1. Who is Benson Sinkala (what you do now, what you create or work as)?
Ans. My name is Benson Sinkala (luswepo), am a creative who focuses on visual arts, i try do work with many types of medium as possible but my favorite is pencil art works, i am also a secondary teacher who majors in mathematics
2. Tell me a little about yourself? (Where you are from, where you grew up, what your childhood was like, what inspired you to become who you are)
Ans. I am from Lusaka, and grew up in Matero – Lilanda to be specific, growing up i was kind of a sickling hence i spent most of my time in doors watching TV i have always wanted to be a story writer but i kept losing my stories in my mind so i started drawing them, so that i don’t forget.
3. How did your upbringing/background influence who you are today?
Ans. Growing up since i didn’t get a lot of time with my friends i spent a lot of time with my elders, this made me develop quick i was a big thinker at childhood it helped me teach myself art and I become passionate about art at a young age.
4. What are some of the major challenges you faced in your journey getting where you are today?
Ans. Because of my up bring i started this journey of mine at a young age and at that time i was so passionate i didn’t notices most of my challenges but thinking about it now, i can say i was not and am still not fond of socializing or being social and i lacked materials for my art this whole journey but that drove me to be even more creative with anything at my disposal i think that’s why my art is this type of unique.
5. What do you love most about your job/talent/skill/work?
Ans. My dream is to tell stories; everything i do connects to that, that’s why i love what i do very much. I am a professional teacher this allows me to share information and stories in a class situation. I can write and i practice almost all type of visual arts that allows me to also tell stories and expresses myself differently and that’s what i love the most.
6. What are some of your biggest accomplishments?
Ans. Some of my biggest accomplishments are; attaining my bachelors in education and having sold at least a couple of art pieces professionally.
7. What has being who you are enabled you to do today which you wouldn’t have ordinarily?
Ans. I am a very much received personal i like keeping to my self being a teacher, being an artist has made me appreciate interaction and connecting in many forms today, even this very sharing i would not have done before .
8. What do you think are the secrets behind getting to where you are today?
Ans. The secret to growing and discovering talented is identifying your passion everyone in this world is exposed to moments of passion they are many some bad some bad and these moments are recurring even now or in the future you can still be passionate . for me i was lucky because i was thinking like a mature adult at a young age and realized my passion when me and my friends would travel kilometers just to play soccer the whole day without any food( for my friends it was just fun) but for me that’s when realized i can use this passion with my dream of art and telling story, so if you have a talent a skill and you can work with it even on a hungry stomach even without any reward you will be able to grow as big as you can dream to be and when that happens you will never go an empty stomach and people will pay you for your skills.
9. What actions have you taken to develop to who you are today and where do you draw inspiration?(What do you listen to or read, upgrading c.v., training, mentorship etc)
Ans. I have focused most of my efforts now to becoming more professional as an artist, because ultimately my inspiration as an artist is in two the first is get my art as many places as possible and it be appreciated by different societies the second a selfish one i want to create the most expensive art work because in another reality the most expensive is the most appreciated.
I listen to all sorts of music this allows me to tap in different cultures and societies, but my favorite is local music especially hip hop,
i like to read philosophical books, fantasy and detective stories but mostly i read anything which has open study or topic, i am inspired a lot of artist including the famous Davincis’ and picassos’ but mostly i do find time to learn and chart with local elderly artist try and learn the traditional and local ways of art.
10. What are some of the mistakes you have made if any that you would have avoided, what did you learn from them?
Ans. Having not opened a business account for my art earlier because i have misused some of earlier proceeds i made from my art at that time i did not see the importance of investing in your talent and skills.
11. If you could change anything about the industry what could it be?
Ans. Zambian art started as an elite venture only for a few individual to enjoy, when the time came to improve the industry we invited politics to influence the art industries now you need to be registered by an official board for you to get significant help in art that is why we young artist now are being pushed to draw celebrates because we are not being mantled by your elders the effective way of art, we need as young artist to know that art is more than creating something amazing but also we are creating the past our culture even the future.
12. If you were talking to a younger version of you, what advise would you give yourself?
Ans. I would tell me to avoid a few things but all in all keep doing what i was doing, and tell myself it will pay of keep drawing it will pay off.
