By Danae Moksnes
Ebube Zulu-Okafor is a student at Bemidji State University who has a dedication and passion for his art. He has been an artist since childhood. Even as he has dabbled in drawing and painting, he said “Creating art always brought me joy and was a means for me to connect with people and share a part of myself.”
Two years ago, he started to dedicate themselves to their craft. Zulu-Okafor explained that as he focused on it, he saw progress in his art, which helped form a habit of expressing himself through his creations. Zulu-Okafor shared that when he creates, he will try “to make pictures that are engaging emotionally on a technical level and hopefully on a conceptual level as well.”
In addition to making these pieces, Zulu-Okafor also enjoys playing acoustic guitar, listening to podcasts and Olympic lifting. He shared that his true affection is for painting and drawing. Zulu-Okafor’s motivation for this is rooted in the motivation to create. “I think we all as human beings have an intrinsic desire to create, and whether that be writing, sculpture, music or furniture. There is a reward to the process that is soul filling.”
In giving advice for fellow artists, Zulu-Okafor recognizes the hardships that others may face, and shares why it is worth it. “I urge all those in pursuit of greater artistry that the struggle is universal, and that on the other side of that struggle is a lifetime of pride and fulfillment.”
