About The Artist

My name is Emma Brokensha and I grew up around clay as my mother, Lesley-Ann Hoets, is a renowned hand work potter. I made a ‘Belly Bowl’ first for a dear friend, and then for my sister in law. Another friend saw the idea and immediately encouraged me to pursue the concept as a business. 

Belly Bowl started out with me making bowls in the garage in between caring for my baby. Gradually orders began to come in and then Covid hit us. My husband was involved in the events industry and this obviously came to a grinding halt. As soon as the couriers opened up again after hard lock-down, I began sending out my DIY kits. This allowed my clients to make the initial plaster casts in the comfort of their own homes, while socially distancing. This then had the effect of expanding my reach to the whole of South Africa. Belly Bowl grew from strength to strength and soon my husband Michael was in the studio along side me, helping me to meet the demand. He also took over parts of the operations and now Belly Bowl is a fully Husband and Wife operated business.