Lino Lionel Colaitiniyara is a 24-year-old artist renowned in his field of work for his amazing realistic portraits, and has etched his name among other great artists in Fiji – but his journey was one of struggle.
Lino was raised in Tukavesi Buca, Cakaudrove, a farming community on Vanua Levu. He harboured a dream of coming to the big city and making a name for himself.
In 2017 he began cutting sugarcane to help his family and to earn some pocket money as well.
But the more time he spent in the cane fields, the more he thought of an alternative job yet there was nothing he could think of.
“I wasn’t too happy and kept telling myself I shouldn’t be here. One night I was sitting alone and I felt really downhearted. I asked myself — will I be like this forever”
It was his older brother Taia Colaitiniyara who was the artist in the family and Lino would watch him for hours sketching portraits.
Finally one day he too tried it out and it came easy to him.
Looking back, Lino said ‘being creative’ had always been in the family since childhood. His mother, now a retired teacher, was creative when it came to decorating the house.
“My mum would always write Bible verses and draw pretty flowers on charts and hang them up on the walls, so I got that creativity from her.
He stumbled upon a talent he didn’t really know he possessed.
“One day I told myself that I have a talent of doing art and so I prayed to God to show me the path.
“I always used to see my brother draw, he is why I started sketching too,” he said.
The brotherly bond grew strong and it was art that got Lino out of the house into the big city. Lino kept fine tuning his skills – now the two operate their own art business – ‘Tough Arts–Fiji’.
Lino overtook his brother and became the artist while Taia manages the online business, they have another partner Vivisila Tabaki who managers the client contact.
Taia is also a medical missionary at the Three Angels Missionary College in Rakiraki.
Lino’s said he started initially by showcasing his work of art on social media’s Facebook and received an overwhelming response.
People reached out to him and asked him to make sketches of them which he did free-of-charge at first. Months later a cousin advised him to sell his art and after a few more recommendations, he and his brother opened a Facebook page.
My mother always taught us the importance of love and how our family worked together to overcome tough times that is why we named it “Tough Arts-Fiji” which began in 2018.
Soon as business opened so too the demands, something they never expected.
“Sometimes I’d stay home for days to complete orders for the clients and right now I am booked until next year January,” said Lino
“My advice to others is to keep striving, you will get there someday, use the talent you have otherwise you’ll regret it and don’t let God down because he is the one who gave you that talent. Be humble and believe in yourself,” Lino said.
