Gabriel’s creativity is inborn

POLOKWANE – Art is a creative way to express your feelings, says local artist Gabriel Nedy, as he celebrates International Creativity Month.

International Creativity Month was founded by Randall Munson, an international motivational speaker, who wants to remind individuals and organisations around the globe to capitalise on the power of creativity.

Nedy says his art is part of him and he doesn’t see himself doing anything else.

The 31-year-old from Zimbabwe, who has been living in South Africa since 2010, says in 10 years he wants to be the owner of an art gallery.

“My art is a part of me, and when I draw my sketches or paint, it’s like I am in a world of my own, expressing how I feel; it relaxes me,” he explains.

Nedy says his creativity is an “inborn thing”.

“I have been drawing since I was a child. My drawings were mostly of faces and cars from magazines. I remember in gr. 5 I won an art competition at school, and my teacher told me that I had a talent and that I should use it and not let it go to waste. Those words inspire me today to pursue my dream of owning my own art gallery,” Nedy says.

He started his art career after he finished his studies in visual arts in 2009 at the National Art Gallery in Zimbabwe.

Asked what inspires his work, he says: “Nature and things around me that affect people’s lives. I believe art must tell a story and express emotions”.

Nedy says the only challenge he experiences is when he is pressed for time to do his work. “Some people want their sketches or paintings done in a day or two and that puts pressure on a person, which sometimes influences the creativity. But it does not make it impossible to be creative,” he says.

Nedy says it is a long walk to follow one’s dreams, but he encourages other artists to follow theirs, and to keep on because in the end they will reap the benefits.