Mr Sokoiwasa sells his paintings in different sizes with a 600mmx400mm painting fetching up to F$120.
Timoci Sokoiwasa is a firm believer that if you have God gifted talents and use it properly, life would be so much better.
His gift of just sitting and painting a picture, whether it be from a scenic memory or thinking something up in his head has seen this Moce villager earn, on many occasions, up to $600 a day.
Through Mr Sokoiwasa’s business, based at the Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort, his paintings are around the world in the homes of tourists who visit Fiji.
Passion for painting
“I was a graphic artist with Jack’s Fiji but found that my passion was in painting and that’s when I started my business, which was about 25 years ago.
“I have not looked back since and through my paintings, I have been able to meet my family’s needs and my children’s school fees right through to tertiary education.”
Mr Sokoiwasa hails from the village of Nasau, on Moce in Lau.
“I started work with Jack’s Fiji in 1993 but after two years I got stuck into my painting business and have never looked back.”
Though he is based at the Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort, Mr Sokoiwasa also travels to major hotels like the Warwick and InterContinental on the Coral Coast to sell his paintings.
“I was below average in school but I thank the Almighty God for this talent.
Supporting the family
“It enables me meet my family’s needs and my children’s school fees for tertiary education and besides that, I am also a church minister.
“My advice to our young people, if you have the same talent then God has blessed your hands and you should get the best out of it.
“You cannot turn professional overnight as I always believe that practice makes perfect.”
Mr Sokoiwasa sells his paintings in different sizes with a 600mmx400mm painting fetching up to $120.
“There are a lot of requests from tourists on what they want to be painted while others bring me photographs of sunsets and other scenic images and ask if I could paint the same.
“I also do signwriting and carving besides painting.”
At times Mr Sokoiwasa carries out art classes at the resorts.
Published Fiji Sun: https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/01/27/timocis-painting-business-pays-the-bills/
by Charles Chambers. Feedback: [email protected]
27 Jan 2020
