In 2010, two brothers, Kanmi and Tolu Binutu, were dissatisfied with the state of visual art in Nigeria –specifically, the glaring lack of respect artists were afforded – and decided to do something about it.
They eventually came up with the idea to create a startup that would serve as a close-knit community for like-minded artists with varying degrees of expertise – and that’s how Pencils ‘n’ Brushes Artworks (PnB) was born.
The Binutus (Photo: PnB)
The brothers then went out in search of artists – from those with steady hands to the newbies with glaring potential – and hired them to work with PnB, where they currently make money off their gifts by offering a variety of art-related services.
Speaking on their website about why they created the hive, the brothers said:
“It was born out of a desire to educate and empower artists. Its mission is clear; we are interested in improving the standard of art in our environment, by helping artists become the best versions of themselves.
It is designed to teach various methods and media of expression. In addition to these noble goals, we seek to change any self-destructive mindset in the artist and help them realize that they are professionals.”
The brothers refer to The Hive as an incubator – a veritable training ground for rookies and even fairly experienced artist who want to take their art to the next level.
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You can learn more about their project on their website and on their Instagram.
