Benjamin Rusagara is a promising artist in Kigali. He creates brilliant paintings that depict everyday life and beliefs in an expressive and colourful style, under the themes of peace, love and hope.

"I always saw myself as an artist and deep down I always knew I would be a painter,” Rusagara who started by drawing sketches as a child says.

The 26-year-old artist did sciences but used to do painting in his free time. Growing up, he was always exposed to art by his uncles whose works were at home.

However, Rusagara says that his path to a career as an artist included a few challenges because his family did not approve art as profitable career and they instead wanted him to pursue a career in technology.

After completing his senior six from Lycée de Kigali, while working at one of the restaurants in Kimironko in 2012, the call to join the field became irresistible. After meeting many professional painters, who told him about the pros and cons of doing art, he decided to become a resident painter at Inema Arts Centre, in Kacyiru, where he gained more artistic skills.

In 2013, Rusagara enrolled at the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center (IPRC) in Kicukiro, where he studied Construction Engineering. But a year later, he decided to take a break to concentrate on art.

Today, his detail-intensive works have become widely recognized for their fantastic ability to transcend the natural states of space and time.

In March this year, he was contracted by Global Centre for Peace and Development (GCPD), an NGO that empowers youth by educating them about peace, to do paintings for them.

Some of his works are on display in places like Hôtel des Milles Collines, while others have been sold to clients who work with the NGO.

His breakthrough came when he met a Ugandan entrepreneur he met at Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel in Kacyiru, in April, who told him of the many opportunities in the country.

"It’s like you don’t believe you can earn a living from your own art,” Rusagara was told. After this revelation, he had to step out of his shell to take advantage of the opportunities.

He went ahead to create his portfolio and invested more in bringing up more artistes. "Our clients want professional work, artists who can do everything, they can ask for a sculpture, realism or African art. The challenge is that finding young artistes who can do everything is difficult.

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