The number of creatives joining the digital arts space continues to grow as technology continues to take over in the new age of visual arts. That number includes six women visual artists who completed a six-month mentorship to bridge the gap in the field by making digital arts more accessible to women in a graduation showcase ceremony held at Institut Français on September 25. Dubbed “Murika,” the mentorship programme, co-organized by Impundu Arts and InkStain Illustrations, was born out of the need for more women artists in the digital art space in Rwanda while the number of women involved in traditional painting is increasing. Women are not yet well represented in digital arts and the programme’s goal is to increase and equip women in digital arts with the skills and knowledge they need to go to the art market. The six mentees were Shekinah Mutabazi, Arielle Keza, Naomi Rangira, Wivine Cyuzuzo, Olga laura Sangwa and Aurore Isingizwe. They were trained on the technology side of visual arts by renowned digital artist Dolph Banza as well as soft skills by Jemima Kakizi, who is also an advocate for women in visual arts. “We expect these young women to go and keep creating, get opportunities to work on different projects like creating books, cartoons, to be able to tell different stories through illustrations,” Kakizi told The New Times. During the ‘graduation showcase,’ mentees showcasing live drawing and exhibited different works that they created during the past 6 months of mentorship, highlighting the process and progress they made. Shekina Mutabazi, one of the mentees lauded the mentorship program, emphasizing that learning from skilled mentors like Banza and Kakizi was an excellent experience. She noted that engaging with fellow artists in the program was particularly beneficial and this collaborative environment enabled the participants to discover and develop their artistic potential more fully. “I joined the program because of my passion for art and my desire to enhance my skills in the digital realm,” Mutabazi said. “I believe these skills will help me advance my professional career, as I have learned from experienced mentors in the field. I have been doing digital art for two years now. The mentorship has added advanced skills, valuable industry insights, a strong network of professionals, and increased confidence in my abilities,” she added. Naomi Rangira has been in digital arts during the past two years but a lot has changed in her way of doing things when she joined the programme which she said is already having a positive impact on her career development. “The program played a crucial role in enabling me to create my own books. I now feel confident in my ability to participate in competitions. I also gained valuable knowledge about software tools that enhance her drawing process,” she said.
