Samukelo Gqola is an emerging South African fine artist and contemporary printmaker born in 1997 in Soweto, Johannesburg. His creative journey gained momentum in 2018 when he enrolled at the prestigious Artist Proof Studio (APS) in Johannesburg, a premier institution celebrated for nurturing high-tier visual talent. During his foundational first year in printmaking, Gqola's technical promise earned him an appointment to the studio's Special Projects Unit. Within this elite division, he collaborated on major, large-scale corporate commissions, gaining critical practical experience in navigating the professional African art market.

Gqola has advanced his technical mastery within the Education and Pro-Studio units at APS, focusing deeply on highly demanding, traditional ink-and-plate processes.