"Who's chopping Onions?" Young South African Artist Leaves Mzansi In Tears

• A TikTok video went viral as Ricollin shared his inspiring journey from financial hardship to becoming a full-time artist
• Despite his mother's illness and his father's financial difficulties, Ricollin's talent and resilience led him to success as an artist
• The comments were flooded with emotional support, and many praised Ricollin's talent and motivation and shared how he inspired them

A TikTok video by a local artist goes viral after being posted on 20 September 2025. The artist tells his story of his journey to becoming a full-time artist, using his power of perseverance in the face of difficulty.

No art supplies, no worries

The TikTok of TikTok of @ricolliart_official has Mzansi in tears. The video shows how Ricollin Moodley became an artist as a child after facing financial hardship. His mother was sick, and his father could barely afford rent. He used his talent for creating art pieces to make money.

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When he could not afford to buy art supplies, instead of using paint and pastels, he used whatever he could find: curry, coffee, food colouring and makeup. For Ricollin, it was never about giving up, but it was always about finding a way.

Struggles to success

Ricollin's journey shows just how important it is to keep going, even when life gets hard. Despite the money problems and personal struggles, he stayed focused on his dream of becoming an artist and helping his family. Psychology Today reported that resilience is the ability to bounce back from difficult situations and become stronger because of these challenges. Ricollin's journey proves that with determination, anyone can overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

erty said:

"🔥🔥🔥 Amazing story! So talented — well done! God gave you a gift to provide for your family. As the quote says: 'There’s a solution to every problem; you just have to think outside the box'.”

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Jpgray1990 wrote:

"LETS GO BOY! Let’s go! I was exactly like this, got a hiding because of it, today I’m a tattoo artist and a certified graphic designer!"

~°•°♡AliciA♡°•°~ commented:

"This made me cry 😭 you're amazing 🥰💗💗💗💗"

natashainnorway wrote:

"This is absolutely insane. You’re so talented! Super proud of you even though I don’t know you ❤"

Anele💗commented:

"Is it just me who noticed he painted Steph Curry with curry? 😩😭 so talented!"

Nooshy🌻said:

"May God elevate you to beyond your wildest dreams. This video is overflowing with grit and grace. The journey is tough but you stood by your talent. Bless you! ❤"

Anotski😌wrote:

"I love posts like this that make me happy. You deserve everything coming your way King."

Sara fisher commented:

"I didn’t plan on crying today! 😭 You have a God given talent and it’s so beautiful! I hope it takes you far places."

Watch the TikTok video below:

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3 Other Briefly News art stories

• Ricollin meets Springboks after uploading his lipstick artwork, which he created of them, onto Instagram.
• Briefly News reported on another article of Ricollin's lipstick portraits featuring South African celebrities.
• A South African artist shared in a TikTok video her process of creating stone sculptures and all the work she put in, and left Mzansi amazed.

Source: Briefly News