Young man fights poverty with art

Ricollin Mark Moodley was born on November 10, 2000, right here in Ladysmith, not knowing what great artistic talent would unfold later in life.

He is now a self-taught painter of great aptitude. Ricollin went to Acaciavale and Aloe Park primary schools, then Ladysmith Secondary

School (Lasec), before leaving Ladysmith at the end of Grade 10 in 2016. His family relocated due to his mother’s health.

Speaking to Ricollin’s mother, she says he has never had any art classes in his life. In February 2017, Ricollin’s family went through hardships and to put food on the table, he tried his hand at art.

Young Ricollin went to the library and collected colouring-in pages they give children to practice on… He went to the beach, sat down and started drawing. His mother kept on asking him how this pastime was going to feed them, but little did she know how well his creations would sell.

Ricollin always designed beautiful cards for his mother when he was growing up, but she did not expect this to blossom into a career. Ricollin started out drawing trees. A tourist from West Germany happened to watch him draw and was inspired to ask him if he would do a portrait of his grandson, who was then a week old.

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Ricollin’s mother explained to the tourist that he had never done this before and that they didn’t have paper, except the ones from the library. Ricollin, however, accepted the offer and sat down with confidence, with great results.

The man paid him R500 for the portrait. Ricollin then entered art competitions and fairs on the South Coast, winning first and third prizes among professional art teachers and students.

Ricollin can draw and paint with any medium, and currently uses all art supplies that people donate to him. He has put himself through matric, paid for his own driver’s licence and still feeds his family.

He even pays for his siblings’ education through his art sales. He had his first exhibition in Benoni, Johannesburg, last year and has sold art throughout the world, including Australia, Germany, New York.

He is now 18 years old and he may not be a millionaire, but he manages to feed his family by selling art at affordable prices. He creates magic with his hands and erases poverty one artwork at a time.

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