Sthembile Ismael is a visual artist whose raw and compelling paintings reflect the everyday human elements of her life. With expressive brushstrokes, she creates are that resonates with authenticity and emotion.
From a young age, Sthembile was exposed to art through her mother, who she used to watch sketch. While she initially felt a tinge of jealousy as her own drawings were limited to stick figures, spending time creating art with her mother helped her improve her skills. It was only two years ago that she ventured into painting, and since then, she has found the experience to be beautiful and fulfilling.
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Sthembile is drawn to expressionism as it allows her to express her emotions directly onto the canvas. While she sometimes struggle with verbal communication, painting has become her purest and most soothing form of self expression.
To Sthembile, creativity is synonymous with originality. She believes that what she paints is a reflection of who she is as a person. For her, the act of creating art is a holistic experience that engages her mind, body, and heart. Through her paintings, she reveals her true self and shares her perspective with the world.
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Like many artists, Sthembile faces challenges in her own way. She often finds herself comparing her work to that of other artists, struggling to fully appreciate her own creativity. Additionally, she encounters difficulties in making non-aesthetes appreciate and understand art. However, Sthembile remains determined to overcome these challenges, continuously seeking new opportunities to showcase her talent and expand her artistic horizons.
