Signed Expressionist Painting of a Horn Player from Ghana, "Out of Breath III"

"I am Joseph Kobina Prah and I was born in Sekondi- Takoradi in western Ghana on March 10, 1975. After obtaining my Senior Secondary School Certificate in 1994, I entered Accra Polytechnic and graduated in 2001. During my school days, I was among the best in anything related to drawing.

"Most of the time, I am found scribbling with pencils, pen or crayons. I felt the need to polish my talent as an artist during my national service with Children in Need Ghana, a non-governmental organization (NGO), in 2002. So I decided to intensify my artistic mind.

"With my keen interest in mastering the art of painting, within two years I was able to exhibit my first art work at the Museum Art Gallery and other venues. The media I use in my paintings are varied – acrylics, oil, pastel, watercolor, pen and ink, charcoal, colored pencils and mixed media, but what I use most is acrylic because it can be used alone and can give you nice outcome. My creativity span is very wide so I am not limit only to painting but also express myself through textile design, fashion design, architectural design, interior decoration and acting.

"My painting styles range from impressionism to realistic depiction of life activities in Africa, and I see the need to preserve one's cultural identity. I am self reliant and go the extra mile. I have helped a few students who pursued visual art in Senior Secondary School to achieve high academic excellence.

"I am not yet married and am the third of five children. My dreams are big and my hope for tomorrow is to be recognized worldwide as an artist."