By: ‘Moelo Motsiri
MASERU
Tšepo Mofana is a 24-year-old young man who has turned his love for drawing into a real job. He is a third-year student at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) in Maseru.
Tšepo is now working as an upcoming art designer, and he is using his art to celebrate and share Basotho culture.
Tšepo’s art mostly shows the beauty of Basotho heritage. He uses patterns and symbols that are part of Basotho history and culture. His art is not only nice to look at, but it also teaches people about the traditions of Lesotho.
His biggest inspiration came from his late mother, Matšepo Mofana. She used to sew clothes made from the traditional Seshoeshoe fabric. She also loved drawing patterns, making clothes, and creating decorations for family celebrations. Tšepo grew up watching his mother do these creative things, and that is when his love for art started.
“I got inspired by my late mom,” Tšepo said. “She was very creative. She used to sew Seshoeshoe and draw different patterns for clothes and decorations for different occasions.”
At first, Tšepo did not think of his drawing as something serious. It was just a hobby. But everything changed in 2019 when he started studying graphic design at university. That’s when he realized that his love for drawing could become his future job.
“When I was young, I used to draw a lot. I loved making crafts too. I never knew that one day this would become my career,” Tšepo explained.
Now Tšepo’s main goal is to use his art to tell stories about Basotho heritage. He wants to share his culture through his designs. He also wants to remind other artists about the beauty of Basotho traditions, because many young artists forget to include it in their work.
At the start of his journey, Tšepo worked very hard to get noticed. He designed many pieces and shared them on social media. Slowly, people started to see his talent, and his work became more popular.
Tšepo has now created art for many companies and brands. He has designed for Cheso Chills, made wall art for Tholoana Soft Drinks and Necha, and created a backdrop for Joachin Garments. He also worked on designs for Lintle Shoes and Leseli Hub Pty Ltd.
“I am very thankful to God for the chance to design for these brands,” Tšepo said with a smile.
With the money he earns from his art, Tšepo is now investing in his business. He is also trying something new designing furniture. In the future, he hopes to open his own studio where people can come and see his art. He also dreams of starting his own clothing brand, where his art will be printed on clothes.
Tšepo’s advice to young Basotho, “Chase your dreams, even when the journey is tough. Sometimes your talent might not seem important at first, but if you work hard, stay strong, and never give up, success will find you.”