When does one realise that they are actually good at something? In many cases, it takes the people around you to point this out a couple of times. 

And this was the case with visual artist Thierry Muhirwa. The 20-year-old never dreamed of being an artist, ever. During his free time in school, he would get his pen and draw at the back of his book, sometimes on the cover.

While in S2 at St François d’Assise de Kansi in Gisagara District, he would draw animations on paper, and this wasn’t even something he learned somewhere. He would just keep drawing and his friends always told him how good the sketches were. 

He recalls a time when the school organised a talent show that he participated in and sketched the headmaster’s portrait while on stage. This left the head of the school mesmerised and he promised to connect him to Ecole D’Arts De Nyundo to advance his talent.

Muhirwa says he emerged the winner of the competition and walked away with scholastic materials such as books, pens, among other prizes.

"I never knew how talented I was, until I won. It was time to focus on my talent. I immediately bought a sketchbook and told stories through art. Although I had developed an interest to take art to another level, I needed to bring something unique because I know we are very many artists in Rwanda,” he says.

He applied to Ecole D’Arts De Nyundo and was selected for A-level as he had scored great marks. While there, he was trained in animated drawing and other images using a computer, paint, still-life art, and so forth.

He also notes that he was trained to create colours by mixing tea leaves with oil, and salt and boiling them, or using coffee to paint.

Muhirwa says that in 2018, he specialised in visual art, and remembers drawing 30 art pieces without a purpose—he still regrets the time and the materials he wasted. Since then, he yearned to draw pictures that would mean something.  

"I mix ancient and contemporary stories and create beauty with an explanation. Having alone time while drawing is one of the best feelings ever, I communicate with my paintings and let out my imagination. Painting doesn’t only excite me, but also creates a sense of freedom and liberty,” the artist says.

In 2019, he started earning from his work, his art pieces go for Rwf100, 000 to 500, 000 depending on the size and time taken to make them. He says that he has started putting aside 50 per cent of his earnings per month, with hopes of starting a company that sells art materials by 2023.

The youngster highlights that if it wasn’t for people pointing out his talent, he wouldn’t have graduated from high school in time as fees had become hard to pay, especially when Covid-19 hit the country in 2020.

"Fortunately, I was able to pay my tuition for the last two terms because I was selling my work via a local art website known as "Komeza”. This website assists artists in selling their art worldwide. I also utilised social media and eventually got clients. I was able to graduate from high school in 2021,” he says.

Like any other business, he still encounters challenges such as lack of promotions, expensive art materials, for instance, a set of brushes goes for Rwf 30,000, oil tube costs Rwf 15,000, canvas one meter is for Rwf 5,000, among others, which he imports from Uganda because they are costly in Rwanda.

He is also disappointed by the fact that it takes a lot to convince people to understand his uniqueness. Muhirwa adds that art is a seasonal business, one month can be profitable, and others not.

Some of his future plans are to take part in art exhibitions worldwide and display what Rwandans are capable of. He looks forward to starting the art school to give an opportunity to whoever yearns to be an artist.

Muhirwa is waiting to join university to pursue a course in painting, which he says isn’t in Rwanda. He has already applied to the University of Barcelona in Spain and is waiting for feedback. He says he will pay for half of the tuition and his parents the other half. 

His work includes decorations, portraits, and wall paintings. He also does digital art.

You can reach Muhirwa on 0780195500