Embracing fine art
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Thursday April 30, 2015 18:00
The 24-year-old said he’s had a passion for fine art since he was in junior school when he registered for it as an optional subject.
Fine art for Mampare is all about nature, beauty, duty and a way of conserving culture.
“Through the support of my parents and teachers the passion for drawing and painting grew within me,” he said.
Mampare won many awards during his school days as the best student and even represented his school in regional competitions.
He also came third place in the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation phonebook cover design competition in 2013 and walked away with P10,000.
“Happy with my results for being a good representative of the school, the teachers gave me a share of P 8,000,” he explained.
With the award money, he was able to buy art supplies and on other start-up items. He purchased materials for the business and since then, has not looked back.
He added that due to financial constraints he is still operating from home and selling his products from door-to-door, which is a challenge. He said some people regard the door-to-door selling strategy as unprofessional and people often underestimate the business.
Fortunately, Mampare is now in the process of seeking financial support from the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture to establish a studio.
“I believe that with a studio people will take my business seriously,” he said adamantly.
He said most of his customers are interested in their self-portraits, especially his former teachers and colleagues.
He advised Batswana to shift their minds and move from considering drawing and painting as cheap work that wastes money and time.
Mampare said despite his dedication to his art, he still wants to pursue his studies because education sets a good foundation in life.
He advised youth out there, especially in the field of fine arts, to be diligent, determined, and patient as it requires time and passion to succeed.