A toddler has caught the attention of the internet with his extraordinary skills. The little boy from Ghana has also found his name inducted into the Guinness World Records, all thanks to his artistic personality. At one year 152 days, Ace-Liam Nana Sam Ankrah became the world’s youngest artist. His work on the canvas speaks volumes.
At the age of one year and 152 days old, little Ace-Liam Nana Sam Ankrah from Ghana is the world’s youngest artist 🎨🇬🇭
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) May 22, 2024
Ace Liam’s journey to the world of visual arts has been nothing short of a miracle. He started painting at the age of only six months. His mother Chantelle Kuukua Eghan, who is also an artist, introduced him to painting to keep him entertained when she worked on a piece commissioned for Miss Universe 2023, per NewYork Post.
The mother noted that to keep her son, who at that time was learning to crawl, busy, she spread out a piece of canvas on the floor and dropped some paint on it. For some time, the infant crawled around in the colors and when she looked at it, she was amazed by the vibrant artwork. She appropriately named the piece “The Crawl.”
As a toddler, Ace-Liam developed an avid interest in painting even when he had only learned how to walk and talk. “It was clear that he found a lot of joy in it,” told the mother to Guinness World Records. “It’s a fun and creative outlet for him, and he enjoys the freedom to explore and create without limitations,” she added.
His painting sessions are as interesting as they get as he enthusiastically walks into his studio and chooses the canvas size and colors he prefers. Describing the whole experience, Eghan said, “He calls me to open the paint bottles for him and then he starts applying the paint on the canvas carefully yet spontaneously.”
She added, “A painting session can last anywhere from a few minutes to about half an hour, depending on his interest at the moment. Sometimes he leaves a painting and comes back to it after a couple of days to finish it. Once he’s done, he says ‘Mama finish’.”
Ace-Liam, who turns two in July this year, already has 20 paintings to his credit. However, getting recognized by the Guinness World Record wasn’t a walk in the park. Some rules and directives were to be followed for him to get his name on the record. First, he needed to be part of a professional exhibition. Second, the work exhibited had to be done to a professional standard. Third, evidence was to be presented that the work was done on his own. Lastly, he had to sell his work in the said exhibition, per BBC.
Working on these rules, Ace-Liam participated in his first group exhibition, The Soundout Premium Exhibition at the Museum of Science and Technology in Ghana, where he presented 10 of his paintings. He found commercial success as he was able to sell nine of these paintings. The young artist also gathered some admirers, one of them being Ghana’s first lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, who attended the exhibit and commissioned a painting from him.
After having followed all the rules put up by the organization, Ace had to wait for five months to get honored with the title. His mom excitedly noted, “When I opened the email I just broke down and thanked God.” She is keen to see her son grow and develop as an artist. She hopes this recognition will open up more opportunities for him.
