop:
Markets:
- Ceramics SA’s Potters Market | Rondebosch Park | Twice a year in March and November
- The Constantia Gift Fair | Baxter Theatre | Early November
Stores:
- Africa Nova | Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre, 19 Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town
- The Blue Cafe | 13 Brownlow Rd, Tamboerskloof, Cape Town
- Mantra Café | 43 Victoria Rd, Camps Bay, Cape Town
- Delia’s Plett | Shop F12 The Market Square, Beacon Way, Plettenberg Bay
- Pure South | Shop 5, Rothnick Croft Building, 155 Main Rd, Hermanus
- Ebony | 4 Franschhoek Square, Huguenot Street, Franschhoek
- Cape Times (0nline store in Germany)
Online:
- Website: janicerabieceramics.co.za
Contact: [email protected] | 083 204 6407 (you can also contact Janice should you want to purchase ceramic ware from her studio at home.)
Also read:
It’s that time again: Don’t miss out on the Gift Fair at The Baxter Theatre
Picture: @janicerabieceramics / Instagram
