Kwa-Thema – Sketch artist Nicholas Smangasendoda Madlala (52) is urging young artists to follow their dreams. His love for art started at an early age, but it was never fully explored, until recently when he retired as a production manager. He is working on his first exhibition, which is set to take place later this year.

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“I started drawing at an early age but I gave up on it at the time. “I have worked for over 30 years but still had this quest to do more with my God-given talent. “I aim to develop art in our community and champion for artistic careers,” he explained. He is pleading with the community to support his idea through the purchase of locally made sketches. Madlala does portrait and landscape commissions for groups and individuals. “After retiring I did not want to sit at home and do nothing. That’s when I figured I should revisit my first love, which is art. “I am encouraging myself daily to put my work out there even if fear exists. “It is better to have tried and failed than to have not tried at all,” he said.

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Madlala believes young artists should turn fear into motivation to get the work done. He is a self-taught artist and specialises in African art with pencil, graphite, charcoal and China marker. “Whether you went to school to study art or you are self-taught, it doesn’t mean much if you don’t put in the hours and discipline to develop your talent,” he added.