it all started seeing my friend's older sister paint,i was about 8 years by that time. The way her hand and wrist were moving swiftly across the surface was captivating,found myself caught in the moment. All i could hear was the strokes of the wet brush as it hit the canvas. Felt such an adrenaline rush I involuntarily imitated the movements.
Woken up from my day dream by my friend laughing at me, i hurried home to see if i couldn't do what his sister was doing. Problem was i had no paint neither a brush, so i took the only thing near which was my pencil, it didn't feel right even though i had never held a paint brush before. I had to fall in love with it for now,like i knew what falling in love was * chuckles*,until i could get the necessary material to paint.
Practice came everyday and everywhere i could,also nagging my friend to invite me over to they house just so i could watch his sister at work.I could never ask her to show me how she does it until i felt i was at the right level. surely i didn't want to look like a fool wasting her precious time. Told myself one day i too shall create such wonderful landscape pieces to catch the eyes, to have the viewer lost into a world of fantasy.
I researched styles,techniques and what i could find about painting,put them to practice with my pencil. Before i knew it i became infatuated with it,became one with the pencil. I stuck to it still hoping that one day i will get my set of painting material. Time went by and that faded off. Though i never felt confident about my progress, my family told me i was getting better and advised i enter competitions to acquire more. I built the courage to but the fact that i always came out last wore me down, it killed the little confidence i had, but i noticed how everyone in all the competitions i took part in enjoyed creating landscape pieces with myself included. So i asked myself why not try something different,my aunt always wanted me to draw her so i diverted to peoples faces. i applied the knowledge i derived from drawing landscapes but it seemed as if all the years of practice were a waste. The transition between the two gave me a migraine *laughs*
i did not give up regardless,i took art and design through my junior and senior school and that really shaped my new interest. i experimented with famous people and until someone could really recognize the person i drew, i felt i was not making any progress. Worked on my skill so much that my grades in other areas dropped and my parents were never pleased with this so i had to cut down.
i managed to pass both levels with good marks and now with time on my hands i cud go back to creating and pursuing my art as a career, but living in a place where fine art wasn't that appreciated made me have mixed feeling, hence i ventured into programming when it came to go to varsity. I didn't have the time to draw,to harness my skill and i started feeling as if i lost a part of me. felt a heavy weight on my shoulders and i had to escape.
i dropped out,it hasn't been easy but i have dedicated myself to my craft and it makes me happy,gives a sense of belonging. Art never gave up on me when i abandoned it and i am blessed to have realized the calling before it was too late. i am in love with the arts,both visual and performing and i want to share my world,stories,experiences,emotions through it all.