21-year-old Starlin Dlamini from Marianhill has always had a strong interest in arts and crafts. “Originally I was into pencil/charcoal. Then in high school, I was introduced to different art elements that shifted my focus. I started adding colour to my work – which brought it to life,” he says. “Oil and acrylic painting grabbed me, and seeing works by the late Gerard Sekoto and George Pemba inspired me.”
Starlin says his work is mostly urban with a lot of expressiveness. “I like to show bristle brushstrokes because to me they tell a story. I’ve come to realise that in our everyday lives we cannot express ourselves enough, so I put all my emotions in pieces that speak for me,” he says. “Art to me has been a form of communication, and very therapeutic. I’ve been healed by my quest for inner peace through soul searching, and I would like to share this amazing journey with the community around me.”
Starlin works at Emberton’s Ray’s Kitchen, where his art can be viewed and bought. He would love the opportunity to study and broaden further in terms of experience and skill. “I also dream of being able to help younger children discover and improve their talents. In many townships I see children turning into the product of the environment, which doesn’t shape the community in the right way.”
FOR MOR INFO:
- 0845489881
- stolenstarzz@gmail.com