NATA holds 18th annual regional art exhibition

PINI BOTHOKO
Correspondent | Friday June 21, 2013 00:00

 

FRANCISTOWN: Northern Art Teachers Association (NATA) held its 18th annual regional art exhibition at Super Spar under the theme, 'Art the key to sustainable development towards economic diversification' recently.The Ghetto people had time to view the demonstrations of students designing artworks on the scene.  The artworks had different categories, which are painting, drawing, sculpture, crafts, basketry and design.NATA exhibition attracted students from the junior and senior secondary schools in the North East Region together with their teachers with a good turn up of the public more interested in how the students design their artworks.In his welcome remarks Terry Rankhudu explained that NATA is an innovation that came about with the aim of bringing art teachers and students in the North East Region together.

'NATA is the first arts association in the country formed back in 1995. It is where teachers would meet and discuss how to approach the daily challenges of teaching art and they later came up with the idea of having students compete among each other,' said Rankhudu.Rankhudu said the arts exhibitions have improved tremendously as compared to the past years because art teachers were sent abroad to further their studies in art.He said proof of this could be established by the high standards of the artworks that the students designed and exhibited.

Rankhudu said that they annually meet to celebrate the success of the students reflecting the good work done by the teachers.  He said that he would like to thank teachers and students for producing 2012 JCE results at 53 percent quality pass countrywide.'For our region, we have done extremely well as some schools like Maenjane Junior Secondary School had produced 95 percent that showed commitment and hard work,' said Rankhudu.He said that the theme for this year spurs them on to turn art into a sector of the economy, how to make young artists become self-reliant and create a new sector of the economy based on art.Rankhudu said that the efforts are not only meant for self-employment but also to have opportunities to sell to the outside world.He said that the ministry has seen it fit to introduce basketry in schools so that even when students have completed their studies, they could be able to sustain themselves.He called on the public to support the students' efforts by buying the artworks for display in their homes and offices.

Students whose artworks scooped position one to three were awarded prizes as motivation and given a chance to sell their products to the public.Tefo Zongwa, of Donga Junior Secondary School (JSS), took first position in drawing and the best in emerging issues, with Pesalema Kwele from Batanani JSS being the first in painting, and Reginald Morakanyane winning the best in sculpture.Onkemetse Mathanjane of Mmei JSS won the 2D design and 2D Crafts was won by Kesetselemang Lebopamang of Tashata JSS and the overall junior secondary school scooped by Mmei JSS with nine points and the second being Montsamaisa with seven points.Amongst the senior secondary schools, Mwanza Chanda of Francistown Senior Secondary School (FSS) took positions one and three in drawing as well as first position in 3D design.

The best overall school was FSS winning a P1, 500 cheque and a shield from Naledi Motors with 26 points.  The second best school was Masunga Senior Secondary School that won a voucher of art material from Art World and P1, 000 with nine points.  Students who were doing the demonstrations in weaving, leatherworks, sculpture and pottery at the scene were given certificates.