Modimolle portrait artist wows locals
Emerging portrait artist Brendon Zambuko has made a name for himself in and around Modimolle, with his rare skill of being able to use pencil and paper to capture the poise and posture of many individuals.

Emerging portrait artist Brendon Zambuko has made a name for himself in and around Modimolle, with his rare skill of being able to use pencil and paper to capture the poise and posture of many individuals.
This artist has produced work that has left many people amazed by how Zambuko makes this exceptional skill looks so easy.
The 21-year-old artist told The BEAT that the little money he makes out of his work, is reinvested back into his craft, through the purchase of sketching material.
Zambuko’s self-portrait finds pride of place in his study room, which he uses as both his office and studio, for creating and storing his work of art.
The self-portrait is a striking work of art, with remarkable similarities between the real person and a sheer work of art.
Portraits of other individuals are likewise in-your-face, with one such portrait capturing even pimples growing from the forehead of a subject.
Classical artists of all time such as Pablo Picasso, Henk Pierneef and Gerald Sekoto, are in agreement that finer detail separates great talent from the ordinary.
In the case of Zambuko, higher mortals can even describe his amazing work as delicate strokes of pencil, if not charcoal.
The talented Zambuko said he draws much inspiration from artists such as Cape Town’s Loyiso Mkize, Jono Dry (born in Pretoria) and Modimolle home-grown artist, Nelson Makamo.
He said it all began when he was still at primary school, where the learners took part in a school-based art competition.
“The task was for us as entrants to sketch the picture of the late former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. I applied my mind to it, and then sketched the portrait. I was then
announced as the ultimate winner at the end of the competition,” he said.
Winning the competition became a motivational factor for the young artist, pushing him to do even better at his craft.
Zambuko’s dream is to see his work being exhibited alongside that of well-established artists in the country, and even beyond.
And it is indeed about time.
Zambuko can be contacted on 078 217 8896
— The BEAT