Edward Selematsela was born 1966 in the rural area of Modjadji in Limpopo. He studied Business and Art at Eastside College (now Johannesburg College) in Troyeville before starting a Fine Arts degree at the University of South Africa.
He met the late Dulcie Robinson, an esteemed Johannesburg artist, in the 1990s and she became his mentor, encouraging him and promoting his art. Together they also founded the Little Artist School in downtown Johannesburg in 1995. The project began in an orphanage to provide an activity for the children after school but soon reached out further to other disadvantaged children. Deutsche Bank has sponsored the Little Artist School since 2004 and it has grown in stature, producing many notable South African artists over the years. Edward still volunteers his time at the school, where he teaches and mentors students.
In 1997 Edward received the Merit of Excellence Award from the French Culture Centre in Pessac, Bordeaux. He was also awarded top Honours in the Black Like Us competition in 2007. His paintings focus on rural Limpopo and the pride, humanity and simple life of its people.
Many companies and individuals from across the world have invested in Edward’s art, including Vox United in the USA, the South African Embassy in Madagascar, Deutsche Bank, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council, Wright Rose-Innes, the Development Bank of South Africa and the University of Johannesburg.