Chris Theko
Mphohlela Ralethoko, widely known by his artistic alias Uncle Donze, has announced a two-year break from his flourishing career as a pencil artist to concentrate on his academic pursuits.
The 22-year-old self-taught artist, who rose to fame in 2021, has become a household name in the fine arts world, celebrated for his exceptional drawing skills.
Born and raised in the dusty village of Koalabata, on the eastern outskirts of Lesotho’s capital, Maseru, Uncle Donze has captured the hearts of many with his intricate pencil drawings. Despite his young age, his artistry has earned him the title of “the best pencil artist” among his peers and admirers.
In a recent interview with Newsday, Uncle Donze revealed that he is returning to school full-time after a two-year hiatus.
“After dropping out two years ago, I have finally decided to resume my studies, but in a different field,” he shared.
He has enrolled in a four-year course at University in Rwanda, which marks a significant shift in his life, as he temporarily steps back from the art world to prioritise his education.
Uncle Donze’s journey began after completing his secondary education at Methodist High School. He initially enrolled at Lerotholi Polytechnic but left to focus on his art career. During this time, he built a respected brand, leveraging social media platforms like YouTube to showcase his talent and gain widespread recognition.
Despite his decision to pause his artistic endeavours, Uncle Donze assured his fans that he would not entirely abandon his craft.
“I will try to give art my attention during school breaks and if there are any good offer requests for my work,” he said, offering a glimmer of hope to those who admire his work.
Uncle Donze’s success has challenged traditional perceptions of art as a viable career path. Through his dedication and skill, he has proven that passion can indeed be transformed into a sustainable livelihood, even in fields where financial success is not always guaranteed.
As Uncle Donze embarks on this new chapter, his fans and the art community will undoubtedly await his return to the drawing board, eager to see what new inspirations his academic journey will bring to his future works.
Taking a break away from the limelight might set him back since more artists are coming through the ranks, he has acknowledged that he may come back to find the competition tough.
“I don’t think I will be able to come back and pick up where I left off because only drawing on holidays might push back the brand and for sure there will be hot new artists so picking up where I left everything will be hard but I pray I will,” he stated.
In 2023 he managed to create a masterpiece of the Swiss tennis legend, Roger Federer who had been in Lesotho on his foundation engagements. He has also created masterpieces for the country’s Prime Minister, Sam Matekane, and the Minister of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police, Lebona Lephema.
Over the years, Uncle Donze has been able to make sales of six and 5 figures for his art pieces where one was sold for M200,000 and another M80,000. He said those have been his biggest achievements to date.
“Apart from having an art piece sold for 6 and 5 figures in 2023 which I had never expected, another achievement was being able to organise the first ArtFair in Lesotho with the help of a close friend Jason, and all the expenses on my shoulders as there were no sponsors,” he said.
Uncle Donze mentioned that the ArtFair will not take a break as an annual event, also highlighting that the 2025 edition will be on 10 August.
“Hopefully this coming year we will have sponsors as the event had a very good attendance of around 80 people this year. This simply showed us how much our people love and have been longing for art shows which is sorely about the fine art,” he concluded.
