Durban — Inspiration is abundant at the KZNSA Gallery as some of the province’s top artists showcase their arts and crafts this festive season.
BuzzArt combines the gift shop and the main and mezzanine gallery as exhibition galleries.
“From the middle of November to January 7 the gift shop takes over the galleries. This gives us more space to celebrate KZN’s best designers and artists. We treat it like an exhibition but it’s shop ranges,” said KZNSA director Angela Shaw, adding that this year’s theme was “Made”.
Shaw said seasoned artists and new artists were able to exhibit their work, giving them something to add to their portfolio and providing an opportunity for collectors to find affordable art.
One of the artists showcasing his work is Sesing Frank Morai from Matatiele, who learned art as a toddler by watching his father paint.
“My ceramics are inspired by litema, a tradition where women decorate a house after the men have finished building it.
“These designs have soft and flowing patterns on the walls. The patterns are sometimes coloured with natural pigments or commercial paint and stained stones embedded in mud, and relief design are sometimes used as more permanent effects,” he said.
Morai, whose career spans 15 years, said his art also combined Sesotho and Xhosa cultural elements he picked up growing up in the Eastern Cape.
He encouraged aspiring artists to be patient and trust the process, because the industry is no child's play.
“You may lose some relationships along the way because of the time and the fact that most people don’t understand the art industry. Sometimes our families also can’t support us because of how unstable it is,” he said.
Sazi Dube from Empangeni said she started her art journey during her darkest time, when she suffered depression.
“I was unemployed and in a dark place in 2016. I found myself exploring colours. I did not know what I was doing then, but it led me to this journey of discovering art. I began abstract art, it healed me and I grew as an artist,” she said.
“The painting I’m showing now is called I am Grey and Colourful and is inspired by discovering that humans have a dark and light side to them.
“We all just need to find the balance. When I was depressed I was in the dark side of my personality and when I got better, the lighter side of me became more colourful,” she said.
Independent on Saturday