Blessings come in many forms and in this case it’s a great big smile and a guy with an almost unpronounceable surname, Blessing Chakandinakira.
Blessing was born in Mutare, Zimbabwe in 1989. His father worked for a leather shoe company, which relocated to Bulawayo when Blessing was very young and as with so many rural families, his parents were forced to live apart, the children staying with the mother, while the husband worked away and sent home money. However, when Blessing was two he became very ill, which drove the whole family to relocate to Bulawayo where Blessing would benefit from more sophisticated medical facilities and treatment.
Blessing took art as a practical subject in secondary school, and it is here where he started to develop his journey and love of art especially for watercolors. After school he did a year under the mentorship of well-known Zimbabwe artist Kaufman Ndlovu, and his passion for the medium pushed him further as he experimented with different techniques and applications, gaining recognition in the Zimbabwe and international art world.
Blessing paints what he sees, an introduction to his reality and his life experiences as his subject matter tells stories of rural Africa, beautiful Zimbabwe, steam trains, wildlife, and the humanity that surrounds him. He has participated in several exhibitions and art festivals, and generously shares his talent running workshops at schools and privately. His first solo exhibition in Harare was a huge success, and his second solo exhibition is coming up on Saturday 16th December, 6pm at the Kupenda Africa Gallery in Montagu , Western Cape, where he will have approximately 60 paintings on exhibition. The title of the exhibition is “Journey”, and at the opening evening while enjoying a glass of wine, you can watch Blessing demonstrate his expertise.
In his softly spoken voice, he told me his journey with watercolors is never ending as the experience of each new day and the consequential mood at the time is what inspires him and motivates him to paint a particular subject at any time. It is very humbling to follow his story, a young man who came from nowhere and probably limited resources but who has followed his passion to reach his goals. His positive attitude and his enthusiasm are palpable, there seems to be an inner wisdom too, and Blessing Chakandinakira is a name we are going to see a lot more of as he continues on his journey .
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