Paul and I are generally early risers, but we were up super early this morning, bundled up in coats and boots, climbing up the dark and empty stairs of the lower cable station at Table Mountain at 6am. Why on earth? Well, we were taking a specially commissioned cablecar ride to the top of the mountain to see some work of mine that had been installed.
Before I show you pics of the work, here’s a photo chronicle of our early morning journey. It’s hard to describe how exciting it was to go up the mountain in a darkened cable car, with all the lights in the city still glowing, and then to walk around the deserted cable station, with no-one but white necked ravens, starlings and mongooses for company. I felt like the luckiest person in the city this morning.
The reason we were up there was to visit the newly renovated ablutions, where I’d been commissioned to design and execute a 7m long decorative wall panel. It is printed onto perspex and installed on a curving wall, and I can’t say how thrilled I am with the way it’s turned out:
The images on the are based on drawings I made of flowers and plants that grow on Table Mountain, which I turned into paper cutouts (see below), before supersizing them to be printed onto these large perspex panels.
The process of working on this project alongside Belinda Young of MLH Architects and the cableway team was fascinating, as it gave me an insight into the running of the Cableway. I realised that the cable station, although visible from all over the city, is essentially a little island, where everything it needs to function has to be shipped up and down by cable car.
I feel very, very privileged to have some of my work up at the top of Table Mountain, and am most grateful that I was approached to do the work. It is a beautiful place – one of the Seven Wonders of Nature, and a World Heritage Site too. Read more about it here.
Next time you’re in Cape Town, put Table Mountain at the top of your To Do list (with, of course, a little stop in at the loos).
Just beautiful Heather. x
I don’t know where to start …
Yes, you were one of the luckiest people in CT to start your morning like that.
Wow, your work continues to astound and impress with it’s beauty.
Yay, that Cape Town was clever enough to commission you for this.
And … can we take a moment for how beautiful your photographs are in this post? Your instagram addiction of late has not diminished your capacity to see (and take) the bigger picture at all
Congrats Heather and well done!
x
Aw Molly. Thanks so much for such a kind comment. As if I hadn’t had enough good things happen to me today already
xxxx
urgh … ‘its beauty’!
Hee!
How fantastic! That’s a morning you’ll never forget and the panel looks absolutely brilliant!
Thanks so much, Cally. xx
How cool..well done
Many thanks.
xx
Wowzers, that’s awesome
Thanks, Emma! I’m thrilled.
x
Heather, how nice to see your city early in the morning, love those photos and congrats! for those panels, your work looks great in there, very refreshing. Hope some day be there!
Thanks, Nadine! Hope you get to visit soon too.
xx
Truly wonderful work! x
xx
Oh Heather!!! How fabulous! It turned out beautifully (of course). Well done! And your early morning shots were quite lovely as well
Wow, this is so amazing, congratulations! Your work looks beautiful and practical in that space, and I’m from Switzerland, so I appreciate a nice cable car ride. Thanks for showing us.
By the way, I often visit your blog, even if I don’t leave a comment
Thanks, Tatjana! Great to hear from a cablecar aficionado
xx
Wow- Heather – congratulations – I will look on your work with my own eyes when I visit in 2014! Your work is lovely!
You’re planning a visit? Fantastic. Be sure to pop in at my shop when you’re in town. xx
Awesome, Heather! congrats!
Thanks, Adri. xx
Wow. Congrats! Love your work and your blog xx
Thanks so much for visiting, Leigh! Much appreciated. xx
Now the views inside the loos match the stunning views outside. This is GLORIOUS!!!!
Thanks so much, Candy! You’re a sweetheart. xx
Wow wow wow.!!!!… So ashamed to think of my whining about blog post when youhave been so gainfully busy. Fifty lashes for me which I won’t even feel thinking about what a great job you did and what a great morning you had. Curved Perspex was technically inspired also for cleanliness, installation etc. the colours are lovely bright and fresh and clean simple lines, and relevant theme, and local gal. Big Well Done. Hurrah!! I’m thrilled for you.
Thanks, Dolly! And no need for the lashes. Your comments last week, along with the others, have renewed my blogging enthusiasm. I love my blog and and so pleased to know that other people like it too. xxx
Yet another BIG feather in your cap. I can’t think of a better way or place to celebrate both your work and the beauty of our city & our most famous landmark – magic
I think this a perfect reason for me to come to Cape Town to have a wee ;o) BIG Congratulations xox Penelope
This wee tourism thing is going to be HUGE ;p
xx
Heather those panels are amazingly beautiful. I am so glad that the city got how special your work is. I am finally coming home for a visit in December and it will be thrilling to take that ride again and them to show my girls that those panels are designed by the same great artist who’s dish towels we use back home!. Well done! Well deserved!
Hooray! So pleased to hear that you’re coming to CT. Be sure to pop into my shop – it would be so nice to meet you at last.
xx
I never thought loos could look so glamorous! Congratulations on the splendid work, and I love the idea of using elements from the place itself in the decoration.
Congratulations, Heather! The panel is beautiful and I love the story behind it. I love the idea of using what is native (the plants, the talent) to make a usually ugly, smelly place into a beautiful room.
How very forward thinking of them to commission an installation by an artist of your caliber to make even going to the loo a memorable experience of a wonderful trip. I applaud whoever made that decision (and you too of course!)
Thanks so much for your kind words, Jill!
xx