Nii Addo

"I've been interested in art since childhood; I love the works of some Ghanaian artistes like Ablade Glover and Yaw Mensah. I improved on my natural talent during art school, where experienced teachers encouraged me to be serious with the skills I had. I currently train students from second cycle schools on weekends. <br><br>"My most difficult moments in life happened when I had to support myself to buy materials for practical work while in school by selling small paintings. Though my parents supported me by paying my school fees, I also had to do my best to purchase the needed materials. Combining my school assignments with those of work was very stressful. <br><br>"One of my most embarrassing moments happened during my first year in art college. I've always found it difficult to mix colors, and there was this lady who sat next to me in class and she started to teach me. <br><br>"It was not easy starting on my own. There were some family members wondering why I did not take on other professions like engineering, law, medicine etc. I had to overcome their critiques and keep focused on my passion. As time went by and I started exhibiting my work around the country, these family members started changing their minds. At some point some of the local newspapers printed my work, giving me a lot of exposure and silencing my critics. <br><br>"I use materials such as canvas, acrylic paints and fiber glitter, which are easy to obtain on the local market. I draw inspiration from my environment, movies and documentaries. I contribute to my environment by reducing waste and recycling some of my materials. <br><br>"This is me, Nii Addo, born on 14th July, 1983 in Accra. I am a quiet, friendly and God-fearing person, and my hopes and dreams are to be known worldwide as a fine artist as well as having my own gallery."