When Kamela Wade decided to pursue a career in the arts, usually the first questions she would hear were: ‘Are you sure you want to do that?’ or ‘What will you do as a backup?’

But the 22-year-old aspiring artist maintains she’s always been passionate about the arts and has no plans on switching course now.

She is currently teaching art at Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation — the same place she learned about art basics as a youngster — and will be showing off 14 pieces of her own work at the school’s upcoming exhibit Art Happens Here at Bermuda Society of Arts (BSoA) in City Hall.

Art pieces created by both students and staff will be on display at the show, which runs from Friday until June 3.

Ms Wade said it was “really exciting” and a “proud moment” to climb the ranks, from student to teacher at Kaleidoscope.

She admitted it was also rewarding to be able to inspire other young people to love and value art the way she does.

“I think the exhibit is going to go well and I am excited to see it because we will take up the entire gallery space at BSoA,” she explained.

“Normally we are in the corner because it costs a lot of money to be in that huge space, but now it’s an opportunity for people to walk through and see what our students and staff have to offer.”

Ms Wade entered some of her work into last year’s Charman Prize, but admitted she hasn’t done many exhibits on island.

While studying fine art at Parsons The New School for Design in New York she was able to take part in a few smaller exhibits and plans to host her first solo show in Bermuda later this year.

The artist said it wasn’t always easy choosing a career in this field.

Most of her classmates at Bermuda High School were looking to get into insurance or business professions, but she knew a desk job wasn’t for her.

“Instead I applied to Parsons in New York and once I got in it was said that I was the only one out of my graduating year at BHS that went into the arts.

“I had friends who were interested in it, but not enough as to major in it.

“And when I would tell people I was going into art they were like ‘Are you sure that’s what you want to do?’ Or they would ask ‘What else are you going to do as a backup?’”

She said the professors at university made sure to prepare students on what to expect if they become an artist.

“We learned that you still have to get a day job and sometimes that’s in art and sometimes it’s not,” Ms Wade said.

“We had courses in how to get money for grants if you want to get into a residency programme. They covered a lot of things that when you were in high school you didn’t have.

“A lot of the teachers are artists themselves and teach part time at the college and have other jobs to support their work.

“I knew it was going to be difficult going into it. There will still be challenges ahead, but I think you really have to have the discipline to do it.”

Ms Wade admitted she was still in touch with a lot of friends from university and found it encouraging to hear that a few have opened up their own gallery space, while others have had the chance to exhibit their work around the city.

Her goal is to teach in Bermuda for the remainder or the year and then return to New York to get her Master’s degree.

“After that I might go into teaching out there to support myself,” she said. “I want to have a job that has to do with the arts. I don’t think I could totally go off and do something else, but I might look into graphic design or something like that.”

Ms Wade ultimately hopes to become a role model to other young artists on the island.

She said: “Many artists that have been recognised for their work like Graham Foster and Kevin Morris are a little older, but I don’t really see a young face out there. And I think my style is a little bit more contemporary which is different coming out of Bermuda.”

She encouraged people to stop by the Art Happens Here exhibit to support local talent.

“We will have the entire space so you will be able to see all the work from students and the teachers as you walk through.

“You will also be able to find out what Kaleidoscope is about. We are designed to empower children through art and it’s an outlet for children to come and work and learn about mediums other than drawing and painting.

“We teach children how to use wire and clay to create art. We also do art work outside and get to use nature.”

She believes that art is a really useful tool and gives people of all ages an outlet to express themselves.

“Art forces you to really get to know yourself and look at what you believe and your values and what you want to communicate to the world,” she said. “You really have to dig deep and figure out what you think is important.

“When you are in school you are learning subjects you need to know, but not looking into yourself very much I don’t think.

“As an artist you really have to look at what’s important to you because you’re not going to make something that has no meaning to you.”

The opening reception for Art Happens Here will take place at BSOA on Friday from 5pm until 7pm. The exhibit runs until June 3.