Signed Mixed Media Painting of a Lizard from Ghana (2018), "Strength in Unity"

“My name is Leopold Twum. I was born in 1982 in Sunyi, located in the eastern region of Ghana. My friends say that I’m a quiet, creative, and humble person.

“At a very tender age, I realized that I could draw, so I started practicing. I loved painting, but discovered myself even more when I went to the Ghanatta College of Art and Design. I had to practice for years to master my art. I use acrylic paint, canvas, and jute sacks. It is quite challenging working with canvas that is not made from cotton. Mixing the colors is my favorite part of my art. I get my inspiration from dreams, my imagination, and nature.

“I try to create new ideas with my imagination. I didn’t keep my knowledge all to myself; I passed it on to a foreigner called Christian Lyand, as well as a seven-year-old boy named Kwaku, whom I taught in my workshop.

“Getting started on my own wasn’t easy. I had to give my pieces to shop owners who would sometimes sell them and take the money for themselves. Some customers would even buy my pieces on credit. I must say, things were very difficult for me at the beginning. Now, I have my own shop, so things are much better.

“One day, a lady came to my shop to buy one of my pieces. After negotiating and agreeing on the price, it turned out she didn’t have enough money in her purse. This was very embarrassing for the lady, and I had no other option but to accept a lower amount. Ever since that day, she never stopped by my shop again.

“My dream is to build an art gallery to support up-and-coming artists. I taught my art to some people in my community, and still teach to this day.”