Ntshingane uses God�s creations for her art
Chippa Legodimo | Friday January 9, 2015 12:55
The mountains and the arrangement of rocks that make them, the way rivers snake through the vast open spaces and arrangement of the bushes often inspire artistic imagination. African artists are predominantly inspired by the continent’s natural physical features. Most African artists also rely heavily on natural resources around them to produce mind-blowing pieces, which have proved attractive to the global market.
Local artist, Akanyang Doris Ntshingane, is no different from other African artists who use stone and natural wood to carve sculptures and make other art pieces.
Her studio at Thapong Visual Arts Centre in Gaborone is filled with works mainly crafted from natural resources, especially wood. Among her most outstanding is a fruit basket made of dried paws of a flamboyant tree.
If you want to lighten the mood in your living room, Ntshingane has a wall decorator to leave your visitors in complete awe.
The crafty woman simply sliced a tree trunk into various circles, painted them in various colors before connecting them together in rows to make one rectangular shape and tied it to a lot that would act as a holder to the wall.
Recycling is an integral part of Ntshingane’s practice as she uses a lot of material many might see as trash to produce some eye-catching products like key holders, vases, picture frames, pen holders lamp covers.
Her versatility is demonstrated by the easy way she uses various materials for weaving and installation.
In fact, since December last year, one of the most attractive art works that greets any visitor at Thapong is her multi colored installation in front of her studio.
“I would say I am an all-rounder because my creativity goes beyond just one area. When I look a material, ideas start flocking into my head. I see a gem in someone’s trash,” she told Arts & Culture.
Interestingly, most of the wood she uses is not thoroughly treated to maintain its originality.
“It is important for the person who buys that product to relate with it.
I deliberately did not scratch the wood and the paws because I wanted them to look natural. Many people prefer them this way,” she said.
Although she currently speaks with enthusiasm about what art had done for her, Ntshingane’s journey was never an easy one.
A self-taught artist she had to learn the art of improvising to reach the top.
When she started designing in 2008, it was largely as a hobby, but she gradually developed a business sense and soon she was making more products. The more she crafted, the more she refined her skill, which attracted art lovers.
She has attended several exhibitions but to date has not bagged any award. This however hasn’t discouraged the talented artist.
“I was encouraged to go on because while people did not buy my products, most would commend me and actually appreciate my work. That has always inspired me to continue working hard,” she said.
Ntshingane proudly declares that her perseverance has paid off and she is now able to put bread on the table through her craft.