Tommy Motswai was born on 27 May 1963 in Johannesburg. Although he was born deaf he ultimately became a prolific and successful artist portraying the world around him on paper with pastels. In his own words, “I like to draw happy people doing ordinary things like travelling on buses, talking and singing, in places I know well, like Soweto.”
biographyREF B-0008675Revised
Biography record
Thomas Trevor (Tommy) Motswai
- Born
- 27 May 1963
- Updated
- 23 Aug 2019
Thomas Motswai Image source
How we know this
- 01Sack, S. (1988). The Neglected Tradition, Johannesburg: Johannesburg Art Gallery.
- 02Johannesburg Art Foundation closure
- 03Thomas Motswai: A timeline
Last updated · 23 Aug 2019
South African History Online. (2011, February 17). Thomas Trevor (Tommy) Motswai. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/nso/ref/B-0008675
South African History Online (2011) 'Thomas Trevor (Tommy) Motswai', South African History Online, 17 February. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/nso/ref/B-0008675 (Accessed: 22 July 2026).
South African History Online, Thomas Trevor (Tommy) Motswai [website], https://sahistory.org.za/nso/ref/B-0008675, (accessed 22 July 2026).
"Thomas Trevor (Tommy) Motswai." South African History Online, 17 Feb. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/nso/ref/B-0008675. Accessed 22 July 2026.
South African History Online. "Thomas Trevor (Tommy) Motswai." South African History Online. February 17, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/nso/ref/B-0008675.
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