Noah paints to support family

By LORRAINE JIMAL
ARTIST Noah Kawatalau thanks his mother for her love and care during his upbringing, and dedicates his work as an artist to her.
Noah, 27, is from Losuia in the Trobriand Islands of Milne Bay.
Noah was born on June 16, 1993. He is married to Jemimah Lyn Karlos. They have Samiya who is two and Jenosam who is one. He made up the name Jenosam to include letters from names in his young family.
“The name is made up of my wife’s name, my first child and my name.”
Noah started his education at the Ekivaki Primary School then to the Badihagwi Secondary from 2008 to 2011. But he wasn’t selected to attend any tertiary institution so he stayed at home.
In 2018, when Samiya was born, Noah decided to start a career in painting. His father used to paint too so Noah understood what it was all about.
He did not attend any formal art school to learn the finer details but depended on what he saw his father do,
He started with small paintings then gradually worked on bigger ones.
“Today I can paint different sizes. I can even do painting on three-meter material. I’ve done a lot now.”
He also spends time teaching young boys and girls who want to learn the skills, techniques and screen printing.
“I’m trying to work with girls to bring up more female artists because the art world is made up mostly of men and only a few women. I want to get more ladies to learn the art.”
His main clients are expatriates in PNG. Depending on sizes, his prices range from K50 to K700.
Most of his art work are themed on women and children and the bond of love they share, the strength of women in a family and in life, their behavior and how they deal with situations as victims of violence.

“ My daughter is the reason why I paint. I have to provide for her and my family.”

“My mother was the reason why I started painting stories about women to appreciate her love, care and everything she did for me in life.”
He also paints his visualisation of the marine environment, marine conservation projects, and endangered marine species such as turtles and whales. An advocacy of sorts to bring marine conservation to the attention of people.
His faces the same problem as other local artists about the lack of access to markets.
“The main struggle is the market to sell my paintings. We don’t have anywhere, a central place, to sell our paintings.”
The only places he can sell his paintings are at the craft markets in Port Moresby, the National Museum and Arts Gallery and online.
“I wish in the future, we could have a specific place to market what we produce everyday rather than just at the craft markets.”
He hopes the Government can help small people such as him use and develop their natural talents in art to make a living out of. They have families to look after too.
“My daughter is the reason why I paint. I have to provide for her and my family.”