The enthused beadwork artist

Spira Tlhankane | Friday February 12, 2016 12:49

 

For the better part of her life, Lerato Ramponye has watched her mother, Florah Ramponye’s enduring commitment to the art and craft of beadwork and never took it seriously until 2009.

She now makes beautiful bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings.

“I only became interested and decided to learn from her.  I produced one or two products after a long time,” she said.  She said she never attended any workshop to enhance her skill.  Ramponye said she began selling her products last year and she has not stopped since.

“I still work with my mother now and she helps me whenever I struggle,” she said.  Ramponye said she buys the beads in South Africa at a much cheaper price.

“Whenever I see jewellery made out of a different materials, I redesign it using beads,” she said.

She said magazines are a great source of inspiration to identify key trends and styles.

The 38-year-old artist said she has not gone all out to market her products.

She said business is not all terrible because some people still place orders.

“Most of my jewellery is made for women.  I only design for men if they come to me asking me to do so,” she said.  Ramponye said men’s jewellery is not difficult to make as compared to women’s.

“I have a Facebook page called Flo and Ato’s beadwork.  I take pictures of the products and upload them so that people can see,” she said.  She said some people are more interested in the how part.

Every artist has a recognisable style, but Ramponye said she mostly uses a few colours and blends in other colours to create variety.

“Sometimes when my designs doesn’t go well, I have to redo them,” she said. She added the simplest product takes three hours to make while the more complicated ones may take up to three days.

Most of her products are neckpieces and bracelets.  Some are designed in tubes.  She also makes beaded earrings; in one of her designs she coated beads on a brooch.  Ramponye said she adopted some of the works from South Africa to show that Batswana have the potential.