08 Oct 2018

The burning desire for fine arts and painting from as far back as primary school in youthful Tshepo Salobati has kept him going over the years. 

The 35-year-old revealed in an interview recently that painting was a talent that he was able to communicate with.

“When I was still at senior school I believed that fine art was part of my life as my artworks were always outstanding during school fairs,” he said.

He said he had also been active in President’s Day Competitions in which he performed well at regional levels on numerous occasions, where he had been consistently in the top three since 2011.

Mr Salobati said his interest in political news heavily influenced his paintings, especially when he started, but that he had to later adapt and paint according to the occasion he was painting for, especially for competitions such as President’s Day Competitions, where he had to depict Botswana heritage, culture and natural resources. 

Mr Salobati said as an amateur fine artist it is hard to survive in the industry as carving a reputation takes time, and that established artists give them the courage that arts can be a career that one can survive on.

He encouraged other artists, especially the young and upcoming ones to be dedicated, work hard and be patient in order to get established.

He also said it was vital to invest time and finances in the craft in order to penetrate the world of fine arts.

The Molepolole native said the creative industry had a potential of creating wealth if investors could partner with government on several initiatives of helping mostly gifted young people who sit idle at home. ENDS