Painting industry needs attention - Artist

Government has been asked to take a critical look at developing the painting industry or else risk losing the little we have as a county. Ama Amankwah Baafi reports



Most painters reckon that government has over the years not given the sector the attention it needs.

Even at 56 years, the country cannot boast of a national gallery where players in the industry can showcase their works.

Mr Samuel Asamoah of Prophask Studio said as a result of this most painters have resorted to haphazard painting just to make a living. He said the idea of a national gallery and subsequently regional ones is imperative as failure to do so could totally cripple the industry.

“The problem is that most our leaders know next to nothing about the sector and do not recognise the importance of painting as an art, let alone come out with policies to realise its potential to create jobs and contribute to economic growth,” he told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS at his studio at Madina, a suburb of Accra.

He recognised attempts at the education level where creative art has been included as an elective subject at the senior high level, yet there still a long way to go. He said the public should be sensitised to appreciate painting because it is another way to put the country on the world map.



PROPHASK

He began developing his artistic talent at an early age by scribbling on the ground, leaves and wall surfaces. Due to his ability to initiate concepts through painting he was affectionately referred to as a prophet, hence, he coined his trade name by adding his given names, Samuel Kwame Asamoah to make Prophask.

Though he had a dream to become an artist, he did not know what that would be. At the senior high school he chose to read visual arts after which he enrolled at the College of Arts at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) pursue a degree in integrated rural art and industry.

Surprisingly, he did not study painting but has taken to painting and is now among the best painters in Ghana meeting the international standard. He has participated in several exhibitions both locally and internationally.

Apart from the exhibitions in Ghana his works has been part of exhibitions in the United Kingdom, United States and in most African countries. Some of his works can be seen at the Artist Alliance Gallery in Ghana and most of the top Galleries in Ghana. In 2011, Prophask had an opportunity to hung some of his works in ‘Monument de la Renaissance Africaine, Galerie Kemboury’ and some other top galleries in Senegal.

Samuel believes he is talented and innovative and refers to his collection as “the land of colours.”



HIS MOTIVATION

He aspires to be a great painter and as at now thinks that he is gradually getting there because he sees improvement every year, particularly in getting new markets. “I find it more enjoying to paint and more painful not to,” he said.

Samuel’s inspirations are also from proverbs, wise sayings, daily activities and dreams.

His designs

Samuel said he always puts down whatever comes to mind. Also he observes the work of others and whatever he comes out with is influenced by the change of environment whenever he travels.

Duration of painting depends on the type work, at most two weeks which demands that one works at all times. “It is all about hard work and the interest in what you are doing. If I start working at 6 am I can work until 12 midnight,” he explained.

He gets raw materials locally and prefers to use acrylic on canvass because it lasts longer unlike paper and also paint the surface so it does not appear at the back after painting.

Samuel creates abstracts and realistic works. In addition to the painting, he does hand-designed tee shirts, which he said he uses quality tee shirt and quality paints so it neither fade nor overstretch.

“I believe I come out with good concept and produce quality paintings. For decades Ghanaian painters do women carrying pots and when asked for meaning they say pot career. There should be philosophical meaning to whatever painting one does so it will catch on,” he said.



SOME ACHIEVEMENTS

Samuel has on several platforms been recognised including far away South Korea and Dubai. He has so far marketed his works in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Benin, Lagos and Togo.

Getting market access is also fulfilling. Prophask has registered with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority and also a registered member of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Locally he sells his works at notable places in Accra and Kumasi but sells more outside. He often source for markets on his own through researching on the internet.

His major challenge initially was finding seed money to start work and finding appropriate market. More so, his family was not so supportive when he started. However, there is an improvement since he has been moving from country to country to market his works.

He observed that outside Africa, African paintings are deemed to be of poor quality, a situation he admitted, saying, “Somehow it is true because most of our artists do not use quality paints so when you hang it for sometime it starts to fade.”

He stated the need to educate local artists, particularly wayside ones so they can improve on their work;- they should be encouraged to use quality materials.

In terms of career development Samuel said he continues to study on his own, while waiting for the opportunity to study formally. Besides painting, he enjoys listening to music sometimes.

He advised aspiring artists to develop the habit of keeping a sketchbook in they draw as much as possible. He believes that drawing trains the eye to see what is really there and not just what you think is there.

“They should not be in a rush to develop a style. Play around with experiment,” he advised. He said parents should also encourage their children to pursue their interest, particularly in painting, as society often looks down on such skill.

His dream is to open his own gallery in Accra and later expand nationwide.