By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — From early childhood notebook sketches to intricate canvas commissions and high-definition bridal glam, Guyanese visual artist and entrepreneur Latoya Da Silva has turned an expansive creative palette into two growing commercial enterprises: Xclusiv Beauty and Xclusiv Art.
Da Silva, who describes herself as an interdisciplinary creative whose background spans dance, theatre, and fine art, developed her craft through secondary school CSEC studies under the mentorship of celebrated educator, the late Brian Clarke.
Balancing a standard nine-to-five job while self-funding her ventures, Da Silva has overcome financial constraints, creative burnout, and startup setbacks, transforming her passion for visual aesthetics into sustainable revenue streams as she plans the commercial relaunch of her handcrafted cosmetics line.
Dual Creative Engines: Commercial Glamour Meets Expressive Art
Rather than confining herself to a single discipline, Da Silva structured her commercial operations across two distinct brands:
- Xclusiv Beauty: Operates as a specialized beauty studio offering professional makeup services for weddings, photoshoots, and formal events, along with practical makeup masterclasses and private lessons. Da Silva is currently preparing to reintroduce her proprietary line of handmade cosmetics.
- Xclusiv Art: Serves as the creative outlet for her fine art, featuring custom acrylic paintings, corporate signage, personalized gifts, and specialized special-effects (SFX) makeup for theatrical and creative productions.
- The Mentorship of ‘Sir Clarke’: Reflecting on her foundational years at St. Joseph High School, Da Silva credited the late art master Brian Clarke with keeping her artistic drive alive during a period when formal visual arts education was losing ground.
“The passion was dying. But people like Sir Clarke, they were very important in keeping that passion alive in any which way that they could. He got us involved in painting murals right in St. Joseph. He made sure that art had a presence,” Da Silva recalled.
The Capital Grind and the Shoe that Reignited the Flame
Building commercial enterprises without external venture backing demanded strict fiscal discipline and relentless personal sacrifice:
- Bootstrapping via a Nine-to-Five: Da Silva worked a conventional full-time job to save personal capital, buying professional cosmetics kits, easels, and high-grade pigments out of pocket rather than taking on debt.
- Navigating Creative Fatigue: Balancing commercial enterprise with a standard workday left little energy for personal canvas work, leading to a temporary lull in her painting output despite a continuous stream of creative ideas.
- The Custom Shoe Request: The spark to revive her fine art commissions arrived unexpectedly when a client reached out with a unique request for hand-painted footwear.
“It took just one person to reach out to me and ask, ‘Hey, Latoya, are you still painting? I want you to paint this shoe for me.’ And that just ignited the flame right back,” Da Silva explained.
A Message to Aspiring Creators: ‘Start From Scratch, Never Let It Fail’
Reflecting on the unpredictable reality of running a small creative business in Guyana’s evolving economy, Da Silva urged upcoming artisans, painters, and makeup artists not to abandon their craft when early momentum stalls:
- Embracing the Reset: She emphasized that having to start over or scale back during tough economic cycles is not a sign of failure, but a natural phase of business growth.
- Reconnecting with Core Passion: When business administration drains energy, returning to the core love for the art form is essential to long-term endurance.
“Your interest may start to deplete… starting from scratch, don’t let it fail… always keep pushing,” Da Silva urged.
Her entrepreneurial journey demonstrates that creative discipline, paired with practical business planning, can convert an artistic calling into a viable commercial enterprise.
