This Valentine’s season, we are not writing about roses or chocolates.
We are writing about paint, pastels and ink.
Our first visit to Schmincke in Germany was something we will never forget. It was more than a factory tour. It was a reminder of why we do what we do at The Deckle Edge, and why we believe so deeply in the brands we stand behind.
The Excitement of Arrival
There is something special about driving up to a place you have admired for years. We felt like children on Christmas morning but cold this time and with snow too, not like our hot Christmases in South Africa. From the moment we stepped inside the Düsseldorf factory, we were wowed. The displays, the preserved history, the organisation and precision. Everything spoke of pride and intention.
This is a historic, family owned company, much like us. You can feel the legacy in the walls, but you can also see the innovation in every department. It is not stuck in the past. It honours the past while constantly moving forward.
From Raw Materials to Masterpiece
We spent the day walking through the entire manufacturing process. From raw pigments and binders to the finished tubes and pans, we saw the journey step by step. The laboratories, the testing, the quality control, the quiet focus of the team. Every stage handled with care.
The biggest impression on us was the people. Many of the team have been there their entire working lives. It is clearly a highly professional company with an exceptional team, yet there is also a warmth and connection that makes it feel like family. It reminded us so much of our own team at The Deckle Edge.
We asked endless questions. They answered every single one with patience and generosity. That openness says everything.
Shared Values
What moved us most was seeing how deeply they strive for perfection, but not in an ego driven way. In a way that honours artists. In a way that says, this matters.
We travelled in electric cars charged at their fully solar powered warehouse which is almost tottaly off grid. We saw systems that reflect real environmental responsibility. We saw people who care, not just about paint, but about legacy.
History. Innovation. Family. Craftsmanship. Connection.
These are not just words. They are lived values.
German Hospitality
And then there was the hospitality.
Schnitzel in the office for lunch with the team. Later, a traditional German dinner of eisbein and German beer, festive and generous, the kind of meal you talk about for years. A walk to the Rhine River. Sightseeing. Conversations that went far beyond paint.
Four years ago, we showed Marcel around Cape Town when he visited South Africa and proposed to his girlfriend while there. This time, the roles were reversed. He showed us his country. Those are the kinds of relationships that go beyond business.
That is family.
After the tour, Marcel took us into Düsseldorf Altstadt to Brauerei im Füchschen, meaning little fox. A must visit for traditional German food like eisbein and sausages. The portions were generous and so delicious that Peter and I could not even finish ours.
The restaurant was buzzing in preparation for Karneval, which begins six weeks before Easter and ends on Ash Wednesday. Historically, it developed as a final celebration before the season of Lent. During Karneval, people dress up, attend parades, gather in pubs and breweries, and celebrate with music and traditional food. In Düsseldorf it becomes a major cultural event, lively, festive and full of tradition.
The brewery experience itself was memorable. They keep refilling your beer until you place your coaster on top of the glass, marking it each time, and the waiter is quite grumpy if you order anything else, which was especially amusing since I do not like beer at all.
Why This Matters
At The Deckle Edge, we do not just sell products. We stand behind brands that align with our values. Visiting Schmincke reminded us why we are so proud to recommend their paints to artists across South Africa.
When you squeeze a tube of Schmincke paint, you are not just using colour. You are holding decades of knowledge, hands that have mixed and tested and refined, and a company that refuses to compromise.
This Valentine’s Day, we simply want to say thank you.
Thank you for the welcome.
Thank you for the generosity.
Thank you for the example.
With love,
Natasha and Peter
The Deckle Edge
Spotted While Sightseeing – Mutter Ey and a Moment of Perspective
Marcel pointed out Mutter Ey roughly translated as “Mother Egg”, the affectionate name given to Johanna Ey while we walked the street towards the Rhine river, and I thought she deserved a mention.
Johanna Ey was a legendary art patron in Düsseldorf in the early 20th century. Originally a bakery owner, she became a fierce supporter of young avant-garde artists, particularly the group known as Junges Rheinland. She gave struggling artists credit, exhibited their work, promoted them, and stood by them when modern art was still controversial. She supported them financially and emotionally, built a creative community around them, and was known for being bold, outspoken and deeply loyal. In many ways, she mothered an entire generation of artists, which is how she earned the name Mutter Ey. The square in Düsseldorf now carries her name.
The large cut down her face is intentional. It is not damage, but a powerful symbol. In the 1920s and 1930s, Johanna Ey supported avant garde artists at a time when the political climate was becoming increasingly hostile toward new ideas. Modern art was attacked, later officially condemned as “degenerate,” and many of the artists she championed were banned from exhibiting, silenced or forced into exile. The fracture represents that rupture in German cultural life, the suppression of creativity and the scars left behind.
It reminds us that art and those who stand behind it are never separate from history, and that even when culture is fractured, it can endure.
Coming across her while visiting Schmincke felt quietly poetic. She represents something we believe in deeply at The Deckle Edge: supporting artists wholeheartedly, backing quality, building community and creating a place where creatives feel they belong.
More to come soon, including new product highlights and what we learnt during this unforgettable first visit.
