Law and art may seem an odd companions but University of Fort Hare (UFH) law student, Thuso Pharela, 24, juggles both.
In addition to studying law, Pharela is also an artist who taught himself to draw a perfect portrait in only one year. “I was sent to a school called Lady Grey Arts Academy in Lady Grey for auditions when I was in Grade 10,” he said.
“They accepted me to study design and that is where I learnt to perfect pencil sketching and also taught myself to perfect it,” Pharela said. He said he was a bit of a “scribbler” growing up and often expressed his feelings through his craft.
“Being the only child at home, I ended up being an art nuisance in the house,” Pharela said.
“I remember getting a hiding for drawing on my note books by my maths teacher in Grade 7. My arts and culture teacher saw that I had potential and encouraged me to practise consistently.
“Art is my passion. I have loved drawing for as long as I can remember, but I do also have other priorities that I appreciate. My dream is to have my own art gallery,’ he added. where I’ll showcase my craft and tutor young aspiring visual artists.”
Pharela said explained how one of his key inspirations for his artwork was the painful emotions he felt after being told his father had passed away before he was born. of his father’s passing before he was born.
“I also look for inspiration from images that portray poverty and peer pressure in our communities. I often sketch things that are touching and affect some people.”
The size of the drawing and the equipment he used determined how long he took to complete a drawing. with each He indicated that how long each drawing takes depends on the size and the equipment he uses.
“For instance I spend six to seven hours on a colour pencil or grayscale pencil portrait during the weekend, and no less than eight hours on a ballpoint pen portrait [both A1 size] which can be really time- consuming,” said Pharela.
He said he was currently searching for a charity organisation he would be donating some of his work to.
“I did a portrait last year of a child held by a mother with tears running racing down his face, and I thought of donating that portrait because I was astonished by the number of children who go to bed starving. I mean it’s a struggle to have a child go through such an ordeal,” he said.
