Aspiring lawyer Shykah Persaud has a passion for painting

Every little girl always has a dream to soar high in a profession they love. For 18-year-old Shykah Persaud, who has an undying love for painting, her calling is to join the legal profession. She hopes to one day become an attorney-at-law, and play her part in ensuring checks and balances in society.

But for now, she enjoys painting and has even sold a few pieces of her work. Currently, Persaud has a full-time job, but whenever her paintbrush comes in contact with a piece of canvas, she makes the most of it.
During an interview with Guyana Times, the outgoing teenager confessed, “I love to paint. It makes me feel alive and kicking. I’d rather wake up every morning knowing that I’m doing something I love daily. This way, I’d actually have the motivation to get up and get stuff done. My friends and family are supportive of my art. And they make it known that they’re proud of me. This contributes to me having the motivation to do stuff.”
According to the teenager, although she has no formal education in the art form, if given the opportunity to pursue studies in this regard, she would make the most of it since art is something, she has always been very passionate about.
She explained that while growing up she was not privileged to own a smartphone and other fancy gadgets, so instead, she used paint and brushes to keep her company. She confessed that she eventually fell in love with how the colours looked after blending.
“I get inspiration from everything. My emotions, my friends, their emotions, the environment, sometimes I would dream about things and jump up and sketch it out, so I don’t forget. Also, Pinterest is a big help!”
She revealed that she rarely plans what she would paint because when she does, it can become very chaotic, especially if it drifts far away from the set plan.
But despite her accomplishments, Persaud remains humbled and open-minded. “I’m open-minded too. I have a plan, but at the same time, I’m going with the flow. This eases so much unnecessary pressure. Why a career in law? I didn’t choose it. It chose me. I started looking at TV shows, and I love to look at documentaries and whatnot. And it spiked my interest, and I just wanted to know more,” the teenager added.
In the meantime, Persaud, who spent most of her years at Kitty in Georgetown and Parika, East Bank Essequibo, has lent some advice to those who wish to follow in her footsteps.
“Just go with the flow. Don’t rush; let the brush control you. No painting is perfect. All art is art. Don’t throw away your scraps. (They come in handy). Watercolours and acrylic when mixed is just beautiful! You’re amazing at what you do. Always be confident in your work.” Persaud usually displays her paintings on her Facebook page @Shykah R. Persaud. Some of them are on sale at very affordable prices.