AFTER hearing God’s voice instructing him to use his talent as an artist, Freedom Mabumbulu, from Humansdorp, began creating art pieces which he hopes will uplift people in his community and inspire other artists to follow their dreams.
As a young boy, Mabumbulu used crayons and pencils to sketch anything that came to mind on any piece of paper he could find.
It was, however, only in 2019, after hearing God’s voice encouraging him to pursue his talent, that he began creating his own art pieces.
Mabumbulu, who is a general worker at Woodlands Dairy, then proceeded to buy portrait and fabric paints and created his first art piece.
“I received a calling from the Lord demanding me to serve the world by using the gifts he gave me. I believe that creating artwork is my purpose,” he said.
“I was so proud of myself after painting my first portrait. When my friends and family saw my first painting, they could not believe I had created something so unique.”
Despite not having any formal training as an artist, he has painted portraits and various artworks on fabrics and sneakers, as well as unique wall art.
To better his skills, Mabumbulu believes it is important to continuously create new art pieces which play a major role in boosting his confidence.
“It’s important for me to be confident in my work so I do not get demotivated from doing what I love, which is creating various art pieces. To achieve my goals, it is also important for me to work hard every day,” said Mabumbulu.
He said his artwork has been in high demand in Humansdorp and many people have supported his dream by purchasing quite a few of his art pieces.
Despite receiving support from people in his community, Mabumbulu has found it difficult to promote his work outside of Humansdorp .
In addition, Mabumbulu, who believes regular interaction with other artists would help improve his artwork, has also found it difficult to connect with other artists in his area.
“I believe that it is important to surround myself with people who are going to challenge me and share their experiences with me. It would also be great to connect with artists who can teach me some basic skills which could help to improve my artwork,” said Mabumbulu.
His hope is to become a nationally and internationally recognised artist and to use his experience to help other artists who are struggling to sell their artwork.
“There are many artists in Kouga who are struggling to sell their artwork and receive recognition for their hard work. I hope to one day help artists sell their artwork,” said Mabumbulu.
