By Seleoe Nonyane
String art entails weaving coloured string, wool, wire or yawn between hammered nail to make geometric patterns.
Artists from around the world continue to make their name through being able to execute string art uniquely.
This organic idea to use thread and nails to form angles has grown from an educational tool to an art form like no other.
A Mosotho born string artist is also making her name in the string of art industry.
‘Maliepollo Naomi Motebang, who is also known as Kaai in the art world is a visual artist mostly focused on string art.
Kaai indicates that she comes from quite a number of places as a result of travelling a lot as a kid but is currently residing at Ha Thetsane in Maseru.
Travelling landed her in India in 2005 at the age of seven, where she settled for four years and was introduced to string art after enrolling at The International British school.
The school offered a variety of activities with art being fortunately one of them. So she listed string art as one of the activities she partook in.
“I was always open to new methods and I chose to pursue this because I have never seen such art in Lesotho and I want to be unique as possible. I started in 2017 but my raw material was not good so in 2019 I improved the quality of my material and started selling.
“The art business is hard for any other artist in Lesotho. Art materials are expensive and their prizes keep rising but when selling in Lesotho we have to consider that Lesotho does not really understand art and therefore undercharge our products.” Kaai, said in an interview with theReporter.
She said she started out by just looking up at pieces from the internet. Her greatest inspiration is her husband who she also claims is an artist.
One of her ultimate goal is for her art work to reach beyond Lesotho.
“I have already started in South Africa and I plan to go international one day.” Kaai, said.
The sky is definitely not the limit for Kaai as she explained that apart from string art, she has acquired some skills in information technology. She also attended classes in make-up.
Soon she intends to start a make-up business.
Kaai can be contacted on her mobile 50912860
