Maine: Photographer who turned out to be a visual artist
Larona Makhaiza | Sunday April 9, 2023 06:00
However, that did not seem to be the case for one Karabo Maine, a 36-year-old Mochudi native who swapped his camera and lenses for paint and brush as he ventured into visual arts. In an interview with Arts & Culture, Maine revealed that prior to turning over to visual arts he was a photographer at one local media house.
Maine revealed that he is a qualified photographer after studying Arts at the University of Cape Town. “I worked at the Botswana Gazette as a photographer and Lapologa news company from 2012 till 2014,” said Maine. Maine revealed that as he was still working as a photographer, he got introduced to Bullsheep Creative Studios that helped him reignite his passion for visual arts.
He went on to reveal that he has always had passion for visual arts a young kid.
“When I got introduced to Bullsheep, I sold all my photography equipment and started drawing once again which is something I have always overlooked when I was working as a photographer for those years,” added Maine.
Furthermore, Maine said when he got introduced to Bullsheep, they took him under their wing and nurtured him where he is still is with them and they help him with resources for his art or anything he desires to do that deals with art. Giving an insight into what his motivation is when it comes to drawing, Maine said it all lies with producing those beautiful artworks that try to articulate blackness in his own way aesthetically. Maine says when he draws, he only focuses in himself falling in love with his work and he says if people resonate well with it, it is only a bonus to him. But he says of late he has started to add more colour to his artwork, as he is now doing painting, something he only did last year. “I am using more bright colours than I did before as my art career is growing as I am even producing larger portraits now,” he added.
In addition, Maine added that his biggest highlight in his career as a visual artist was when he attended the FNB Art Joburg last year where he attended the banner of Oreal Loapi where he got to participate in the art fair. Asked how he established that he had the love and passion for drawing, Maine revealed that it only started as something that he did to not get bored.
“My parents used to give me a piece of paper and pencil so that I do not make noise or get bored at a church service,” explained Maine. However, Maine says though it seems he got everything figured with his visual art career, he says he still goes through some most common challenges that every artist in the country goes through. But he says people should not let the challenges that they face in life to stop what they really want to do or their passion.