CHITUNGWIZA Arts Centre respected elderly stone engraver Patrick Fredy finds it important to create images that constantly remind people to make it part of their culture to plan their families.
Fredy’s Family Planning creative engravement is a springstone depicting a family of five that has seen its love growing stronger over the years, with the parents looking at each other in adoration while their children anchor them with gentle support.
His imagination on family planning comes at a time when there is a drive for increased access to health facilities as well as programmes to fight child marriages.
The question is: If this huge Family Planning figurine is mounted in a garden or street, who and how many people will quickly get the right message and meaning from it?
Twenty-first century communicators prefer short, clear and on point messaging, which brings people together for a common understanding.
Fredy defended his symbolic content saying: “There are several safe ways of family planning recommended by doctors and governments. One of them is to get the right education and profession or entrepreneurial abilities which enable those in marriage to have children they can shelter, feed well and impart good life skills to.
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“Getting the right education makes one demand access to health facilities, where expert advice on family planning methods is availed. A happy marriage is planned for and nurtured.”
Fredy does not know any other profession than sculpting and has sold his creative works in several parts of the world.
Through consistency on carving abstracts on deep thinking, families and heads, Fredy and his wife Christine have managed to raise university and college graduates Kevin, Melody, Knowledge and Blessing.
“I have not gone to any international exhibition or won a prestigious award. I feel hard work has fruitfully paid for me,” he said.
“Over the years, I have been working from home and was lucky to be allocated some space at the Chitungwiza Arts Centre, where I expect more business to come.
“There is a generator which we use in case of power outages. We take turns to buy fuel to power it and that has helped a lot.”
He said his clients preferred carvings done on springstone and leopard rock stones compared to other stones he has attempted to work on.
“I have built my skills through mastering several punching techniques on hard and soft stones and I advise fellow artists to use the stones they are comfortable to work on,” he said.
“So goes with family planning, a couple decides on a best practice that enables them to be a happy family.”