Working in the arts full-time isn’t an easy path to take your career – and this 37-year old artist knows it first-hand. It often sounds like a pipe dream for many, but this story is proof that you can make the impossible possible. All you need is relentless passion and practise.Meet Maps. Maps’ artistic talent truly came to light when he was 17 years old. He would sit at school and draw all the time – and his teachers really appreciated his passion and skill. Maps loved visual arts so much that he wanted it to become his full-time career. But his parents weren’t so thrilled with the idea. Instead, they wanted him to focus on something more business-driven.But Maps couldn’t shake off his burning passion for visual arts. He only got an opportunity to really showcase himself once he finished high school. He got a job as a receptionist and decided to join a tertiary school to learn more about art. He did his ANC at a tertiary institution, and worked for a few stores doing small art jobs. There was nothing digital at the time – so everything he did was all by hand. And then one day around 2013, he finally decided to go on his own. The company he worked for at the time thought it would be foolish for him to leave and go on his own to pursue his passion. But he did it nonetheless.Maps started his career by going to Maboneng, the cultural and artistic hub of Johannesburg, to look for people who he could produce art for. At the time Maboneng was still new, and people were building up their stalls. But Maps dove right in to see how he could make his dream a reality.He started out using chalk in his first job in Maboneng. He earned R50 and the piece took him a single day to complete. This was the moment that Maps really got to showcase his abilities. The store he was working at was really impressed with his work and wanted to give him more business at the Shed – 1 Fox street where many creatives showcased their pieces.The hustle soon began for Maps – and the one thing that kept him going was his goal to simply see a smile on his client’s face. The joy on a client’s face was all he cared about and that’s how he measured success and recognition: impressing his clients. Not how much money he made.At this point, Maps was meeting a lot of people who had networks with events and businesses and soon built up his own network. And each one loved his work for the same reason: Maps always operated with passion. And passion is what drove him through his long journey of seven to eight years before becoming well-recognised in the industry. Today, Maps does all kind of visual arts – from chalk art, sculptures to murals. And most of Maps’ clients come through by word of mouth. In fact, that’s how we got the beautiful chalkboard art at the launch of YuLife SA!He has never had a business card or an office, and he works from home. Maps has grown his passion into doing much more than building a career. He’s managed to teach others from the community how to draw and create art. And he’s not stopping anytime soon. One of his future goals is to teach and inspire children from the township. He sees the amount of talent they have, but the lack of guidance or structure to turn it into a living. And that’s why he’s working to help others using the skills he’s learned – so they can find the same passion and success he has. Maps is no longer just a local artist. He’s an inspiration to those in the community, his parents, and especially the youth in the townships who struggle to find their place in the economy after leaving school.Today, Maps has landed a series of big clients from Food Lovers Market, DSTV delicious food festival, Baron restaurant group, Mzini in Melville, Onions and All in Soweto, The Fourways Farmers Market and more. Maps is always looking for new opportunities to share his incredible work. So if you’re looking for a talented, passionate artist to create amazing chalkboard art, traditional sign writing or murals – reach out to Maps at 0784804976. His work is truly one-of-a-kind.