HE MIGHT not be a famous celebrity yet, but Lerole Dikgale from Seshego zone 4 is a self-taught artist who has been using his talents since he was 14-years-old.
Dikgale is a sculptor, painter, potter and a visual artist, and holds a diploma in fine arts from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). He is also the founder of Homebrew Pottery and Design.
“I get inspiration from nature, family matters, politics and social issues. I would like to run projects locally, nationally and internationally.
“Malachia Mahopo, who is a local police official who also enjoys the arts, and works with troubled young people, inspired me a lot,” he says.
He says one of the challenges he encounters on a daily basis include that there is a shortage of people who can assist him in the production of his art.
He further says the market depends on where your offset base is.
“My favourite medium is clay. The clay pots I make are sold for around R150, depending on their size.
“I normally sell my drawings for about R12 000 depending on the material I use and the time I spent.
“Larger pictures take me about a month to complete. I need enough time to spend on my pictures to ensure that I don’t lose focus of what I am doing,” he explains.
In 2011 he participated in a number of art competitions including the Absa L’Atelier competition at the Absa Gallery in Johannesburg, and the Sasol New Signatures competition.
He said he ended in the top 100 nationally in both of these competitions.
