Derrick Okanta

"I was born on May 17, 1983 in Accra. My friends describe me as humble, helpful and a good hearted person. <br><br> "I always had a talent for painting, and studied at Ghanatta College to further develop this ability. After completing art school, I continued to practice my techniques and sold some of my paintings to earn a living until I had a job. <br><br> "I work in the abstract style because it is open to interpretation. It gives me the freedom to explore shapes and colors, and assign meaning to a work of art. <br><br> "Starting out on my own as an artist was very difficult. I had no investment and marketing avenues were very few. Even when I sold a painting, I rarely got value for it. It is still a challenge to market my work. <br><br> "What I like best about my art is that it depicts the lifestyle of women in my community, our society and culture. My inspiration comes from my day-to-day activities at the market. I am a part of it too, as purchasing my materials in my local market bring income to my community. <br><br> "I dream of one day having a gallery of my own. I want to make it in life with what I have within me. I'd love to groom other talented people to become successful artists."