10 Nov 2014

When the Russian-French artist of the twentieth century Marc Chagall said, “Great art picks up where nature ends” he must have been referring or thinking of Monthusi Motseosi’s works. 

For 36-years-old Motseosi of Mahalapye art does not only put food on the table, but it is also a way of life. Though trained in electricity and bricklaying, he incorporates art into structures that he constructs. 

As a multi-talented individual, his business is not only limited to bricklaying and electrical installations, he also does landscaping, fountains, rockeries, lawn and flowers, tombstone designs, gazebo construction, kgotla kraal design and traditional lelwapa design.

“I try by all means to copy nature and pass it to my work to improve it, I want to visit museums such as Phuthadikobo in Mochudi and tourism sites like Tsodilo Hills so that I can get inspiration for new designs,” he said.

He said, “What is important is to give customers products and services that are different from what is currently being offered on the market, customers pay for a difference, not just a product.” he said.

Motseosi said he started incorporating art in his work when he was still designing traditional malwapa back in 2004, that is when he started making patterns on his work and his passion for art and construction grew.

It was after studying Bricklaying at Construction Industry Trust Fund in Mahalapye on the year 2008 that he began to seriously incorporate art on his craft.

By then he worked part time jobs and lived a hand to mouth existence. His craft, he said received a boost when he approached Mahalapye Youth office to seek funding and was given P87 000 through Young Development Fund (YDF) in August 2013 and started operating in April this year. 

“I used the money to purchase compactors, moulders, water pump, water tanks, welding machine and building construction tools.

Ever since then I became a full time employee in my company Thaba Khumo Investments,” he said. 

His clients, he said are mainly residents of Mahalapye and surrounding areas who need housing or structures whose designs are inspired by nature.

“I once constructed structures for another youth who was funded by YDF in Machaneng,” he said.

The father of one currently has three employees and they are always engaged in different projects for different clients all the time. 

“Since I am multi-skilled I easily switch from bricklaying to electrical installations to landscaping when times get tough so that I can stay in business. I also apply my bricklaying and landscaping skills on most projects I work on,” he said.

Even though he started operating in April this year, he has already paid back over a quarter of his loan and his intention was to pay back all the money this year but he ran into unexpected challenges.

Currently, he operates at his brother’s land while waiting for his application for a commercial land to be approved. 

At his brother’s land, he said, he was helping with the construction of a large workshop, and upon its completion he would increase production sharply and his employees to fifteen. 

“I am determined to see my business grow so that it can give birth to another business, a flower nursery business which will provide plants for landscaping. I am in the process of applying for land for the nursery business,” he said.

His success has not come without challenges though, he cites water shortages and lack of transport to transport moulded bricks to customers as challenges his new enterprise faces. ENDS