Baliki, who was born into a family of seven from Mathangwane, told Arts&Culture that art has come as a rescue to her.
That was when she was feeling hopeless and on the verge of committing suicide.
She says art saved her life during a trying period when she was jobless and the riddle of one’s life was wearing her down. She moved to Maun in 2010 to begin her BGCSE studies. As soon as she arrived at the tourist area, she said she fell in love with the local wildlife, environment, ethnicity, and culture of the area.
She added that one day in 2018 she woke up and made the decision to try something new, a year after earning a Bachelor of Science in Earth and Environmental Sciences from the Botswana International University of Science And Technology (BIUST). She said she had reached a point where she needed a fresh challenge and to make an impact in her life.
The gifted artist remembered how, upon seeing a leopard’s eye, she immediately set out to sketch the captivating image. The 29-year-old says that’s the day, Baliki, the artist was born. “I wasn’t always artistic, but I remember that in school, I always had no trouble drawing diagrams. I knew I could write, and in fact, I relied heavily on it to help me communicate and get over my depressing feelings,” the artistic woman remarked. Baliki said she started feeling good about her newly found experience and began to experiment with new things, such as drawing her own portrait.
The whole experience was fascinating, she says. The artist mentioned that she was later introduced to a friend or brother who provided her with additional art education. She further explained that her craft evolved from portraits and crafts to t-shirt and shoe customisation and gradually to murals.
“I was inspired to become an artist and to be passionate about art by my struggles at the time, but I was also inspired by my friend Prince, who was equally passionate about art,” she continued. The 29-year-old went on to say her artistic creativity uses a variety of vivid colours and is attention-grabbing. In addition, she enjoys conceptual art because it engages the viewer and gives her a creative outlet while arousing their curiosity and thoughts. She added that although the majority of her work combines an abstract element with a hint of realism, her skill set also includes hand painting t-shirts, mural painting, and working with others to accomplish the aforementioned tasks. One of the gifted artists recently painted a t-shirt depicting Botswana in an effort to sell it to the entire world and express her unwavering love for her native nation.
Her favourite piece of art that she has produced since beginning her journey is called ‘Song of Hope’ and it was painted on a little cake board that she picked up from the trash. “As an environmentalist, I think that things should be reused or made into something new, which is why I adore this piece of art, but what really makes it special is the message it conveys.
Through the eyes of a struggling young boy carrying a load of firewood in the dead of the night and his little lamp, which is a glimmer of hope, it tells a story of hope.
Despite facing life’s injustices, the boy never gives up and perseveres,” said Baliki. She stated that artwork inspires people who are struggling or on the verge of giving up to hold onto hope because, despite how dim the light may seem, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. She said she intended to paint roughly 60 pieces of art this year, but the quantity of work one produces depends on the difficulties one encounters.
She revealed that one of her problems is that there is low consumption of art in the country, which means her artwork stays unsold for years. She said while Batswana are gradually coming to value art and artists, the support is still insufficient. Baliki maintains that the majority of Batswana enjoy requesting favours and expecting things to be done for them at absurdly low prices. She added that because art is a universal language and artists are the creators of this language, their profession should be taken seriously and that art should bring people together.
“The government’s attempts to develop the arts as an industry and to include the arts are insufficient.
There is currently a gap in the market, but Batswana have talent and the art and the creative sector itself has the potential to employ and provide income for young Batswana,” the 29-year-old added. She stated that she paints in the hope that she will encourage young girls everywhere to develop their talents and to believe in themselves.
The innovative artist emphasised that it was crucial for her to create communities that value personal development and use the gifts that life has bestowed upon us, whether or not the government is involved.
