There are those
who believe that some people are ‘born’ with the ability and spatial intelligence
to draw and paint well, while others are not.
Twenty-nine year-old,
Witlock Kamatoto is currently exhibiting a series of sample works at Omba Gallery until the 12th of April
2014, and once he paints the story of his colourful background, the aforementioned belief
instantly leaps to mind.
Kamatoto, a husband and father born and bred in Otjiwarongo, central-northern Namibia, disclosed
that as a toddler and young boy, when out looking, his parents frequently
found him drawing and scribbling in the sand with a small, dusty finger. In
adolescence, at school especially, his ability to draw well was recognised and identified
by a teacher, who encouraged him to continue drawing until he was considered the best
artist at school. He never thought of what he does as ‘art’ and still does
not; to him, the ability to draw and paint well are like any other skills which form the basis of a chosen career.
Kamatoto later attended the Otjiwarongo Arts & Performance Centre, as a student of the
visual arts. He studied drawing and painting under Martin Scott and graduated
in 2011. Kamatoto now specialises in oil painting on hardboard, depicting Namibian
landscapes, wildlife, portraits and is exceptionally good at murals.
Kamatoto is, for the moment, an artist for commission
work and has an impressive list of satisfied Namibian clients in his portfolio,
including private farms and tourist lodges. His keen eye, deft hand, innate
feeling for balance and proportion, combined with an almost effortless ability
to recreate what he observes in realistic style, sans stylisation, makes him a
valuable Namibian asset, especially for commissioned public works of art.
Omba Gallery will host Witlock Kamatoto’s exhibition from
the 25th of March until the
12th of April, 2014.
For more
information:
Contact:
Shareen Thude;
Venue: Omba
Gallery;
Number: (061) 242 222.
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