The little boy holding his father’s finger as they climbed the stairs to an attic in London discovered his calling at the age of four.

John Martinez said to his son Richard: ’One day you will become an artist.’

The child understood.

He immediately loved the smell of paints, turpentine, canvas and other materials associated with decorative art and like a duck to water, began to draw.

That was then.

He returned to Trinidad to stay in 1977.

At his Gordon Street home in Arima, Richard Martinez, now 51, teaches two weekend classes and recently exhibited the work of five of his best students at NALIS, San Fernando.

Only ten lucky students attend each of the two classes for beginners and advanced students.

Fees are $1,400 and $2,500 a month and somewhere among the ten disciplines in art, each student discovers their passion.

So far, he was trained more than 250 students including professionals among them accountants, dentists, school teachers and others.

Encouraging his students to paint and follow their passion to a fulfilling career, he said that the demand for creative and commercial art has been on the increase and urged artists to produce inspired work.

His art work ranges from $2,500 to $90,000 and has found its way to offices and homes in Europe, America and other countries.

He said that at the age of seven, he painted a creche scene to tell the Bible story during the Christmas season in London and from then on, there was demand for his art work.

He said: ’While growing up, I was always at the top of my art classes and at the age of 15 became one of three top budding artists to participate in an impressionist art programme on television.’

The experience reinforced his dreams of being the best artist he could be and gave him the courage to paint to his heart’s desire.

Among his pupils is ten-year-old Nkosi Shomari Cayonne.

Martinez said that the youngster showed signs of an artist in the making and has been using pencil and crayon with amazing ease for his tender age.

’With a little guidance, the aspiring artist has produced exceptional work,’ he said

He said that there were ten different disciplines in art, among them drawing, pencil shading, pencil portrait using the grid method, freehand portraits, pen stippling, pen cross hatching, water colour painting, figure drawing, still life, perspectives and abstract.