A local artist, Zenzele Buthelezi (42) is blazing a bright trail in the industry with his art.
Buthelezi was born and bred in Newcastle and is set on his consistency for reaching new heights. After dropping out of high school, Buthelezi moved to Johannesburg and trying to make ends meet, he took on odd jobs so he could earn some money.
He said even though he experienced challenges, the art bug bit him early in life: “I developed an early love for art, which my mother encouraged by buying me pencils and crayons. I went to Johannesburg to further my artistic talent in Soweto. I worked with Soweto Signwriters and Lundi Arts and Wood Craft.”
In 2008, he decided to go back to school to gain educational knowledge:
“I didn’t complete my high school education, so in 2008 I registered for ABET L-4 for adults. I passed all eight subjects and also achieved two distinctions. In 2009, I enrolled at Motheo College for a Marketing L-2 Course, and passed to Marketing L-3. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish because my grandmother passed away the following year, and I had to come back to Newcastle.”
Buthelezi said although life might have given him a hard knock, art never left him:
“When I was back in Newcastle, I decided to fully explore my talent. I made artwork that I could sell through my painting skills.”
One of his biggest achievements was a painting he was asked to do of the late Chief Albert Luthuli:
“In November last year, I had the pleasure of delivering the painting at Chief Albert Luthuli’s Memorial Lecture at Durban’s International Convention Centre. I handed over the painting to Samia Nkrumah, the daughter of former late Ghana President, Kwame Nkrumah.”
He said he wanted to create a clear vision for art:
“One sign of a healthy community is its simultaneous ability to preserve and invent in its arts and culture in many forms; that is to conserve its history and heritage, while developing new expressions for current times that is our present and future visual concept.”
Buthelezi encouraged the youth to believe in their God-given talents:
“Some artists are born and some are made. It doesn’t matter in which category you fall, but know there are opportunities out there. It’s not like the olden days; art wasn’t really recognised as much, but now there are schools where you could be taught to master your art. Believe in yourself.”
He currently works with Wushwini Pan Africa Art Centre, based in Ngcolosi, near Hillcrest in Durban, helping young artists with practical work.
Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Newcastle Advertiser.
ALSO READ: Artist ‘wastes’ no effort in wiring his art future
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