Vincent Okuja

Background

Most friends of mine love calling me Okutoon because of my artistic and dramatic characters. I was born on the morning of 25th Sep 1982 at Larcor Hospital in Gulu District- Uganda; we then moved back to Lira our home land. I am a Ugandan by nationality and Lango by tribe.

Am not so much aware where I spent my childhood playing hide and seek but only came to my senses when I joined primary one in 1991 in Apac district in northern Uganda.

My Art History

When I got promoted to primary two, I was sent back to the village because of my musical talent whereby I would sing and dance for money. It only came to my parents notice when one old woman was knocked down by a bicycle on a market day when she was overshadowed by our performance. This behavior was a taboo and therefore repugnant in our culture for the young.

Art is not something I was taught it is in blood and inherited from my ancestors. Art is the collaboration between God and the artist and the less the artist does, the better therefore God was also responsible for these skills. To realize that I was not too Picasso was when one disabled boy drew a masterpiece of men in War. That was in primary three and I thought I was nothing but a dreamy artist, this made me build a competitive mind and soon I realized my skills. I sold about five artworks that year.

One day, my Mother got one of my paintings and used as a toiled tissue and that was her fast and last. Why? Because I used local materials like –Red pepper-for painting and leaves.

Work expirience and my Art

I love working and socializing with people and sharing ideas with other people throughout the world. I am interested in making the depressed smile through Art therapy. I work part time with Let Art Talk (LAT) an art project based in Uganda; its aim is to empower the community through art. We specially deal with children and elderly of the war affected zones and those affected by AIDS. I am working as a communication specialist and a trainee.

I am also volunteering with Art for community Development (AFOCOD) based in Kitgum and managed by former students of Industrial and fine arts Makerere University. This project is not in its full potential due to lack of funds to carryout the workshops with the children. It aim is healing the mind through art.

My Art is not limited I keep on changing with the environment but my major at the University was Illustration. I attended Makerere University in Kampala for three years from Sep 2004- Jun 2007 for a degree course in Industrial and Fine Arts. I also took Graphics Design, Design communication (web Development), Print making and design. Am familiar with most of the computer aided design programs like Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign, Page maker, Macromedia flash, Anime8, 3D max, Ulead 3D, Xzara 3D, PowerPoint. I also know some video editing and documentation programs like; Ulead Video studio, Pinnacle studio, Movie Gear, windows movie maker and. Music editors like FL Studios, Cool Edit, Adobe audition.

Interest in UGATRA

I picked interest in this project from the beginning and now I play a role as the chairman on the Ugandan side working together with our Austrian partners to meet our project objectives stated in our concept. I am going to work hand in hand with Stefan in computers as a media of communication and Design. Within this workshop module I will also introduce interested students to the process of hand illustration, character design and the identify problem. We shall do things both the traditional and western ways.

Since we are a group of artists with a common objective, I will contribute in any area that I feel I can. I will also work with Lydia in Print making and Design for textiles (styles and techniques of tie and dye like; shibori, Square, Rectangle, Picking etc) and the use of local materials to make something Artistic and usable. All in all we all hope to learn from each other with both students and our institutional professors.

Samples of my Work

On my website www.okutoon.2ya.com