Retrenchment gives birth to art
Mathebula at first drew to kill boredom
A Tshwane artist who works from his backroom and was propelled into the world of drawing after losing his job seven years ago is relishing his newly found fame.
Aubrey Mathebula, 31, from Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria specialises in photography and figurative drawing with most of his art drawings influenced by the pictures he has taken.
Mathebula is among the eight local creatives who are participating in an exhibition titled Jewels of Atteridgeville held at Nkomo Village, a shopping mall in the township.
Mathebula told Sowetan that art has become business for him as it ensures that how he makes a living.
His journey began unplanned in 2014 after he lost his job as a hydrologic hose assembler in the engineering industry.
“When I was at home, I decided to spend most of my time drawing, painting and crafting ever since then I never stopped,” he said.
He said at first it was difficult venturing into art and more than once he thought of giving up as his family never saw it as a viable option to make a living from.
However a few years later, Mathebula became a Staedler Ambassador “when I got
featured in the first online magazine, that gave me hope, I started to feel like I really belong.” He said despite facing many challenges he soldiered on. “I lacked support from my family and friends,” he said, adding that, he could not be able to afford art materials and that he could miss submitting his work on time to art exhibitions due to financial problems.
“These are the challenges I still face to this date,” said Mathebula.
He said his art is more of figurative art where he uses his own model for his art work.
“Art to me is the source of joy and the ability to express myself and my experience,” he said.
Kgoto Mahatho 29, from neighbouring Saulsville told Sowetan that his passion for drawing started when he was in grade 1, although he stopped during those years, he has always been creative.
In 2015 he perused film and obtained his BA in AFDA, a school that offers courses in film, television, performance, business innovation technology, radio and podcast.
“I picked out photography from there, it has been my main source of income and now I am doing a short course furthering animation,” he said. “I spend a lot of time conceptualizing, majority of my work are very strong art pieces,” he said.
Anne Marie from Seifari Investments, told Sowetan that Nkomo Village and other local shopping malls such as Atlyn and Mnandi Shopping centres are expanding horizon for artists in the area.
She said that they established their shopping centres to places were schools and local residents can exhibit and showcase art, music and choir performance and other creative talent.