21-year old Ghanaian visual artist, Bright Komla Kpoha, who is known for his unique style of putting pen and pencil to paper has earned a nomination in this year’s Ghana Arts and Culture Awards in the ‘Ghanaian Visual Artist of the Year’ category.
The artist who is artistically known as Realpen Pencil has a peculiar way of making arts appealing unlike the conventional approach to drawing by dramatizing his drawing process, displaying gymnastics, dancing, jumping, etc to transform his subject onto paper.
Currently, Realpen pencil is the World’s First Gymnastic Artist, a claim which was recently endorsed by Google.
About Realpen Pencil
Bright Kpoha, widely known as Realpen pencil, was born on March 24, 1998 at Akatsi in the Volta region of Ghana but grew up in Lome, Togo, where he lost his parents at the age of two.
The artist survived through entertaining his peers and adults in his neighborhood.
He discovered his real talent at the age of seven, when he began drawing people with pens and pencils in a unique style, hence the nickname, ‘Realpen Pencil’.
According to him, during the drawing process, “I connect my soul, heart, extra-eyes fixed and controllable invisible camera on the subject.”
”I was adjudged the best of the year artist during the 50th independence anniversary celebration of the republic of Togo in 2010.”
“I also took part in the National drawing competition in Togo, at the age of twelve , representing the Ecole Marie Auxiliatrice d’Ablogame and was the second best behind a 40 year old man. In 2012, I was invited by the Togolese president, Faure Essonzinna Gnassingbe following a beautiful portrait I made of him. Unfortunately, I could not see the president because he was meeting some foreign visitors,” he said.
In 2013, Realpen pencil relocated to Ghana, his birth country with the hope of developing his talent and dream, but still found the ground very hard to break.
Realpen pencil has so far drawn the 100th Most influential celebrity woman in the world “Omotola Jalade Ekeinde,MFR” and became famous in 2017.
He has instantly sketched over 40 celebrities and public figures across the continent who visit Ghana.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh
