13 Apr 2016

After scooping best position in ceramics in Thapong Artist of the year competition held last year November, 35-year old Emmanuel Senamolela of Kopong village is optimistic that he is going to make it in the upcoming President Competitions in the ceramic category.

The fact that entering the competition will be his very first time, he is not fearful, but rather excited as he believes in himself and also says his is not basic pottery, but modernised and unique, interrelating with Batswana’s traditional way of life and therefore different from most pottery products around which is basic hence the common use of the traditional red clay soil.

He says he often gets new pottery ideas when resting which he will excitedly execute. He says though at the moment he does not have any idea of what he is actually going to make.

However, Senamolela is adamant that whatever he puts his finger on will be creativity at its best. Senamolela’s passion for pottery started in 2003. Although he tried to use the Potter’s wheel at school, he could only embarrass himself as he had no idea of how to use it.

Peter Hawes’s amazing pottery skills at Camphill inspired Senamolela to want to learn more in pottery. He sponsored himself in 2007 and went to England to hone his pottery making skills. Besides Hawes’s mentorship, he had always admired his mother one Tuelo Senamolela’s love for art seeing her do traditional house decoration like Lokgapho.

Apart from getting set for the President competitions, Senamolela said his business is doing well as he got funding from the Ministry of Youth Sport and Culture in 2014 to help him buy the necessary tools for the business.

He said he has also acquired a business plot in Kopong just along the road which is quiet convenient for his clientele. He also noted that government departments as well as individuals are buying his products and that he often gets more business through word of mouth which motivates him to work even harder.

To further expand his business, he intends to have facilities to teach Art teachers ceramics as most of them do not know how to use the potter’s wheel. The initiative, he said if put in place will help teachers impart ceramic pottery skills to students.

“Non-vocational education can really take this country somewhere as there is high unemployment rate,” he said.

Senamolela was once engaged by the government to co-facilitate a workshop on the Potter’s wheel at Molepolole College of Education, saying this could really bear fruits if this was done more often as there are few ceramists around hence nurture ceramic pottery. ENDS