Meet Mabutho the artist extraordinaire

ISAAC PHEKO
Correspondent | Thursday November 13, 2008 00:00

 

He is a decorated artist and academic in his own right.

'Some of my awards include the Best Student award from Russell Roads College and Best International Student Achiever award from Port Elizabeth Technikon (PE Tech) in South Africa' Mabutho revealed.

Mabutho explained he has won an impressive 16 awards in his art career so far. He says his love for art started when he was a student at Mmei Junior Secondary School and Francistown Senior Secondary School where he excelled in art.

'I did my national service (Tirelo Sechaba) at Nxai National Park for seven months, I was then transferred to Francistown to join Marothodi,' he said. Mabutho said that his time at Marothodi introduced him to screen-printing. 'I was working as an assistant textile designer, I did drawings and designs for customers and companies,' he said.

Mabutho said that his designs at Marothodi were inspired by themes like wildlife, cultural and historical sites. When an opportunity to study textile design and technology in South Africa presented itself Mabutho was on the next bus to South Africa. The institution was Russell Roads college specialising in art.

Mabutho said the one-year bridging course at college introduced him to fine arts, computer graphics and sculpture/ceramic design. 'In my first year at PE Tech I was exposed to textile designing, textile technology, weaving dyeing and printing,' he said.

'During my time in PE I joined the Eatern Cape Art Association and exhibited my art works on an annual basis. I was honoured with the 'Most Promising Student' award during my first year by the Young Textile Designers Association in Cape Town,' he said.

'In 2001 I worked briefly as an art teacher at Nxakato Junior Secondary School in Sowa Town. The next year I went on to work as a unit manager at Ramatea Vocational school in Kanye. I went back to university in South Africa. This time I was studying at Tshwane University of Technology,' he said.

'At Tshwane University I was studying for my B-Tech in Textile design and Technology. In 2006 I was employed by the Ministry of Education as a senior lecturer in clothing design and textiles in Maun. I am currently a senior lecturer at the Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Education (FCTVE),' Mabutho explained.

He revealed that he participates in the Artists of Botswana annual exhibition, while he has held three solo exhibitions at Supa Ngwao Museum.

'My art works can be found in private collections and some of them are at Supa Ngwao Museum.

He hailed the recent presidential directive, saying the art industry has been given a lift by President Ian Khama. 'I encourage the youth to take part in art related subjects because art is becoming lucrative and so artists must focus on selling artworks as souvenirs to tourists,' he said.