Nimia Alexandra Geerman is a local artist who dedicates some of her time to tattoos, but also finds inspiration for paintings and even to paint shoes by hand. For this, she created her own brand “Bunnyhop” which is about wearable art.
Her love for art began at a very young age when she took some courses for painting. Her father was also an artist attending art school, and her mother was someone who thought that because she had a daughter with an artist, she was born with the same talent. “But when you create art, it’s not something you are born with. The only talent you are born with is the desire to paint, to invest your time to painting. It’s the same as people who become athletes or play music, you need to train every day and invest your time”, she says.
In high school she couldn’t focus on subjects like math, English or Dutch. She liked crafts and painting. She had help from a teacher where she would skip French or English class and go painting lessons. “Because I really loved it, everything that can be learned related to art, I wanted to do it. Whether it was clay, painting, anything related to art, I liked investing my time to learn about it”, she said.
Her wish from a young age was to become an artist, but her mother used to tell her she couldn’t live off art and she needed to study something. She decided to study to become a masseuse and worked as such for many years.
She says that one day someone told her that there was a meeting with a man called Tito Bolivar to create a fair. “When I went to the meeting I was delighted, that was the first time I took part [in Aruba Art Fair].”
That was the first time she exhibited her art.
She also participated in the latest edition of Aruba Art Fair last week in San Nicolas, her second time participating. She said it was great when people would give her positive comments, and seeing other artists painting murals, which was a goal for her. She started with small paintings, progressing to larger ones and eventually arriving at murals, which for her was an achievement.
Finalizing, Geerman indicated that art is something anyone can develop, and something that is very important for the mental state of a person, particularly those with mental health issues like depression.
“There are many emotional things going on and I say that art is a big help. For example in my own life, if I’m sad I paint, if I’m happy I paint, everything that I have inside I reflect or I try to hind behind colors. It can be good, it can be bad. If I make anyone feel something with my art, for me that’s great. You don’t have to be afraid of failing. Just buy some art supplies and paint for yourself. If it comes out bad it’s no problem, next time you do it better.”
