Tshepo Molapong makes strides as fine artist
Fine artist Tshepo Molapong is reaping the rewards of using his natural artistic talent to eke a living and create awe-inspiring work. The 24-year-old Gabane native is a self-taught painter in Fine arts specialising in oil painting and he has been at it for the better part of three years now. He explained that his art genre is often referred to as Realism or Hyper realism. “This involves making paintings or drawings that are hardly distinguished from photographs and they carry a deep sense of reality and emotions,” he said. Growing up, he had lots of interests, and he wanted to pursue sports, and also wanted to be a pilot or an engineer, but he always had the love and fascination for Art. He noted that during his Junior and senior school days, he was introduced to Art As one of his optional subjects, and this broadened his understanding of his craft through expert advice from his art teachers. “I just fell in love with my craft. Fast forward to 2019-2020 I decided to focus solely on Art full-time, and made up my mind to take a deep dive into the world of oil painting. Prior to that, I had been using pencils and I had learnt a great deal on how to manipulate such a humble tool to create an illusion of light, texture and detail on paper. But I still Felt the need to learn colour, pigment and how they work, an inspiration I drew from renowned artist such as Fabiano Millani, landscape painter Renato Muccillo, Roger Brown and our own Wilson Ngoni.” Molapong said that his personal studio work is inspired by nature. “I gravitated towards painting and capturing Botswana’s diverse cultures, untouched wilderness and landscapes, as well as her intriguing natural resources. The chief aim being to sensitise the general public on matters of conservation and sustainability, as well as to trigger the respect for nature,” he said. He noted that the highest regard as a painter and an individual, Is to use my craft to engage impactfully and meaningfully in the world that is able to support that. He also said that he would love to one day have his own studio space where he could carry out his art practice and also help mentor and share his skills with other artists. Molapong said that there are many opportunities that exist for fine artists and all that they have to do is continue to invest their time and energy into improving their craft. “I believe that opportunities for fine artists are endless... We just have to assume the best in life and in our crafts, and act courageously In relation to that. This comes with consistent work and continual improvement.” “Social media can also be used to promote and make our art reach larger audiences. In my experience the more active I am with my community and building relationships, the more the possibilities and opportunities open up to me. This could be relationships with clients, curators and collaborations with other artists in art shows exhibitions. In addition to artists’s individual efforts,” he said.Molapong added that Government and the private sector needs to come out and support young talents. “It would be good if the government were to reorient It’s support system for the arts and creative industry to make the probability of the success of creatives and artists certain.”