So far, the description of African art development in the 1960s has been confined to the field of fine art and the emergence of black artists, particularly those who exhibited on the Art: South Africa: Today exhibitions and early Rorke's Drift art students.

Equally important to the aims of the African Art Centre was the development and marketing of traditional and contemporary craft to assist crafts people, particularly from rural areas.

That there has always been a tradition of bead, basket, wood and clay craft is well known. But until the advent of the Vukani Association in 1972, many of the traditional crafts were disappearing. Vukani was crucial to the revitalisation of basket craft.

As far as beadwork was concerned, the African Art Centre's involvement was and has continued to be mainly with women from Inanda, where a strong and colourful style of traditional beadwork exists. The adaptation of this tradition to the market and consequent innovations, have increased over the years.

This adaptation was never discouraged by the Centre, but it saw its role as being to encourage and buy beadwork of a high standard, and to avoid the devaluation of skills by the production of curio trinkets. Apart from any aesthetic aspect, the women selling curio beadwork at tourist spots often did not cover the cost of the beads let alone get any reward for their work.

The many women who come from the Inanda Reserve and wait at the door of the Centre at 8.30am have probably started their long journey at 5.30am, first on foot then by bus. I have found that appreciation and enthusiasm for good pieces is one of the best ways of encouraging people, and the beadworkers show great pleasure when their work is praised and the financial reward is good.

Beauty bonuses' were sometimes paid for special pieces even if they were regular items. The process of buying from 20 women sitting on the floor is long and drawn out. But they are cheerful and patient; and I believe they enjoy their weekly trip to town.

'An example of the adaptation of bead skills is the project initiated first at Highflats by the Anglican Church and developed by Creina Alcock under the umbrella of the Church Agricultural Project at Maria Ratshits Mission, Wasbank, and more recently in an area adjacent to the Msinga area, where there is a tradition of very fine beadwork.

Replicas of traditional beadwork pieces are made in colours suited to the fashion of the European market. In this project beads are supplied to the makers, and the introduction of sparkly glass beads has resulted in most glamorous pieces.

The photograph on the left shows an Isangoma (Diviner), who called at the Centre one day bringing in a brass 'Udondo' for sale, wearing an authentic Isangoma's head dress, with Ann Perry, the research officer at the Institute of Race Relations at the time, wearing a similar head dress. This is a good example of the adaptation of the traditional to a contemporary marketable product.

Another example is the making of small crocodile and butterfly brooches with copper wire and beads. They were originally made by quite an old man who used to visit the Centre. When he died his innovation was carried on by women, who make and sell hundreds of these delightful brooches, which they have improved through the type and colours of the beads they use.

Fashion earrings, purses and handbags are an innovation of the Inanda Reserve beadmakers, who live near enough to the market place to interpret fashion trends and experiment.

Another example of the adaptation of old skills to a more marketable product was the making of sandals - Izimbadada - from white-wall tyres. They are made by men, and the decorative skill perhaps evolved from the craft of making incised and burnt wood functional items such as spoons, meat trays and mat holders. Apart from the local demand from migrant workers, these sandals became fashionable among trendy young white men.

Tin can ornaments made in the Loskop area are yet another illustration of things made by people for their own use and pleasure into an art form and a marketable product.

A further example of the evolution of tin can craft is Petros Khuswayo's simple oil lamps, which became tin can candelabras, and the cold drink tin can suitcases which became so popular. They originated from Lesotho in the early 1970s, where they were used for carrying books to school.