Budding creativity

YOUNG artist Erika Gonsalves has exhibited an artistic streak ever since she could hold a pencil. From drawing stick figures to winning one of the biggest art competitions in Bahrain, she is determined to pursue her love for art, writes Melissa Nazareth.

Erika, a 14-year-old student of the Sacred Heart School, has been drawing from the tender age of three. Naturally, her creations were ‘basic’ at that age, but overtime, the teenaged talent developed her skill.

“I have been drawing ever since I could talk or properly hold a pen, around the age of three, beginning with basic stick figures, as every artist does, and moving on to bigger pieces as the years went by, and I gained more experience,” Erika told GulfWeekly.

The only child to parents, businessman Pankras Davidson Gonsalves and homemaker Lucy Violet Quadras, Erika was always encouraged to pursue her gift.

“She has always been drawing since she was young. If there was a test the next day, instead of studying, she would be sketching until midnight. She was always incredibly creative and chose to express her creativity through art projects that depicted simple things in incredibly creative ways,” Lucy said.

Spurred on by her proud parents and supportive well-wishers, and with a dream of taking her creativity to the next level, last year, Erika decided to participate in Spectra, the art competition organised by The Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF). Around 3,000 young artists from 25 schools participated across four age groups and Erika won among the 11 to 14-year-old contestants.

“My proudest moment in art was when I won first place in the Spectra art contest and got to receive the award from Ambassador of India to Bahrain himself (Vinod Kumar)! I’ve also won several awards at school for my drawings and models,” the passionate creative, who lives with her parents, added.

Speaking of her future artistic goals, the Muharraq resident said that she ‘hasn’t put thought into it yet but whatever she does has to be artistic in some way. For now, the Bahraini creative intends to participate in more competitions in the future.