The pool of talents/skills has been surfacing the Solomons over the years with rarely careful recognition in terms of providing good platforms and a conducive environment to ensure these talents grow and thrive to give back to the country what they are naturally good at.
A young talented 17 year old from Makira part Malaita is one of many others. Meet Vince Luke Kuata, a year 9 (form 3) student at Florence Young Christian School who shared his passion and dreams in art.
“I love art very much and as a matter of fact I like all kinds of art. I do not stick to just one form of art.
“Everyday, I want to learn discover new kinds of art. I have tried other forms of art like urban art, local traditional art, comics and now I’m learning new forms like drawing faces. I really enjoyed doing this work because this is what I’m naturally good at and just love doing it.
“I have this drive inside of me. When I see something, I just love to get a pen and start drawing it.
“I first discovered this gift when I was in primary school in 2010. I began by drawing on the cover page of my exercise books. My classmates noticed my drawings and began buying them.
“I then realized I’m good at this so I began to develop myself by doing more drawings. I did more artworks whenever I can at home or school. My work got better and I improved.
“Now, it’s almost 5 years since I started using my talent and I’m getting better and better.
“I use my natural skill to earn money and I also help teach young kids who have interest and passion about art.
“Whenever, I drew hero characters, the kids loved it and would buy them.
“In my small income generating activity, my customers are my classmates in school and kids in my neighborhood.
“Mostly kids love to buy my work because I usually draw hero characters from comic books according to their interests. I also do urban art, which few young people usually buy.
“I charge $5 dollars for the kids and $15 to $20 dollars for the youths depending on the kind of work I do.
“For my future plans, I want to open up my shop where I can design posters and school boards as well as discovering new forms of art designs people have never drawn.
“I want to improve sign boards in schools around the country and do creative designs according to their desires.
“With this kind of work, I can employ few workers and we can do the job.
“With this skill, I never attended any formal training to develop it. Instead, I took drawing ideas from the Internet and found new ideas to improve myself.
“Also, I learn from other books I set my eyes on. This is how I develop my skill and grow in it.
“I never joined or entered any competition since I began working with my talent.
“I think it is good for young people to learn discover their talents and work on it because through talent, one can earn money out of it.
“Nowadays finding job is quite difficult therefore, by relying on one’s gift is the fastest and most effective way. It can help you in many ways to earn money.
“My call for the Government is to open up a network for youths especially young talented artists to exhibit our work attracting people from all over the world to come and see.
“This public exhibition is not only for a certain kind of art but for all kinds of arts. Not only that but also artworks can be placed online in social websites such as Facebook and other mediums as well.
“My encouragement to you readers is, learn to discover your talent. For example, I am naturally good at drawing. It’s comfortable, enjoyable and only when I’m lazy then I won’t be able to earn money from it. Discover your talent, grow in it and you will get a reward from it.
