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Editor's note:KSL.com does a weekly feature on artists in the community. If you have a painter, sculptor, musician or creative genius in mind, feel free to email your submission to atreasure@ksl.com. Please include a contact email for the artist, if available.SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah artist had the unique honor of being recognized by the White House for his work this month.
Selu Alofipo, a North Salt Lake resident, was recognized May 4 along with nine other Asian American and Pacific Islander artists who use their mediums to tell stories about their experiences, according to the White House. These artists traveled to Washington DC, where they were honored for their contributions.
“My trip to the White House was amazing, truly inspirational,” he said. “I was in company with people from all walks of life making a real difference in their respective communities. I even got to have dinner where our president elect, Barack Obama, was the keynote speaker. However, my visit to the Lincoln Memorial and other historical sites of our country's founding fathers touched me deeply and will stay with me for an eternity. The spirit there was palpable. I felt the dead cheering me on in my endeavors. I am blessed to have had such a special opportunity and it was an experience I will not soon forget.”
Alofipo, an expressionist who immigrated from Samoa with his parents, combines acrylic and oil paint and a variety of other mediums to portray messages of freedom, liberation, individuality, courage, tenacity, energy and other characteristics.
“I was born in a small village called Vaitoloa in Western Samoa. Our family immigrated to the United States in 1983 when I was just 6 years old,” he said. “I remember the transition being a bit difficult as the culture and the language was significantly different and very hard to understand. We also didn't have a lot of money so we learned to make a dollar stretch. Despite all this, I don't think I ever viewed myself as ‘different.’ For the most part, I felt I belonged and had the same opportunities as anybody else.”
Self-taught, he began drawing at a young age.
“Art didn't play much of a role in my education, however it was fairly significant in my early childhood serving as a nice companion during difficult times,” he said. “Art was very much therapeutic for me and gave me lots of satisfaction and enjoyment especially because I didn't have very many friends growing up.”
Alofipo eventually went on to get a Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech University, earning a football scholarship. A digital marketing consultant, a solar power consultant, as well as an artist and football coach, he said he doesn’t limit himself to just one career or personal aspiration. Alofipo is always making art, not out of a desire to turn it into his livelihood, but to create and enjoy the natural process.
“I thoroughly enjoy the process of creating and see beauty and value in just about everything. I love our existence and have a desire to learn as much about our history, our nature, our anatomy, our capacity, and so on,” he said. “Every action I take, every person I meet, every conversation I have is not happenstance. I am an instrument in this world that I romanticize and I believe in purpose. It is up to me to find that purpose. Sometimes in the quiet of the night, with faint music playing in the background, I get lost in my work. It is during this process that I often find peace and clarity. I have certainly gained a greater appreciation for my existence through my work.”
