Renette made her first candle when she was 13 and has remained fascinated by the creative potential of candle making. In 1975 she saw her first sand candle described in a book and promptly made one as a wedding gift for a cousin. It was immediately clear that sand candles are quite dangerous to make with small children around and it was only in 1987 that she again embarked on making a sand candle – this time for a school fair.
A friend who owned a shop heard about her sand candle and ordered a 100 for her shop! As so often happens, this tiny opportunity unfolded into what is now Renette’s Candles c.c.
Renette felt firmly that her family and family life was more important than any other aspect of her life and kept her business small enough for her to be available to her three children throughout their school years. During these years she also encouraged them to assist her in her business and in her Candle Story she refers to this involvement of her family. Her husband, a Professional Engineer, has always been a loving and very practical partner, assisting in countless ways while pursuing his own career.
Today the family is still involved in the business. Though the children are no longer in the home, they remain members of the c.c. and assist whenever they can in many aspects of the business. Renette’s husband is now fully involved with the candle business and their young grandson, born in 2000, is also a very keen candle worker – often showing great initiative, but not always in the most profitable way!
Renette has based her life on the premise that “one person can make a difference”, and that humanity is called upon to open their hearts and to explore the full potential of “living their dreams”.
As part of her and her husband’s own exploration of this theme, they changed their lifestyle in 1999 and relocated to the picturesque town of Knysna on the Cape Garden Route. Here her husband and son built the new family home themselves in solid log in a part of Knysna that is forested by trees from the original forest canopy.
Five minutes away by car, the candle studio and gift shop is situated on one of the few farms remaining between Knysna and the beach at Brenton. Amidst trees and birdsong Renette and her team create their exquisite and unique sand candles.