Philemon Yalamu

- Fine Arts/ Painting
- Graphic / Digital media design/ Illustrations
- Web design/develop/manage/ training
- Interactive media
- eLearning design/ development
- Researcher: Human Computer Interaction (HCI)

WEBSITE & CONTACTS:
https://www.artech.com.pg/

PURCHASE ARTWORKS:
- Paintings
- NFT Artworks

Inspiration:

Most of the inspiration we get often come from someone. For me, it was sort of a motivation rather than an inspiration because at that time, while growing up as a child, I had no idea how I could draw or paint or whom I could look up to. I could remember one of my first drawings was of a plane (1987). It was in grade one when we were asked to share our future plans and I drew the plane just to share my dream of becoming a pilot. This changed when I got to national high due to medical grounds.

During my earlier years, my mom used to ask me to draw pictures for her grade one lessons. I did that over years, and through her motivation, I eventually realized that I could draw and paint. My parents were not artists but were both primary school senior teachers; my dad being a head master (equivalent to a principal). Most of my motivation, which turned into inspiration, came from them.

Later, as I grew up, I looked upon some of PNG's pioneer artists such as my uncle Tabah Silau, seniors like Jodam Alingam, Gickmai Kundun, Tom Deko, and others. Along the way, I read about Larry Santana's story in one of Air Niugini's in-flight magazines and was inspired by some of his work, particularly his way of mixing colors and the use of local design in his paintings. At national high school, I got really inspired by my Art teacher Mr. Jim Vaname, who motivated me into visual arts. Then at university, my tutors Mr. Daniel Waswas guided me in Fine Arts doing real projects than course works, and Nako Kamakang who introduced me into Graphic Design. Later on, I saw Maima Nera's 3D and interactive samples which he showed during one of the Multimedia design classes he tutored and those inspired me. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the knowledge I hoped for so I had to go my own way and taught myself 3D modelling, Animation, motion graphics, web design, interactive media and digital painting.

I'd also like to thank Mr. Barleyde Katit for motivating my cohort at the university during a time when there was no tutor or lecturer except for himself, and he kept us going with the little knowledge he had in the various subjects taught under the Arts and Design program.

One person that I'd like to mention, who gave me a quick intro to motion graphics, while at university was Charles Lagaia, and from then on, I took off from there. There are many other past, present, and emerging artists who have inspired me also, but these are people whom I have been directly influenced by or got motivation from to get to where I am today.

Other inspirations, I got through reading stories and saw paintings of famous people such as Albrecht Dürer, Salvador Dalí, and especially Leonardo Da Vinci's reverse writing styles in 2001 and have since always signed my paintings with a reverse signature.

Today, I have been a colleague to many of the seniors that I once looked upon and I hope to be an inspiration to the ones that come after me and even those before me.

Background:

EMPLOYMENT:
2005 - Present: Employed by the University of Papua Guinea as a lecturer, facilitating Graphics and Multimedia design courses.
Also, the strand leader for Creative Arts - UPNG and Founder of Creative Hub PNG

EDUCATION:
2017-2021: Submitted thesis for program PhD (Dr. ICT) in the field of Human Computer Interaction, specializing in culturally inspired interfaces for learning engagement at Swinburne University of Technology, under Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering within the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology and awaiting 'Thesis Examination'. Published several peer-reviewed papers [1,2,3, 4] and book chapters based on this interest. Also, currently working on 3 other peer-reviewed papers to be published in journals and book chapters as well as being the principal researcher for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences' Technology Enabled Learning (TEL) Survey.

2014: Pacific Islands Leadership Program (PILP) at the East West Center, Hawaii.

2009 - 2010 : Master of Multimedia at Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria, Australia.

2000-2003: Bachelor of Arts at the University of Papua New Guinea.

EXPERIENCE AS AN ARTIST:
My experience as an artist began when I was about 6-7 years old. I started as a self-taught visual artist, doing paper prints, to screen printing and got into painting later at high school (1996), then formally got some guidance whilst in national high school (1998). I got motivated when I won the first price in an International Youth-Art Competition for an "Ocean Art Project" around 1998 and decided to take up Arts and Design at the University of Papua New Guinea. Unfortunately, in 1999 the creative Arts Faculty was abolished so I had to go back home. I spent that year doing freelance work such as screen printing, sign writing and painting to support myself. Then a year later, the program was re-instated and I went back to uni.

While at the university (2000), I was introduced into computers, technology and the world wide web and that's when I got into computer generated imagery (CGI) or computer graphics. I graduated at uni (2004) then joined the university as a tutor in 2005, worked for few years then went to Australia (2009-2010) to advance my knowledge in Multimedia.

EXHIBITIONS/ SHOWS:
I've been drawing and painting for over 30 years, doing graphic design for almost 20 years, multimedia, web developments, animation, interactive media for about 18 years, and have participated in almost 50 art exhibitions both locally and internationally. My seriousness into academic research just started about 4 years ago.
In reference to creative arts, often art exhibitions are counted as part of publications and some of those include:

- 2018: Whitehorse Art Exhibition, Boxhill, Vic, Australia
- 2018: "Rise for Culture" Art Exhibition, Laverton, Vic, Australia
- 2017: "Art in Embassies" Exhibit, Port Moresby, PNG
- 2016, 2017: PNG Art Evolution exhibitions, Port Moresby, PNG
- 2015: "Soim Kala" Exhibition, Port Moresby, PNG
- 2015: Blooming Teens Project - Safe Motherhood, Parliament house, POM, PNG
- 2014: MAT Art Show, Port Moresby, PNG
- 2013,2012,2008,2007,2006: The "Luksave Art Exhibitions" , Port Moresby, PNG
-2012: "Pacific Art" Exhibition at the Producer's Workshop, Suva, Fiji
- 2011: "Pacific Storms" Exhibition, Brisbane, Australia ;
- 2010: "Okaioceanik" Art Exhibition, New Zealand;
- 2009: "RIP Tides" - Contemporary Pacific Art Exhibition, New Zealand;
- 2006: “Cultural Complexity” Exhibition, UPNG,
- 2005: Deloitte Tower Exhibition, organised byLate Sir Michael Somare's office (PM)
- 2002: Student Exhibition, Brisbane, Australia
- 2001: "Kalsa & Tradition in Color" Exhibition, Madang
- 2000: "Laip Bilong Meri" Exhibition,

- Several other PNG shows including other Moresby Arts Theatre (MAT) organized shows, Enga Show Exhibition, Haus Tumbuna Exhibitions, Madang, plus other solo and student exhibitions, etc...

I consider myself as a passionate leader, focusing on positive change and sustainable lifestyle and as a designer/ artists, I adopt the "Design Thinking" approach to problem solving. Design thinking stresses on end-users and that's what I based everything on.

Lately, I haven't done a lot of fine art work due to study commitments but have completed and delivered few computer generated projects just to establish the presence of my firm.