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Meet Guyana’s Youngest Professional Painter – Kuwanau Roberts

First Published: 22nd of August, 2021 by Patrick Carpen.
Last updated: April 25, 2024 at 3:28 amGuyana is a powerhouse of talent, and in this article, we’re going to highlight one who is off to an early start. Meet Kuwanau Roberts, the seven-year-old who does wonders with a brush and a canvas. He started painting at the age of four.
Editor’s Note: This article was first published in 2021 when Kuwana was just four years old. At that time, he was arguably Guyana’s youngest professional painter. He is now 7 years old and continues to pursue his passion in art and painting.
Kawanau was born in Georgetown, Region 4, Guyana, to Guyanese parents Anil and Analisa Roberts. His dad, Anil, is of indigenous heritage from the Makushi Tribe. He hails from Rupertee Village in North Rupununi, Region 9, Guyana, South America. His mom, Analisa is of the Arawak Tribe and hails from Moraikobai Village in Region 5 – which is the only Amerindian village in Region 5.
According to Anil Roberts, the name “Kuwanau” means “harpy eagle” in the Makushi language. Well, this “harpy eagle” is definitely flying high with his God-given talent.

The young Arwakushi, now just 7 years old, developed an interest in art by watching his dad paint through which he was inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps. After Kawanau asked for materials to paint, his dad bought some extra canvases for him, along with some paint. Mr. Roberts said that he didn’t give Kawanau any directions. Instead he gave the young artist full rein with his new tools, passion, and imagination.
His paintings are abstract work. He was very interested in how the red and yellow are mixed to create orange, and the blue and yellow are mixed to create green. He was very interested in those mixtures and kept exploring.
Kawanau’s Dad, Anil Roberts

Join us in cheering for the continued development and success of this talented Guyanese as he continues to soar to new heights.
Update: Kawanau’s parents have created the Facebook Page, Arwakushi, to promote Kawanau’s art and other related products.
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