AIME SANDRINE UWASE is a visual artist that does both sculpture and ceramics. Watching Uwase assembling different materials, you are not ready for the outcome until she is done, leaving you amazed. As early as the age of nine, the 22-year-old started drawing her toys, and princesses in cartoon movies in her books while she was in primary school. Realising her passion and talent, her parents and her friends advised her to join Nyundo School of Arts and Music in 2016. one of her artworks. The artist shared that she ventured into visual arts inspired by her love of arts, particularly how she felt connected to the artistic world. She started her professional journey in 2019. “For me, art is creation, so when I put together different materials I have the intention to create, for instance, I want to create uniqueness by expressing my feeling and emotions through materials we all use in real life but dont recognize that they can also be creative tools in one way or another, she said. She highlighted that she loves sculpture and ceramics as it is her way of expressing her emotions, and sharing with the world how she sees things in a different perspective. “The love for arts pushes me, the relation between me, and my art materials are personal, but as an artist, my job is to create, and to see things other people cant see, and put them together, so that process is very personal. So you understand when I say my artworks are an extension of me,’’ she added. She also believes that being in the creative world is amazing as it fosters a huge effect on people, physiologically and physically emotionally, it relieves stress, strengthens memory, and ensures creative growth. The artist recalls that the assemblage (art made by assembling disparate elements often scavenged by the artist) she does include assembling different materials including metals, wood, plastics, tissue, canvas, paints, sand, wires, and other recycled materials and uses the combination of them to create an artwork. Talking about where she found the materials she says that some of them are Made in Rwanda products while others come from abroad due to the high prices they have on local markets. Most of her artworks are used as home indoor decors and other different purposes. However, like other startups, Uwase shared that her biggest challenges are people who dont understand what she does. As a female some people still see what she does as a career for boys only, yet according to her, she tries to do even better. Regardless of the challenges, Uwase told The New Times that she is growing in her career and her artworks are becoming familiar on the local market even though most of her clients are local community, but she also started receiving orders from abroad. Asked to advise youth who are afraid to show off their talents, the artist said “no one will ever know what you can do unless you put it into practice, no one will know what you want at the extent you do yourself. If you want something you have to go for it, don’t focus on negativity rather find solutions. You may inspire someone else you never knew how incredible you can do’’ Currently, the artist is planning to organise an exhibition, which she says will be her biggest achievement.
