Discover Field Notes: Nature Recast, a collection of contemporary South African ceramic art and design by Laurie Wiid van Heerden of Wiid Design, exclusively launched at AAFRICAA's V&A Waterfront store in Cape Town in October 2026.
We love a collection that makes you stop, look a little closer and see something familiar in a completely new way. That's exactly what happens with Field Notes: Nature Recast, the latest collection by acclaimed South African designer Laurie Wiid van Heerden, founder of Wiid Design.
Inspired by the natural world, Field Notes: Nature Recast is Wiid Design's most ambitious exploration of ceramics to date. Bringing together sculptural and functional objects crafted from ceramic, cork and glass, the collection celebrates the beauty of organic forms, unusual textures and the small details we often overlook.
From ceramic wall art and sculptural vases to decorative objects and vessels, each piece offers a fresh perspective on nature through contemporary South African design. It's the kind of work that rewards a closer look — and often makes you look twice.
Nature as Inspiration: The Story Behind Field Notes
Laurie Wiid van Heerden's fascination with nature began long before his career in art and design.
As a child, walks outdoors were an excuse to collect stones, seed pods, tortoise shells, seashells and anything else that caught his eye. That instinct to gather, observe and explore the natural world has stayed with him.
Today, his Cape Town design studio is home to an ever-growing collection of natural curiosities, each offering a spark of inspiration for new forms, materials and ideas.
In Field Notes: Nature Recast, these discoveries take on a new life in clay.
Ceramic wall reliefs celebrate the extraordinary diversity of the natural world, with birds, reptiles, insects, mammals and plants brought to life in raised sculptural detail. These intricate works blur the boundaries between ceramic art, sculpture and contemporary design.
There's plenty more to discover. Sculptural ceramic seed pods, hawksbill turtle shells, tall vases and trinket boxes sit alongside distinctive vessels combining ceramic, glass and cork.
Varied glazes, organic shapes and unexpected textures give each piece its own personality, while a series of ceramic masks explores carved details, expressive finishes and playful accents.
Contemporary South African Ceramics: Where Art Meets Design
Created in Wiid Design's Cape Town studio, Field Notes: Nature Recast reflects Laurie Wiid van Heerden's curiosity about materials, his love of collecting and his ability to transform everyday observations into extraordinary design objects.
The collection moves effortlessly between art and function. Some pieces invite us to admire their sculptural qualities, while others bring character, texture and a sense of discovery into the spaces we live in.
It's a celebration of South African creativity, craftsmanship and the unexpected beauty of the natural world.
Discover Wiid Design at AAFRICAA, V&A Waterfront
Laurie chose AAFRICAA in Cape Town as the home for Field Notes: Nature Recast, drawn to our approach to curating contemporary African design and showcasing the work of talented South African designers and makers.
And that's what AAFRICAA is all about.
We're always on the lookout for objects that surprise us, stories worth sharing and creative work that makes us see the world differently.
We love the way Laurie finds inspiration in nature's smallest details and transforms them into objects that are as interesting to live with as they are to look at.
Discover Field Notes: Nature Recast by Wiid Design at AAFRICAA, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. Visit our store to explore the collection and see what catches your eye.
Photography by Suly Khun.