By Donata Mpochela
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-What started as a pastime zone maneuvering with pencils and color pencils years back in 1992, has finally grown into a standalone business, all thanks to Madalitso Ziwaoh his passion for painting.
Today, the 36-year-old Ziwaoh, a visual artist who work with paints that he draws such as portraits, landscapes, abstracts, wildlife, sign writings and mural paintings and decorations who works chose one of his bedrooms to his art studio started his artistic at a tender age.
“I started at a tender age and that was 1992 in Bangwe Catholic Primary School in Blantyre. That time I was just drawing with pencils and color pencils only, I then taught myself drawing using paint in 2004 and started selling my artworks in 2007,” Ziwaoh explained.
His choice of career of visual arts, it is just an inborn talent which helps him to boosts his business.
Ziwaoh has knowledge about art obtained in Europe (Italy).
“Art is just an inborn talent. It made me to have an opportunity to go to Europe (Italy) in 2007 to 2009 where I obtained some knowledge about art. Even though it was just a part time art school which was more less like Malawian secondary school.
“I was learning subjects like mathematics, science, geography, history but all in Italian language, above all it was because of this art talent that made me to go to Italy,” Ziwaoh said.
However, his business journey has so far been good even though with some challenges, as he does not have an of office but works at his home and chose one of the bedrooms to be his art studio.
“There times people call me to do some works their shops, houses, and other buildings to do paintings as a signs even though some customers don’t honor their words by not paying after taking artworks,” he said.
Being in visual art is never easy though.
“When it comes to materials, they are very expensive in Malawi and not easily found since we have numbered shops selling these art materials and also relationship gap between the ministry of arts and artists themselves it is a very big challenge in our country,” Ziwaoh said.
So far, the firm has managed to change people’s mindset.
“I had my first Solo art exhibition at Jacaranda Cultural Center in Blantyre on February, 2020 themed ‘The Beauty in Black’ which helped to change people’s mindset that black is poor, ignorant, untalented, useless, senseless but being black is love, hardworking, caring spirit.
“All these embraces people with warm welcome, intelligent, potential, skilled. My talent has helped me to shape people’s perception about art,” Ziwaoh said.
Ziwaoh adds: “The theme Beauty in Black was used as a way of trying to promote awareness to black people to be proud the way they were created because there is no need to be busy bleaching their skins trying to be white.
“On the other hand, many parents are perceiving art as a good career than in the past thinking it is the waste of time that resulted that our schools not to have art lessons,” He said.
Looking back, Ziwaoh recalls spending sleepless nights drawing and painting because it has always been a daily inspiration.
“Its been my passion because most times I come up with a title then I could paint or sometimes I would translate the art into a proverb. I am always convinced with my work especially on how the actual picture will look like example like of humans, models, kids whereby I do like the emotions and the concept of the picture which gives a story.
“I remember when I saw pictures of a musician, Kim of Diamonds, I drew her to use her picture as a model and sometimes I take pictures of children playing around because I like painting children because of the joy that they have,” Ziwaoh said.
To its credit it has managed to pay school fees for his siblings and child, take care of his family and friends as well built his own house.
Ziwaoh, a third born in a family of seven, did his primary school at Bangwe Catholic and Secondary at Bangwe Community Day Secondary School, who also holds a Diploma in Art obtained at Universita della Terza Eta, Universita Popolare in Italy.
He has just won international painting competition on third position.
