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•pg_23-32__BMT_pg3-58 6/21/13 9:35 PM Page 32 V E N D O R S P OT L I G H T ART & TECHNOLOGY MERGE SPLENDIDLY AT KINU BINU BY VICTORIA HEAD Nigeria could sit all day, drawing her favorite cartoon characters and when she wasn't drawing she could usually be found watching her father creating masterpieces and taking notes on how to emulate him. Nigeria always dreamed of attending a high school for the arts, but, nevertheless, was glad to attend a school that still had art classes in place. Though these classes were held in the basement of her school in poorly lit rooms, Nigeria's love for art continued to flourish. The counsel of her art instructors confirmed her talent, but she was repeatedly told, "…since artists don't make much money, you'd do best exercising your artistic talents for enjoyment and seeking a real job, like plumbing." Though most of her family shared various artistic talents, her older siblings were also very high achievers; young Nigeria wasn't sure that her parents would approve of her dreams to pursue art as a career. But Aakofii, her older sister, always encouraged her to step out, embrace her passion and give it her all. Despite conflicting messages from her high school instructors, Nigeria excelled in her achievements and was given a scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. There she learned she had a knack for computers and after receiving a second scholarship, became skillful in computer infrastructures and networking. While in school, she was given the opportunity to teach young people the fundamentals of computers and Microsoft Office. Nigeria continued to express to her mentors, her passion for drawing and painting. Having seen her artistic abilities, an instructor, Ms. Cooke, recommended that she take some time and study abroad, as it would be a great experience allowing her to explore different cultures and learn about their history pertaining to the arts. After receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing, Nigeria spent time in Italy, studying their museums, artistic history, fashion and more, then returned to the US with a resolve that she had to pursue her passion, as she could only see herself doing that which was creative. Though in today's society, art may not be considered a lucrative business for most, she knew she had to make it Little 32 work for her. Once her studies were completed, Nigeria worked as a performer at Disney World and then at a law firm for a short time. But all the while she longed to create, to wield a pencil or brush in her hand and bring forth something new. From time to time, Aakofii would look at Nigeria's pieces NIGERIA RIGGINS and say, "your work should be in a gallery" or "wow, you should be selling these." Due to the constant nudging from within and from her sister, Nigeria obtained a position at a boys and girls club as an art instructor and very much enjoyed it, but was laid off in 2009. Determined to stay with what she loved, she began doing flyers and logos for friends' businesses, then other companies. After conducting research on what other graphic design businesses were charging and what "Graphic Design" was all about, things began to come into full view. She learned that Graphic Design was the creation of anything visual, marketing pieces; advertising; magazine layouts; the manipulation of images and type; billboards; greeting cards; media presentation. With her training in computer technology and passion for the arts, Nigeria now saw how she could utilize this synergy to propel her toward creative and financial fulfillment. Because as toddlers, her nieces couldn't pronounce Nigeria's middle name correctly – Kianii, they affectionately called her Kinu Binu. So…her newest masterpiece was named Kinu Binu Designs. It's Mission: Passion. It's Goal: To create beauty for individuals and companies that is aesthetically pleasing; to give businesses a face lift they can be proud of, representing them as the best they can be. Nigeria has helped small businesses obtain the presence of a large corporation by providing them with precise presentation. To learn more, or obtain the services of this talented graphic/web designer, you are invited to visit KinuBinu.com. B M & T ••• May/June 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com