However, for Tuelo Pule, that opportunity became real when he was asked to draw and present a portrait of the Swiss First lady, Muriel Zeender Berset. She had accompanied her husband and Switzerland President, Alain Berset here for a three-day official visit.
During the visit, the Swiss First Lady visited Thapong Visual Arts Centre alongside Botswana’s First Lady, Neo Masisi where they met several local visual artists.
Pule was among the group that was selected to be part of the event after receiving a call on February 4, 2023 from Thapong Visual Arts Centre Director, Reginald Bakwena inviting him to the event. He was elated.
For the 31-year-old Jwaneng born, it was an opportunity he had longed for since he became an artist.
“I received a call the morning of Saturday the 4th of February from Mr Reginald Bakweng with Thapong asking me to paint Mrs Berset and I saw it as an opportunity to put myself out there. It was a great feeling,” he said in an interview with Arts & Culture.
The talented artist said being given the opportunity to paint the Spouse of the President of the Swiss Confederation rates among the best highlights of his career as an artist.
Despite the short time he had to produce the portrait, it came out as a beautifully-striking piece of art. He said the opportunity falls within his aspirations as an artist.
“I aspire to see the day where Batswana artists thrive being respected for what they do and having them contribute to the economy of the country,” he said.
From a tender age, Pule knew he was destined to become a painter. He said, “I would say as soon as I held my first pencil and this was in 1999, ever since then I never stopped drawing.”
He said as an artist, he is currently working on three types of medium which are graphite, charcoal and acrylic painting. However, he wishes to expand his skills and tap into oil painting.
Being an artist through and through, Pule has also found a niche to earn side income. He said he runs a small business that sells art materials which are currently not available in the country. Some of the things he is selling include electric erasers which he says help pencil artists to create details that a normal eraser can't.
Whilst he is yet to host a solo exhibition, he believes it wouldn’t be a difficult thing to do in the future, adding that there are galleries around that needs to be utilized.
