Talent … and loads of it. Gifted graphic design graduates from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Communication Studies stole the show at this year’s Loeries, winning two gold Loeries, a silver and a bronze, as well as two craft certificates.
The Loerie Awards recognise creativity in the South African advertising industry and are highly sought-after accolades. The four NWU graduates who were awarded Loeries finished their Graphic Design studies last year and are now working in the industry. The work entered for the awards were projects that they had developed while still students of the NWU.
Johanné Venter-Genis and Clarise Benadé were each awarded with a gold Loerie, with both their projects in the Student Logo and Identity Programmes category.
Johanné called her project Mengelmoes. It is a wordplay on her moles (moesies in Afrikaans) and the variety (mengelmoes) of skills she acquired as a design student at the NWU.
Clarise’s project, Designware, refers to the various skills, software and tools she is able to utilise in her design work.
Another graduate, Izabel Barkhuizen, took home two Loeries and a craft certificate. In the Student Publication Design category, she won a Silver Loerie for her project Die Swart Boek Reeks: Land van Melk en Heuning (The Black Book Series: Land of Milk and Honey). She was also awarded a Craft Certificate for this project in the Student Print and Design Crafts Illustration category. Not content with that, Izabel also swept up a Campaign Bronze Loerie for the Hike for H20 project for Green Flag Trails project in the Student Integrated Campaign category.
Tanya van Deventer was awarded a Craft Certificate for her project, Tlhokatsêbe en die Waterslang, in the Student TV, Film and Video Crafts category.
Both Johanné and Clarise say their success was inspired by Marina Herbst, their mentor and former lecturer, and Izabel says her former lecturer, Jo-Ann Chan, played an important part in her taking home her awards. Tanya’s lecturer was Ricardo Liut.
The NWU had 16 nominated entries in the competition. “Four of these students’ creative work made a grand impression and they proudly took the beloved birds home with them, whether as awards or certificates,” says Marina, subject chair for BA Graphic Design.
She says their achievements are commendable as they were competing against some of the most talented design students from across Africa and the Middle East.
"For us as lecturers and mentors, fostering and helping to develop our students' talents to a competitive standard every day is immensely rewarding in itself. Creative educators are very privileged and certainly lucky in this way,” says Marina.
Jo-Ann echoes this and stresses that the NWU students hold themselves to a high standard. “They work long hours and put a lot of effort into their projects. So it’s fantastic to see a student’s hard work acknowledged, particularly when it is a conscientious student.”
“It is absolutely fantastic and extra special to see their work awarded, so that they might get a glimpse of their future professions and industry, and achieve what they had always hoped and dreamed. They are now on the map, and have left their mark in a big way," concludes Marina.
Clarise Benadé won a gold award for her project, Designware. “It is a great honour to win this award and represent the NWU in this way. The Loerie is a reward for four years’ hard work and sacrifices and I’m grateful for the support from the NWU and my lecturer, Marina Herbst.”
Johanné Venter-Genis says winning a gold award for her project, Mengelmoes, is a dream come true. “In my first year at varsity, winning a Loerie was only a dream, and that dream persisted. Now I have one – it is a confirmation that one should never dampen your creative craziness. Thank you NWU and the Graphic Design subject group.”
For Izabel Barkhuizen, one award was not enough, she had to take home three. “Winning a Loerie motivates me to create and deliver even better work. It is also one of the easiest ways to attract the attention of important people in the industry.”
