Keloilwe soldiers on artistically
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday May 14, 2021 17:16
When the 24-year-old finished school that year, he did not make it to university and life became hard for him. As a way of fending for himself, the young talent started painting because it was the most selling type of art form for him.
Keloilwe told Arts & Culture he paints on acrylics most of the time since they are flexible. He added that he likes abstract art because it gives him room for freedom to create a piece of art in his mind. “I like the galaxy design I always use on fabric shoes of my customers. The public loves my work. Most of them show interest in placing orders, but always say that they do not have enough money to pay me. I always advertise my pieces on social media,” he noted. Keloilwe said he started art at the age of 10. He was inspired by his brother and a neighbour who were both doing art at the time. When his love for art grew, he said his artistic skills improved and he impressed his peers who later approached him for assistance.
“I learnt to perfect my skills and later chose art subject at junior and senior secondary schools. I learnt new art skills needed in a professional setup. I also scored number one in Kweneng Regional Art Competitions in 2015 while I was doing form four,” he said.
Moreover, the young artist added that he had not had an opportunity to exhibit his art yet.
Furthermore, speaking of his achievements as an artist, he said in 2017 he was engaged by the council to paint one of the pre-schools in town. He added that in 2018 he was posted by the BW government Facebook page. However, just like other artists he said he experiences some challenges. He pointed out that sometimes months could pass without him having income which resulted in shortage of his art materials.