Botterblom Collection

In a small town in the Karoo, a group of women gather in a modest studio, weaving narratives into tapestries — these storied materials woven by passionate hands reflect courage, connection and joy. 

The collective of artisans, working at Frances VH Mohair Studio, has created a space where vision, dedication, storytelling and shared purpose coalesce through the power of creative agency and voice. Their latest project, the impactful Botterblom Collection, traces aspects of daily life that pulse through a street in a neighbourhood in Prince Albert. Woven from the dreams, hopes and fears of everyday life, the collection is a celebration of the beauty inherent in imperfection while also showcasing and contributing to material culture. What emerges from the collection is sensual, deeply spiritual and unique work, taking on the name of the street to honour the marks of time embedded in place.

Cultural theorists Nathaniel Mackey and Rinaldo Walcott suggest that the concept of voice extends beyond words to encompass tone, pitch, and intensity— these are qualities that resonate in the tactile language of weaving. In The Botterblom Collection, the voice of women artisans is not only conveyed through speech but through the rhythm of the warp and weft. It is seen and felt through silences and breaks and the light and shadow of the material formed into multi-use tapestries. The collection then, through a kind of textual sonic register, orients us toward contemplation and a longing for a world where the stories of the historically marginalized are fully seen and heard. The tonalities of these woven voices, with their subtle shifts in texture and colour are reflected through a community shaped by joy, heartbreak, defiance, and playfulness. By centring these, The Botterblom Collection challenges the passive voice often imposed on women. Here, the artisans are not just creators but storytellers, speaking for themselves and their community. Their work forms of cultural self-expression, a material assertion of agency.

Botterblom Street, a lane in the Karoo town of Prince Albert, embodies the town’s rich heritage and close-knit community spirit. In it, one finds an array of quaint houses with magnificent gardens, children playing in the streets and artisans making their wares against the stark light of the warm desert sun.. The gardens are adorned with indigenous flora including the resilient botterblom (butter flower), a daisy-like plant known for its flamboyance and versatility. The street is framed by dramatic mountain views and expansive skies, all enveloped in the slow, rhythmic pace of daily life. It is from this street, from this life, that the women at Frances VH Mohair Studio draw inspiration for the collection.

Through a series of over thirty works, they explore the intricacies of community building and the bonds of friendship and familial ties, expressed through the ancient traditions of weaving and embroidery. They take real-life experiences—both mundane and extraordinary—and transform them into abstract compositions that transcend the specifics of place and time. Here then, abstraction becomes freedom. 

The narratives contained are both particular and universal — ‘Plak My Mooi’, for instance, captures the fragile beauty of mending oneself after heartbreak while ‘Mama Sê Ek Mag Nie’ speaks of defiance and self-affirmation. The collection oscillates between challenging themes through to playful and lighthearted reflections on life in the Karoo. ‘Barbie Bly op Botterblom’, with its whimsical title, reimagines childhood fantasies in a world where dolls dance and dogs bark freely, while ‘Cathedral of Everyday Arrangements’ celebrates the sacredness of ordinary life. Each tapestry, woven with utmost care and skill, holds its charm, evoking nostalgia, wit, yearning and dreaming. 

In traditions within Africa, weaving has historically functioned as more than a craft—it is a means of preserving history, identity, and communal memory. The Botterblom Collection continues this legacy, situating South African mohair within the broader context of African textile artistry. It is a woven mosaic of human experience, reminding us that every story, no matter how ordinary, has the power to inspire connection.

Visit www.francesvh.com to learn more.

Read the Press Release.

This remarkable collection of handwoven tapestries, created by the artisans of Frances VH Mohair Studio, offers a heartfelt exploration of heritage, and artistry inspired by the Karoo’s rich landscape and the stories of the community that call it home.