By Ibrahim Ramalan
Bashir Adamu hails from Muya local government area of Niger state and is an SSS 3 student presently writing his SSCE at Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Academy/Hilltop, Minna.
The Minna-born artist, who has discovered a new talent for himself, can draw everything using virtually a ball-pen on paper.
A first look at these pictures will make you jump into quick conclusion that they were captured by digital cameras. Well, the eyes, hands and a ballpen have begun to produce portraits that are as good as those produced by regular cameras.
Currently in the 20 year-old Bashir’s portforlio are works on Marthin Luther King Jnr. and a host of others, which were all inspired by how much the personalities have sacrificed, influenced and contributed to the growth and development of Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world.
His inspiration
“I discovered my talent and started drawing when I was in primary 2 in Hilltop Model School, Minna, through my blood brother (Aminu Adamu). He motivated and inspired me through his drawing skills and techniques.
“Since then I have always been drawing (self thought) even when I got to my secondary school, I have kept on drawing and I have never come across fine art teacher throughout my primary and secondary school education.
“It was when I came to know about Hilltop Art Centre through my friend in school, His name is favour, He is an artist too. He introduced me to the coordinator of the Art Centre, Aunty Munirat Sulaiman who was my English teacher when I was in junior class.
“I think that was when I started getting exposed into the nitty-gritty of drawings and other impressions. That was around March 2013. Ever since then I kept on coming to the Centre, myself and Sagi Saleh, a friend of mine had concentrated in drawing and painting aspects.
“I also got to meet the like of Mr. Francis Sokomba who is an international artist and Uncle Awwal Sakiwa the Art Centre. Indeed, Mr. Francis Sokomba and Uncle Awwal Abdullahi Sakiwa have helped us in professionalizing our drawing and painting skills and techniques.”
His thoughts on drawing
“When I was young, art to me meant water color on cardboard or pen on sketch book. I never envisioned anything more than those two medium. However, art as I knew it had completely blossomed, diversified and expanded both in medium and reach. Poster colour, pencil etc., were terms I had to know and got used to then.
“I am utterly engrossed in discovering and experiencing all these mediums. I also got completely bedazzled when I came across a remarkable artwork created using the simplest medium of pen on paper.
“I plunged into pen on paper after getting disappointed going into the field of practice with so much energy and optimism but no funds. Now I focus on haying (drawing with pen) to capture the essence of my subject, an original portrait and/or life drawing only with a ballpoint pen. A lot of lines and minute squares form my portrait and life drawing.
“It is a style of drawing that remains unnamed. It’s freestyle, not wanting to keep to one confinement. This makes me to become very much open to art and what it can bring to me.”
