Jaenique Swartz
What started as doodles on a class desk evolved into a remarkable artistic journey that would eventually lead Evano Hardnick to airbrushing t-shirts for dance group Namjive.
His passion for art was further fuelled by the colourful characters of cartoon characters Pokemon and Dragon Ball-Z, which served as both inspiration and entertainment for him and his friends.
As a young artist, Hardnick found joy in bringing his favourite characters to life on paper, capturing their personalities and quirks with each stroke of his pencil. “I was really interested in airbrushing because it requires constant practice with hand and muscle memory. It also gives so much detail to an art piece,” he stated.
With airbrush in hand, Hardnick transforms plain t-shirts into works of art, using vibrant colours and intricate designs to create eye-catching pieces that captivated audiences. Airbrushing is something he taught himself independently, using YouTube, watching tutorials, and coming up with his own style and effects. Designing products, however, can take from 10 minutes to six hours depending on the intensity of the art piece.
“I believe my art can bring the community together, especially the youth. I always try to add positive messages in my art that can inspire them,” he expressed.
The artist is the face behind the recent creations worn by the Namjive crew and all its loyal customers. These are t-shirts covered with vibrant shapes and patterns to truly bring forth that Namibian flair, all hosting a positive message tagged on the t-shirts.
“Never give up on your dreams, nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it. You are the only one standing in the way of achieving your goals,” Hardnick said.
Founder of Namjive Ricardo Kameeta, expressed this was the new wave of branding to allow the brand to garner more attention and style brand. “Evano and I collaborated to bring forth a rainbow nation feel where we wish to call on other brands to join in as well.”
Namjive was established in 2017,
He moreover expressed immense gratitude that he
was able to work with Hardnick and hopes the two will continue to work alongside each other in the future.
- jaeniqueswartz@icloud.com