By Advancement & Events Assistant Mariel Lacson
Working at an arts education nonprofit has proved that there is never a shortage of inspiration from our staff, students, faculty, and supporters. We were so thrilled to hear from artist Sidney Molepo, who donated some of his beautiful purses to auction at past P.S. ARTS events, about an exciting new partnership opportunity. Sidney Molepo Artifacts creates handmade wood, brass, and leather fashion accessories, which have been worn on red carpets around the world by Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis, Celine Dion, Jessica Chastain, and Cody Horn. This year, Sidney Molepo has produced a limited edition, hand-made clutch to benefit our arts education programs. The sale of each bag will provide one P.S. ARTS student with a high-quality arts education during the regular school day for an entire school year — we are so grateful to Sidney Molepo for his generosity!
Sidney Molepo is dedicated to being a positive role model in his community. As a black South African-Canadian, he hopes to be an example for underrepresented students and artists and show them a clear career path in the arts. His humble beginnings as an artist and life-long passion for the arts are certainly an inspiration, and we are pleased to share his story:
“When I was a kid, my family immigrated to Canada from South Africa. My father was a refugee, and life wasn’t so easy for our family as we started over in a new country. My mother was trained as a teacher, but in order to get a better job in Canada to support our family, she went back to school to get degrees in French and Special Education — all with two young children at home! Even with everything going on in her own life, my mother created an extracurricular drama club for her students and devoted her time to creating plays with her students and opening their eyes to the unlimited possibilities of imagination and creativity. My mother’s passion for the arts and the importance of the arts in the lives of children was shared with me at home from an early age. I was always making my own toys from found materials, and my mother still likes to remind me of the year that all I wanted for Christmas were rolls of tape! Without the encouragement at an early age to be creative at home and in my public schools, to make things, and to be an artist, I would never have been able to pursue the career that I have — making unique creations.”
For every purchase of Sidney Molepo’s P.S. ARTS Clutch, one P.S. ARTS student will receive one year of arts education. To purchase a P.S. ARTS Clutch, and to learn more about Sidney Molepo Artifacts, please visit sidneymolepo.com.
