Wilson D’Souza, the internationally acclaimed Goan artist, is exceptional for many reasons. Besides being a stellar painter, he is also an extraordinary teacher. During his tenure as the Director of Creative Arts at Bal Bhavan Panaji, Wilson worked with several young art students. He was then inspired to launch Pyde Pyper Art Academy, a Dona Paula-based art school which trains both children and adults to think creatively.
Pyde Pyper’s refreshingly new approach soon grew in popularity, and art lovers from all over Goa found a sanctuary for their creativity. Over a thousand students now learn the nuances of drawing and painting at Pyde Pyper. Wilson explains the rationale behind founding the art school, “Pyde Pyper was formed with the intention of giving art a new lease of life, making it live and breathe in the hearts of art lovers and creators. At Pyde Pyper, art isn’t for art’s sake; it is critically analysed. We look for the soul behind art, rather than superficially pursuing it. We have received wonderful achievements with our students all over India. Our alumni have made it to prestigious educational institutions like IIT, Srishti, MIT, Symbiosis, NIFT; international institutes such as Savannah College of Arts and Design (University of Georgia) and PRATT New York. Pyde Pyper taps the unique talent of each student. We encourage them to create original works rather than imitate existing styles.” Students who have trained at Pyde Pyper rave about the outstanding experience. They receive focused guidance which helps them develop their own artistic style, or simply tap their mind’s creative energy. Being a multi-faceted art school, Pyde Pyper also offers training in creative writing, giving young minds the platform to discover their innate talent. One of the academy’s earliest students won the National Balshree Award in Creative Writing, presented by then President of India APJ Abdul Kalam. She credits her win to Wilson’s extensive guidance in developing original ideas as a writer. It goes to show that the Pyde Pyper Art Academy is truly helping young Goans to discover and pursue their natural talents.
At this stage of his career, Wilson is working on a series of collaborative writing projects with Deanne Fernandes, an accomplished sociologist. Through their writings, they want to tackle social discrimination which stems from prejudice and bias. They aim to bring forth the many masks that people tend to wear, creating superficiality in society. At present, their unique piece of literary art is being exhibited at the Chitrasangam Art Exhibition, being held at Ujwal Art Gallery inArpora.
Explaining the life of an artist, Wilson expresses, “My journey as an artist has taught me to be a survivor. I am constantly innovating, experimenting and delving deep into my soul to rediscover who I am and where I have come from. I am always striving to reinvent my art according to the changing times.”
Wilson is one of Goa’s brightest minds, and is pioneering a new approach to art education. He shares some advice for budding artists, “It is essential to look for the soul in art. The journey to find that soul will never end. It’s an ongoing journey that will last forever. If you ever feel that you have reached the pinnacle of artistic success, you are surely mistaken. Art has an evolving soul and will never have finality in its growth!”
