CESA Women’s Day: Ceramic Soirée – Brush & Brunch Edition – CESA

CESA Women’s Day: Ceramic Soirée – Brush & Brunch Edition

This year’s CESA Women’s Day: Ceramic Soirée, took place at Create Ceramics in Umhlanga on Saturday, the 23^rd of August, and brought together women (and men) from various industries for a morning that blended creativity with connection. The Brush & Brunch Edition invited attendees to slow down, pick up a paintbrush, and enjoy a space where curiosity, community, and care could thrive.

The choice of the Pretty in Pink theme was intentional. While pink is often linked with softness, fragility, and delicacy, we wanted our guests to step into their power and embrace resilience and boldness. The colour symbolised the quiet strength so often underestimated in women and reframed the idea of softness versus strength into softness as strength, showing that empathy, composure, and collaboration are foundations of true leadership.

The morning unfolded with warm welcomes before guests selected their ceramic pieces and enjoyed a delicious brunch. Guided by Create Ceramics’ facilitators, many tried their hand at brush techniques for the first time. Alongside painting, guests enjoyed networking and engaging conversations, getting to know one another in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Laughter and creativity mingled with brunch-style treats, creating an atmosphere that was both energising and inspiring.

Highlights included a studio filled with “Pretty in Pink” looks, first-time ceramicists proudly producing unique pieces, and conversations sparking new professional connections.

This event would not have been made possible without the unwavering support of our generous sponsors: Talbot as a gold sponsor and Standard Bank and Pink Africa Consulting as bronze sponsors. A heartfelt thank you goes out to every attendee for the warmth, spirit, and generosity you brought to the morning, and to the Create Ceramics team for hosting with such care. Together, we created something beautiful, both in art and in community.

IMESA Women’s Day Event

We also attended the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa (IMESA’s) Women’s Day event on the 8^th of August – a platform dedicated to honouring the important role women play in driving progress and delivering sustainable solutions.

We had an opportunity to connect with industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers, including our member firms and their clients. Events like these help us strengthen relationships, spark collaboration, and champion diversity and inclusion within the engineering sector.

Our School of Consulting Engineering (SCE) also gave away a two-day CPD course – to the deserving winner, Dimakatso Koloba from Stewarts & Lloyds Projects and Contracts.

Continuing Professional Development training, in the engineering sector, is crucial for registered engineering professionals, as it ensures they stay current with the latest knowledge and skills, maintain their competence, and ultimately contributing to maintaining the profession’s credibility. It’s a legal requirement for registration renewal and a key element in ensuring South Africa’s engineering standards remain globally competitive.