The Sunday Mail
Society Reporter
Young, aggressive and award-winning female graphic designer Taurai Valerie Mtake’s stoke continues to rise.
Known in graphic design circles as TaVaTake, the 28-year-old was recently appointed a member of the Loeries Youth Committee Mentorship Programme, representing Africa and the Middle East.
Loeries is a non-profit making company administering awards for the brand communications industry in Africa and the Middle East.
The committee comprises 15 dynamic young professionals from the brand communications industry who will be mentored by the Loeries Board, Facebook and UN Women so that they can act as a voice for the youth in the industry.
The history-making designer says the appointment means a lot.
“As a young and female graphic designer, the appointment means young women’s voices are going to be heard. Graphic design is dominated by men and this appointment is a clear indication that young women are coming out of their comfort zones,” Mtake said.
Her interest in Art started at a very tender age and was nurtured at Dominican Convent School in Harare.
She also attended the Zimbabwe Institute of Vigital Arts (ZIVA) where she honed her skills through a two-year Graphic Design and New Media Diploma programme in which she was mentored by Professor Saki Mafundikwa.
She graduated in 2012, becoming the youngest and overall second-best student.
She went on to acquire a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Graphic Design (2016) and Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Visual Communication Design, specialising in Graphic Design at Greenside Design Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa (2017).
Her passion for typography led her to being the first Zimbabwean to be awarded membership to the International Society of Type Designers for her project titled “The life’s work of Adrian Frutiger” in 2016.
Her other project, “Reviving the Bantu Symbol Writing”, which delves into contemporary visual culture, received three awards from two of the most prestigious creative industry and brand communication awards.
Her designs were selected and won a Gold Loerie, Gold Pendoring, as well as a Grand Prix Pendoring award.
Mtake’s entry, the only one by a student, won her Gold at the Loeries 2017, becoming the overall winner of the student category across Africa.
In 2018, she exhibited her project at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA).
That same year, a rebranded project that she had done during her internship at the Grid Worldwide TBWA won her a bronze medal award at the Loeries.
