Bright artist needs help
'I still vividly remember my first drawing was an assignment at school. The teacher assigned us to draw "my face". Everyone at school was shocked to see my work.'
MBOMBELA – A local artist has reached out to Lowvelder, desperately hoping that the exposure would be the ticket to his success. He is young, talented and energetic, but struggles to make a living.
Bright Mdlovu (24) lives with three girls and four boys in a wooden house in Mataffin and designs anything from house plans and cellphones to wall paintings. He started painting when he was in grade one. “I still vividly remember my first drawing was an assignment at school. The teacher assigned us to draw “my face”. Everyone at school was shocked to see my work.
The teacher showed everyone at school my drawing which was the splitting image of my face. From there I knew I was talented and the rest is history. For me this is a God given talent. Since I was young I have been relying on it and nothing else. I don’t think I need formal training as such,” he says. Often people think that talent alone is not enough, but Mdlovu disagrees. He says some of his art works are inspired by life in general and the hardship that he went through while growing up.
“I started school when I was eight years old. My father who passed away while I was young was working at one of the mines in North West. As a family we would go and live there with him in North West for a while and then the following year we would be back in Mpumalanga. I found those years disorientating.”
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In 2010, while he was doing grade 10, Mdlovu decided to leave school to help his single mother and focus more on starting a business. “Since then I have been trying to get someone to help me grow as an artist. I don’t have a sponsor or someone to help move me forward. My plan is to establish an association for young artists around Mbombela,” says Mdlovu.
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He survives by doing wall paintings at preschools around town. “I do receive calls to come and do some paintings every now and then, but that is not enough, because sometimes I struggle to get another project for months. Recently I registered a business thinking it would be easier for me to get sponsorships. I have even approached government looking for help, but without success,” he concluded.
• Those who would like to assist Mdlovu, can enquire at bongani@lowveldmedia.co.za.
