Dike savours his creations
Splendid and striking, are words that come to mind when one sees the artwork of Timothy Dike, who trades as Big Tim Arts. His abstract artwork is colourful and endearing, and each and every art piece that he makes tells a significant story about life and the world; there is a riveting profoundness in his work that cannot be missed.
Dike was born in Shakawe but now lives in Kasane, where he has ‘ found his gold’, earning a living through his talent as an artist. He doesn’t regret pursuing his passion, although he is the first to admit that it wasn’t easy to grow his profile within such a short space of time. He noted that when he started doing art commercially in 2017, he faced recurring financial challenges because he had no start- up funds, however, he persevered; his grand artwork did the talking, and one pleased customer led to many more customers. “I had quit everything for the love of art, so I had to keep pushing because it was the only way for me to escape poverty,” he said. Dike further said that relocating from Gaborone to Kasane had also helped him greatly because he now has access to a larger art appreciating market. “While some locals do buy my work, tourists have always been my biggest clients and I am glad that my work is now recognised both locally and internationally,” he said. Dike said that pain motivates and keeps him going because he doesn’t want to go back to his earlier years of struggle. He also says that he wants his art to have a positive impact. “I want to touch people’s souls with some colourful vibes and also spark their brains to want to change the world. I want my art to heal hearts and souls, and bring a smile to people’s faces, make them feel more alive,” he said. Dike has made many art pieces over the years, but one with great personal significance to him is that of a shadow head, with a distinct image of a lone figure walking towards a sunset. He explained that it is a symbol of him walking away from the darker side of the world. “The sunset depicts how endings can be beautiful. I used the tree to demonstrate that mother earth and nature wwelcom all humankind with one love, and that’s why no one can trick nature.”