23 Jul 2026

Motshidisi Mposa, a 26-year-old artist from Marapong, now based in Palapye, has built a prominent brand centred around expressive artwork, crocheting and portraiture.

Truly born with a gift for art, Mposa began drawing from his imagination at the tender age of five at Mampori Primary School in Marapong. 

There, his early pencil sketches caught the attention of the school head, leading to vital mentorship and encouragement. 

By the age of 13, he began painting using materials gifted by his elder brother, who recognised his potential to turn art into a viable livelihood.

Determined to succeed, Mposa submitted his early works to lodges and hotels in Francistown, learning the discipline of the commercial art market from the ground up. Throughout his time at John Nswazwi Secondary School and into senior school, he distinguished himself not only as a talented learner but also as a mentor, teaching his peers and sharing his artistic techniques.

A pivotal moment in Mposa’s career came in Gaborone after he met a lecturer from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, who introduced him to the broader art market. 

This encounter made him realise it was time to start earning from his craft, understanding that high-quality art is a valuable commodity.

Today, Mposa creates portraits designed for both interior and exterior decoration, specifically tailored for homes, lodges, hotels and corporate offices. 

Proving his commercial appeal, he recently sold two major works to the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) for P100,000.

Mposa attributes his uniqueness to his distinctive designs and his ability to convey deep meaning to his clients. One of his custom pieces was inspired by a client’s daughter, who was named after Africa.

“She holds the flower out to someone else who looks down. Maybe a stranger, maybe her future self. She is not giving advice. She is just sharing what she found, that you can hold love in one hand and hope in the other, right in the middle of everything,” Mposa explains.

In a bid to make his art more accessible, Mposa launched a project that turns ordinary flower pots into painted canvases. This initiative creates budget-friendly options for collectors while providing a sustainable and profitable revenue stream for his career.

Beyond painting, Mposa is highly skilled in crocheting. He creates traditional dolls, scarves, home decor items and popular pop-culture characters like SpongeBob SquarePants, which are highly sought after by children.

He is also deeply committed to environmental sustainability, recycling waste materials such as plastics and fibres to create functional flower pots and vases. By transforming trash into beautiful home and hotel decor, Mposa helps keep the local environment clean while generating income.

Despite his steady growth, financial constraints remain a significant hurdle.

“My dream has always been to create meaningful work to sell overseas, but the main problem is lack of funds and sponsorship,” he says.

Another challenge is local market perception, as society often struggles to appreciate art due to its high cost. 

Additionally, lack of specialised art supply shops in Palapye forces Mposa to travel regularly to Gaborone or Francistown to buy his material. Furthermore, he faces space limitations and lacks the capital required to rent a proper art studio in high-traffic commercial areas like local malls.

However, he commends organisations like First National Bank (FNB) and others that appreciate the value of local art and purchase his pieces without aggressive negotiations, helping him maintain and grow his business.

Mposa explains that quality art is inherently expensive because it requires a massive time investment and costly raw materials, both of which must be factored into the final price for a business to remain profitable.

Despite these obstacles, Mposa remains optimistic and his ultimate dream is to establish an art school where he can teach and mentor passionate young children, eventually helping them sell their artwork internationally. 

He also aims to compete in global art competitions to showcase Botswana’s talent and culture, earning foreign currency to boost both his career and the local economy.

Mposa draws deep inspiration from international art legends.

“Besides God my creator, I am deeply inspired by Frida Kahlo and Vincent van Gogh in the art market because of the incredible historical records they set through selling their works,” he says. ENDS