PNG scribbler features at art expo

GROWING up in Babaka village in Port Moresby, a young Joe Bilbu would drive his mother crazy with all the rubbish and scribbling he would leave lying around the house.
But despite this, he found a fan in his father who urged him to keep drawing.
Thirty years have passed from those days when his mum and dad would argue over his obvious talent and Bilbu is still doing what he loves.
After a period of working for a resort development as a graphic designer and mural artist, Bilbu recently launched his career as a full-time freelance painter.
His artistic talents range from acrylic paintings on canvas to computerised graphic design and photography.
Remembering his childhood in Port Moresby, Bilbu said his love for drawing from that very young age was the driving force behind his interest in art.
“I always knew I had this talent. I became a graphic artist at first and then I started to play around with painting and from that I realised that I had a very keen interest in fine art,” he said.
Now living in Fiji and married to Milika of Nawaka in Nadi, Bilbu said he joined the Western Arts and Crafts Society – now known as CreatiVITI – in 2003 to further enhance his skills.
“I’ve been part of CreatiVITI for the past few years and from that, I was able to continue painting. They set up exhibitions, which I was a part with other artists.”
He said the inspiration for his art comes from observing people and island life in PNG and Fiji.
“I like to do a lot of portraits of people. I like painting faces in particular because I see that when I paint a person’s face, I capture the mood or the emotion that comes with that face.
“Most of the paintings have a message behind them. They speak about people and how they should stay true to their culture and the places where they come from.
“We should be proud of our identity. We should always keep our origins. Some people think that life is in the city when really, life also exists at our different villages,” the 43-year-old said.
The father of three was part of a CreatiVITI ‘Foot by Foot’ art exhibition in Nadi on Dec 8. – The Fiji Times