POLOKWANE – “I showcase and sell my products at the Magoebaskloof Berry Festival, Food and Wine show and the Spring Festival every year. Limpopo is like home to me.”
Wilber is an artist who uses wire and beads to create wonderful items that can be used as gifts or decorations.
He explained: “The hearts with the names in are a favourite among those who host weddings or birthday parties. They will order the hearts and on the day of the birthday party I will go and as each guest arrives, make his/her name and place it in the heart. At weddings, they will give me the names beforehand… sometimes they put them in goodie bags, in thank you presents or use them as place mats. I also create crosses, butterflies, hearts and stars, it they can make nice Christmas gifts or decorations.”
Asking him how his business started, he proudly explains that as a child he always played with wire and made wire-cars. “Through playing around a discovered my god given talent and now create my own unique designs.”
Apart from hearts with names in, he can make rustic items and key holders. His favourite pieces to make are the proteas and colourful wild animals like rhino’s.
“The animals take up a lot of time and are the hardest to complete… I start by putting the small beads in a wooden bowl and then take five wires at once and fill them up with beads and create my magic.”
He adds that even the proteas take one full day to complete.
Wilbur created a special gift for Review, watch here:
Visit him at Thornhill Shopping Center every day from early to late.