AT THE BEACH | Sylvan and Sea knife maker moves home to Gonubie

A while ago, I met a young designer, Keagan Bam, working with an operation called Wyked Creatives.

I was amused and impressed with the brand, the term and the talent. Very clever.

An organisation called Wicked Creative is a PR company in Nevada. Wyked is an imaginative tweak on the spelling.

“Wicked has two quite contradictory meanings. If something is pure evil then it is wicked. Think Darth Vader.

“On the other hand, as an informal slang term, wicked also means excellent — as in ‘that DJ is wicked man!’” — Google.

Spelt with an I or a Y, the concept brings a smile to me because I have the pleasure of knowing many creative people and invariably they are optimistic, excited, energetic, dynamic and people that are fun to be with and generally an inspiration.

My friend Huw Morris is wi(y?)cked creative.

We first met through surfing many moons ago and even though he moved to Johannesburg a long time ago, the friendship has never been lost.

Huw has returned to East London and now resides at Gqunubie Green Eco Village.

Huw has many talents, one of them tending in the direction of blacksmith because he knows how to heat up and hammer metal — he is a knife maker and Sylvan and Sea is his beautiful brand.

Not only can he hammer out forged steel but as a wordsmith too, he can shape a good story.

The story of Sylvan and Sea appeared in SA surfing magazine Zig Zag, penned by Huw himself.

He has a lovely turn of words and his tough grind story of how he moved from Johannesburg back to the coast is artfully told.

“Prior to that I had been a photographer working in the ad industry for close on two decades, but print advertising was drying up quickly and we had been limping along.

“Then our daughter Isla was born.

“Felicity’s pregnancy had been so difficult that she hadn’t been able to work for seven months.

“I had very few photography commissions, and by the time our house sold, all the proceeds went towards debtors.

“I got thrown off the horse there. Or more like the horse just lay down and refused to move.

“Couldn’t prod it or coax it up. My leg was stuck underneath.

“My profession had been in decline for a while, and I guess I’d just stayed on too long.”

Huw’s story is tough but a delight to read. I wish I could print it all for you.

His name is Welsh by the way and the meaning — a thinker. Intelligent. Read his words and I am sure you will agree.

There is a lovely heritage in the name of Huw’s knives.

Wise granny, 96 years old, on wife Felicity’s side, encouraged Huw one day, telling him that she loved their sylvan home.

Huw had to look the word up (who would not?). It means “woods” in Latin.

Huw, Felicity, their sons Eden and Jesse and daughter Isla live in a farm house above a Blue Gum grove, surrounded by forest and overlooking the Gonubie River mouth and onto the sea and thus Sylvan and Sea was born to herald the blades.

Coming from a history of art, Huw’s mom was an artist, and he is a sculptor himself, inspired by drawing, a photographer, a wordsmith and now a blade builder of fine chefs knives.

Huws favourite surf spot is Yellow Sands, Kwelera River Mouth.

This family-friendly locale is a treat for adults and kids alike and ideal for a Morris family picnic from time to time.

Huw loves to cook and, meals and preparation and family together times are enjoyed often with fabulous handcrafted blades to elevate the kitchen rhythm.

In the next to near future I am promising myself that a Spotted Grunter is going to meet with a very sharp, very fine blade.

I shall whistle a happy tune as I fillet and then the divine Pisces is going to be turned into ceviche.

All the better if this happens at the Kwelera Mouth or Sylvan farm with Huw and family.

Celebrated international genius skateboarder and inventor of freestyle, Rodney Mullen, says skateboarders are some of the most creative people he has ever met.

I look at my friend Huw and I think Mullen might have meant surfers too.

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