Steven carries on his dad’s legacy through painting, designing

By PETER ESILA
STEVEN Malelkit is following his late father’s footsteps as a painter and graphic artist and is now running a small business.
Malelkit, who owns SMalelkit Graphics Ltd in Kimbe, West New Britain, said his tavur (conch shell) label was all about promoting culture and a symbol of his province.
The 28-year-old of mixed West New Britain (Gasmata) and Madang parentage, learned the printing and design business from an early age growing up with a father, university graduate who was a graphic designer and visual artist.
“He worked and then started his own printing company that’s how I grew up in the printing business,” Malelkit said.
“I was a small boy when I used to draw and paint with my father.
“I helped him, until we left Lae and moved to Gasmata.
“I still continue with his work, we came to Kimbe, where the business grew.
“My father was getting more clients then.
“I was at Kimbe Secondary School that time and helped with the painting at Liamo Reef Resort and screen printing throughout West New Britain.”
Malelkit said in 2015, he went to a pilot training school in the Philippines and returned in 2018.
His father passed away in 2016 and this prompted Malelkit to turn his focus back to the thing he knew well.
“My father passed away and now I am carrying on his legacy,” he said.
“I am an artist.
“I do not have the papers, but the skills he taught me and I am blessed with the gift to draw and paint.
“I started this Tarvur production in 2020 with shell money from Arowe design and then with tarvur in May last year.
“In May, the Tarvur production became popular.
“I have five designs now on the market.
“I look forward to completing the printing production.
“Apart from printing and handwriting, paintings and artistic impressions, I looking forward to the future to step up, doing something different things in productions on digital printing in West New Britain.
“I also hope to expand market to other provinces.”