Patrick Muhire was always aware of his art talent from a young age, he lacked the motivation to keep doing art until he met local painter Bernard Birasa who trained him in graphic art in 2017. The 22-year-old now describes art as life because it offers him the platform and joy of giving life and a voice to objects in a unique way. Art is also a channel with which to deal with feelings that cannot be expressed through typical means like conversation or words. With art, he is able to express his emotions or tell other people’s stories. “Art is just not about paper, pencils, and brushes, it equips me with the courage to create the world the way I want to. It is a means in which I communicate in an exciting way, while empowering, and expressing the love and the beauty of God’s creation,” he says. His artworks are based on cultures but with great creativity in colors and harmony to easily capture any observer’s eye. Muhire chose to specialise in the Rwandan culture that he mixes with nature, in his own style just to be a little unique from other artists. He is mostly inspired by culture, people, landscapes, wildlife, and the environment. He was encouraged by the people around him to join Ecole d’art de Nyundo, to enhance his talent, after watching him spend a lot of his time drawing, at a younger age. This is where he completed his senior six in 2018. Today, he uses equipment such as special painting colors like acrylics, painting brushes, palette knives, canvas for support, and nails for framing. His work goes for between Rwf30, 000 and Rwf40, 000, although at the moment, the artist is not affiliated to any art gallery where he can sell his artwork and so searches for clients by reaching out to members of his community in Karongi district. Even though art has been his passion, he has not earned from it so upon completing high school, he resorted to doing internship at a local radio station as a presenter. It’s from there that he gained skills in voice-over production. He is now a voice-over artist that has worked with a number of companies, videographers, motivational speakers, and fellow students. The youngster believes that there is so much one can do when they open themselves to learning. He calls upon Rwandans to support the creativity of art, whether through music, paintings, poems, dance and drama and so forth, because they don’t only entertain, but depict the Rwandan culture. He is a student at the University of Rwanda, in creative design. Patrick Muhire and some of his art pieces. / Courtesy
