South African History Online - culture & society

In 1988 the African Art Centre in Durban applied to the Donaldson Trust for funds to enable Jo Thorpe, then coordinator of the Centre, to document and record its history. Over the years Jo had collected a vast amount of information which, with her personal knowledge of art development in KwaZulu-Natal, put her in a unique position to do this.

Linda Duminy undertook in 1989 to make a chronological catalogue of the vast body of documentation in such a way as to facilitate Jo's writing.

Later, when time and work pressures restricted progress on the book, the Donaldson and Natal Arts Trusts were approached for further funds which would allow Jo to devote her time more fully to the book. However, Jo's mere presence in the African Art Centre placed her in continual demand.

It was when the Centre for Social and Development Studies (CSDS) at the University of Natal in Durban offered Jo an office, a computer and collegial support that the book took off and Jo was able to take full advantage of the financial support of the Trusts.
Jo spent two years in CSDS completing the book. She flourished with the support of so many friends, who assisted in every way from language to computer literacy. She was very conscious and appreciative of the help she received - to the point where she felt she should not claim the book as hers but as a joint African Art Centre production.

Valerie Leigh was probably the first to read a draft and come back with pages of helpful comments and real encouragement to publish. She was closely followed by Andrew Verster, who also encouraged Jo and made many useful suggestions.

A 'book committee' of members of the African Art Centre - Eleanor Preston-Whyte. Di Stewart, Andrew Verster, Linda Duminy and myself-was formed and met regularly to monitor progress and contemplate the next move. Later Georgina Hamilton joined the Committee and was particularly helpful with publishing advice.

Ian Wyllie and Michael Green, former editors of the Sunday Tribune and Daily News respectively, both read the ever growing and altering draft and gave valuable literary advice.

Photographs

Colleen Wafer, Terry-Anne Stevenson, Robin Glanville, Greg Hayes, Lee du Plessis, Sally Ardington and others. Some courtesy of Natal Newspapers.

Museums

Many of the art works dismayed and mentioned in It's Never Too Early are in the Durban Art Gallery, the Killie Campbell Collections, the Natural History Museum, the Tatham Art Gallery and the Natal Provincial Administration Museum Services. Most picture captions do not state where the work featured now is: Jo Thorpe had not completed this aspect of the book, and the time needed to collate the information was not available.

Throughout her endeavours Jo also received assistance from her friends and colleagues at the Durban Art Gallery, the Killie Campbell Museum, the Local History Museum, the KwaZulu Museum and the Tatham Gallery.

When Karen Mac Gregor, editor of Indicator Press, agreed to publish the book and be its editor, she and Rob Evans - who was to take responsibility for its design and layout - gave unstintingly of their time. At that stage, Peter Engblom gave invaluable assistance in making an initial assessment of the mountain of photographs Jo had assembled from press cuttings, art publications and photographs taken for the Art Centre.

Indicator Press's task was made extremely difficult by Jo's untimely death, but was eased with generous assistance by Terry-Anne Stevenson, Colleen Wafer, Anthea Martin, Jill Addleson, Carey Ann May - current coordinator of the African Art Centre - and Lee du Plessis.

None of this would have happened were it not for extremely generous financial assistance from First National Bank. Without this assistance it would not have been possible to produce a book of high quality, which does justice to the work of those whose tale it tells, and to sell it at an affordable price.

Jo was extraordinarily conscious of and grateful for all the assistance and encouragement she received in her great undertaking. If she had had the opportunity to write the acknowledgements herself she would have made far more of them and seriously underplayed her role.

We extend our appreciation to all of you, and the many others not mentioned by name, in helping Jo to realise her dream of giving 'her' artists a bit of 'their' history. Jo's humble thanks.