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KOFI
VISUAL ARTIST
Name: Kofi Michael Frempong
Occupation: Visual Artist / Community Health
Worker
Status: Married with Children
From: Ghana
Community: Jane and Finch
Education: Humber College, Design Foundation;
Centennial College, Art Fundamentals
Kofi Frempong was born in Ghana and grew up in the
Jane and Finch community. At the age of four he and
his family made their way from Ghana to Montreal and
from Montreal to Toronto. Kofi fell in love with art at the
tender age of 5, when he was introduced to line drawing
by his father who would draw illustrations of Egyptians.
Kofi was fascinated and he knew right away that he had
a passion for putting pen to paper. Kofi starting tracing
various work, and that is where he developed his true
skills. That became a part of his identity.
Kofi didn’t start painting until later in life as the fear of
failure overpowered the desire to try. He’s a self-taught
artist, however he did go to school for the arts. While
he was there, his lack of focus caused his art professors
to recommended that he consider another career path.
Discouraged, he gave it up for several years but he
returned with the confidence he needed to create Kofi’s
Art. Kofi conquered the paint brush, creating vibrant
and colourful artwork that has circulated the world.
He puts together community events such as Freedom
Friday, where local artists display live paintings, provide
training to up-and-coming visual artists, and guests can
enjoy food and music.
He wants to one day own a gallery to showcase and
sell his work and the work others. As he knows being
an artist can feel very lonely at times, his advice to new
artists is to put yourself out there and enjoy the process.
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