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Crafts that empower, uplift and inspire.
Nomcebo Ntuli is a KwaZulu-Natal wire artist from Doringkop, specialising in colourful telephone-wire weaving. Working primarily with recycled telephone wire, she creates ukhamba, the traditional Zulu beer pot, alongside vases, shallow bowls and trinket bowls.
Although she grew up around the craft through her father, the late Alfred Ntuli, Nomcebo began pursuing wire weaving seriously in 2020. The shaping techniques he taught her became an important foundation for her practice, allowing her to develop the skill and confidence to create increasingly ambitious forms.
Nomcebo’s work is recognised for its bold colours, intricate patterns and detailed depictions of everyday life. Animals, birds, trees, houses and Zulu homesteads feature throughout her designs, inspired by the surroundings she observes. She sometimes sketches her ideas before weaving, while other designs take shape as she works.
A defining feature of her work is the way she incorporates detailed imagery into the curved surfaces of her ukhamba. Her ability to combine complex designs with carefully shaped forms gives each piece its own character. She also enjoys experimenting with different shapes, particularly shallow bowls, and has earned herself the nickname the queen of shapes.
One of her significant achievements was creating a 45-centimetre ukhamba that took 18 days to complete. Featuring intricate designs and a variety of bright colours, the piece demonstrated both her technical ability and her willingness to push the possibilities of telephone-wire weaving. Since then, she has continued to experiment with larger pots, more elaborate designs and vibrant colour combinations.
Her work has gained international recognition through the International Folk Art Market (IFAM) in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 2025, she was accepted to participate in the market, but was unable to travel after her visa application was denied. With emergency funding from the National Arts Council, her work was able to travel to the market in her place. In 2026, she was selected as a New Artist for IFAM, marking another important milestone in her professional journey.
Alongside creating her own work, Nomcebo shares her knowledge with others who are interested in learning telephone-wire weaving. She believes the craft requires patience, dedication and a genuine passion for the process, rather than a desire for quick returns. These values are reflected in the time and care she invests in each piece.
Building on a skill passed down through her family, Nomcebo has developed a distinctive artistic practice that brings together traditional Zulu forms, recycled materials and her own colourful, detailed visual style.
