How the weavers use strings to produce shapes and pictures of different colours is quite amazing. What many do not understand is the amount of time it takes to complete a medium size rug, or how creative that person must be to produce an attractive piece. Patricia Nthebolang, a veteran weaver from Lobatse explains that producing a fine piece can be both physically and emotionally taxing. "Just a small piece can take weeks to complete. One has to ensure there are no spaces in between the strings, otherwise the rug will have some holes," she said.
Nthebolang goes further to say: "As is the case with any art piece, its creation requires creativity. Additionally, one must have a very good imagination." According to the weaver, ideas often come to mind. She says there are two ways to go about executing these ideas: Either the artist puts it down on paper or foregoes that step and immediately puts it onto a frame. "It is not as easy as many people assume. For instance, it is not like using paint or pencil where one can rub off or use another colour to cancel what they might not like as the picture develops," she said. The risky way, according to Nthebolang, is when the weaver doesn't draw their idea before weaving. "When a picture is there, you constantly refer to it whilst weaving to ensure it is the same. Without the drawing, there is a chance some of the ideas might get lost along the way," she said. Because of her talent, Nthebolang has been able to produce rugs bearing pictures which appear three dimensional. One of her rugs has a picture of a springbok drinking from a small pond. It boasts detail with a shade covering a small part of ground next to the springbok. "A photograph normally captures the object and its shade - I was trying to replicate this," she said. Well-balanced and proportional, the image demonstrates Nthebolang's artistry and craftsmanship.
Perhaps the simpler method could be applying abstract art ideas when one is weaving. In one of her rugs, Nthebolang used various shapes which fuse together to produce some interesting patterns.
