About

 

Chantal’s relationship with jewellery design began at the age of five on her family farm, where she unearthed a buried sack of discarded (or perhaps pirate-hidden!) copper and brass scrap. Armed with childhood curiosity and a stick of Pritt glue, she saw treasures instead of junk. She wound those scraps into her very first rings, topping them with sparkly diamanté (picked off a handbag that her granny had given her for her ‘dress-up’ drawer). What began as a childhood fascination quickly became a lifelong compulsion.

She went on to study at the University of Stellenbosch, obtaining her Honours B.A. in Fine Arts (cum laude) in Creative Jewellery Design and Manufacture. Her talent was recognized early by her alma mater; she began lecturing undergraduate students while still completing her own honours degree and continued to teach there for several years.

Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to connect directly with admirers of her designs, Chantal opened an independent jewellery boutique in Stellenbosch, and later, another in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Alongside her retail ventures, teaching remained a core passion, leading her to host private one-on-one mentorships and small group workshops for almost two decades. Today, she has stepped away from retail and informal teaching to focus entirely on her current creative work.

Chantal has always sought to make designer, artisanal jewellery accessible to more people. After spending most of her career working with traditional precious metals, she shifted her focus to explore the possibilities of Britannia metal — an entirely lead-free, jewellery-grade pewter alloy. She mastered new methods and acquired specialised tooling to develop collections in this beautiful medium. Today, every piece is handcrafted, cast, finished, and assembled — often combined with natural textiles — by Chantal and her small team of assistants.

Her design philosophy balances two contrasting worlds — the organic and the man-made. Her work is heavily influenced by natural forms, textures, and patterns inspired by Mother Nature and Africa’s diverse landscapes, flora, fauna and cultural artifacts. She pairs the raw appeal of these primitive surfaces with modern silhouettes and contemporary techniques to create a distinct, wearable aesthetic.

Now rooted in the Klein Karoo of the Western Cape, Chantal creates as a multidisciplinary artist. Her hands and heart shape metal and encaustic paint… make prints, collage and frottage works. She draws daily inspiration from the rugged landscape around her — the ancient fold mountains, resilient fynbos and ever-changing rivers that surround her studio, wildly fuel her spirit, her craft and her art.

 

 T E S T I M O N I A L

"Chantal is, undoubtedly, one of SA’s most talented jewellery designers and goldsmiths. She has an eye not only for the unexpected and the unusual, but she executes her pieces with unparalleled craftsmanship and skill. She was one of my lecturers at university — one of those rare tutors who leaves a lasting impression. She taught me to experiment wildly and push boundaries, subtle as they might be, to realise a craft that was deeply alluring even at its most basic level. She is a gentle yet provocative person and designer who later came to work alongside me, managing our studio's production team. We gleaned immense expertise and excellence under her guidance. I am crazy about her work and her ethics."

— Kirsten Goss