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Artistic duo inspire KwaDukuza’s township kids in the arts
The young art graduates believe that poverty should not be an obstacle to artistic expression
Two young local artists are freely giving their time to instill a passion and love for the arts into the lives of underprivileged children in Groutville and Etete.
Thulisiwe Mtshali from Etete and Crosby Luhlongane from Groutville are both art graduates from the Tshwane University of Technology.
Mtshali has a diploma in Fine Art and Luhlongane has a diploma in Film and Drama.
The young graduates returned home in 2015 emboldened by what they had learned while in Pretoria.
“We saw the positive impact of art in the lives of the youth in Pretoria and we realised that we could do the same for the children in the townships where we grew up,” said Mtshali.
Together they formed ‘Creative Creations and Events’ with the purpose of “teaching children about art so that they will grow up knowing the role of art in their lives”.
Currently they work with the kids at Tinley Manor Primary School in Etete and they also run a holiday programme at Luthuli Museum.
The no-fees school would otherwise have no means to offer art as a subject.
While they have little money to spend on art supplies Mtshali said they do not let that become an obstacle.
“We teach the children that they can use anything around them as a medium.
“We can turn old sim cards into earrings and a teaspoon into a bracelet.”
She specialises in pottery, glass work and drawing, while Luhlongane tackles poetry, stage plays, dance and creative writing.
Creative art programme
They will be hosting a creative art programme at the Umfolozi TVET Sports Ground in Groutville next weekend (27 -28 May).
The theme will be intsha nemvelo, meaning ‘youth and nature’.
“We want to develop a sense of community building and grow an artistic culture around KwaDukuza through our events,” said Luhlongane.
The children attending the programme will experience observational drawing and imagination drawing, which they hope will stimulate artistic expression in the young people.
“There will be an analytic view of the work presented and constructive feedback with mentoring guidelines to perfect and grow an interest in art and skills sharing,” said Luhlongane.
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