The Black Like Us initiative founded by the WSSA and sponsored by Mr Herman Mashaba (pictured right) and his wife Connie, of the cosmetic house Black Like Me, has continued to grow by leaps and bounds.

The quality of work submitted by these, mostly young, artists has improved hugely each year as the artists interact, compare their works and learn from the whole Black Like Us experience.

This has prompted the BLU team to challenge these amazing artists even further by setting up a similar points/awards system to our WSSA New Signatures and Open Exhibitions.

Artists now earn New Signature points and are working towards earning the status.

The financial sponsorship of Herman Mashaba has now been augmented by Deutsche Bank, which has been a welcome boost to raising the image and promoting the WSSA and BLU, as well as contributing to the WSSA’s fixed and operating costs.

The two sponsors determined to have a really splendid catered opening for this year’s BLU Exhibition, with TV and media coverage and the event was colourful and enjoyed by a great many artists and buyers...the sales were excellent, and Zanne, our curator, and her team were run off their feet.

The exposure and publicity is helping to place Manor Gallery firmly on the art map. Maureen Dixon (left with Connie Mashaba), in whose fertile brain BLU was conceived, was there to participate in the Opening.