All the sculptures are made to order and each piece is handmade and unique - no two pieces will ever be the same because even if hewn from the same block, each piece of stone has its own markings and character. This type of sculpture will become rarer due to a declining supply of semi-precious stone in South Africa as the government  discontinues the historical mining concessions of the white farmers. Most of the major verdite and jade mines have already closed, and artists now compete for stone to continue their work.

In order to house and display their art collection, Carlos and Lyn opened the ‘Galerie du Jas’ in Tourtour in 2005. Each piece is unique and even if a collector should have a particular piece made to order,  the piece will have its own soul and personality, an embodiment of the artist who will handle the commission from start to finish. Perhaps this is one reason why the art is so special.

All sculptures are hand crafted with the aid of basic old fashioned equipment, each taking several months to complete.  The long and painstaking polishing procedure is followed by finishing processes where the work is coated with a honey wax mixed with a special muti (secret blend of ingredients used in traditional African medicine) and applied to the statue after it has been heated in a homemade oven.  The wax soaks into the stone, which is gradually cooled down for a few days, then the procedure is repeated several times, according to the hardness of the stone, to achieve an almost mirror like smoothness and gloss.  Most of the sculptures at the gallery are Jade and Verdite, whilst many of the Picasso-like contemporary statues are made of Africastone and Springstone, much harder and denser. These materials should not be confused with porous and inexpensive soapstone, which forms many people’s perception of African stone art, and is softer and easier to work, giving cruder results. 

The Gallery also specialises in selected varieties of top quality tumble stones such as South African tiger’s eye which will be extinct within five years, crystal and rose quartz, citrine, amethyst, jasper, crystal clusters, geodes and many more.  These tumble stones are produced in an establishment near Nelspruit, where time consuming processes convert the raw mined material into smooth, intricately patterned semi precious stones, often used in jewellery, and also recognised as a soothing medium in alternative healing.

 Tourtour is little known and is a true Provencal village, close to Draguignan, and although its main season is summer, there is a wide range of accommodation ranging from the 4 star ‘Bastide de Tourtour’ to simple ‘chambres d’hote’.  The village has a variety of bars and restaurants, including the nearby ‘Les Pins Tranquilles’, renowned for its mouth watering steaks.  Tourtour’s culinary pride is “La Table” which for many gourmets is the sole objective of the trip, and requires reservations at least a week in advance. 

The village has an eclectic variety of art and craft shops hidden down its alleyways, several resident artists, a church, a village square, several natural drinking water fountains, and easy parking.  It’s an ideal and accessible spot for a short break and an opportunity to share the Batllori’s passion for African art - maybe even to acquire a cherished piece of your own.