A four-year dream has become reality for the Bermuda Society of Arts (BSoA) with the announcement that it has awarded its first BSoA Bursary 'Palette' Award to Kaamilah Al-Amin.

Speaking on behalf of the Society, gallery director Victoria Evans-Cracknell said that the education bursary award committee was challenged in making its final decision, but Ms Al-Amin ultimately fulfilled all of the requirements and received the highest possible score.

"It is a great pleasure to reward such a talented and goal-oriented young woman. We wish her much success in all of her endeavours, but particularly in obtaining her degree in the graphic arts," she said.

Born in 1988, Bermudian Ms Al-Amin was influenced by the visual arts at a young age, and won prizes for art projects during her elementary school education.

Her first formal training came at age 12 when she joined well-known Bermudian professional artist Sharon Wilson's summer programme and discovered a new passion for art.

In 2002, as a new student at Berkeley Institute, Ms Al-Amin soon began accepting commissioned assignments from classmates, teachers, and people within her community. Throughout her high school years she also participated in numerous arts-related projects while continuing to receive awards for her creative endeavours.

Ms Al-Amin is currently pursuing a three-year advanced diploma programme at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario, preparatory to a career in the graphic arts.

Future plans include studying Fine Arts in the US, where she will continue to explore other forms of visual arts, and opening her own art gallery some day.

"Who knows, maybe one day Kaamilah will return and assume the reins as the gallery director for the Bermuda Society of Arts," Mrs. Evans-Cracknell said.