The Father Who Bought a Few Paintbrushes—and Helped Change His Son’s Life

When Moh Awudu looks back at the turning point in his life, he does not mention a major exhibition, an award, or a career breakthrough. He remembers something much simpler: a few paintbrushes bought by his father.

At about 13 or 14 years old, Moh had discovered that art gave him something he desperately needed; a place where he could escape, express himself, and be himself.

His father noticed the passion growing in him. So when he travelled and returned from leave, he did not dismiss his son’s interest as a childhood hobby. Instead, he supported it.

“He bought me the brushes and stuff,” Moh recalled.

That small gesture became more than just a gift. It gave the young boy a space to channel his emotions and find purpose.

“Now I have a place that I can just go and feel okay and be myself,” he said.

For Moh, whose early years were marked by struggles and a difficult environment, art became a refuge. But behind that journey was a father who believed in him long before the world knew his name.

Even after Moh left home and began building his own path, his father remained one of his biggest supporters. He proudly told friends about his son’s achievements and celebrated every milestone.

“My dad gives me work. My dad tells his friends, ‘My son does this. He does that,’” Moh said with a smile. “He’s my hype man.”

His father’s pride was not based only on what Moh had achieved but also on the person he had become.

Moh remembered a moment when his father saw him reacting to a difficult situation with a friend. The reaction surprised him because it was different from the calm and gentle person he knew his son to be.

“He called my friend and said, ‘My son has changed. The old me is gone,’” Moh recalled.

It was a moment that showed his father had noticed not just his success but also his transformation.

Today, Moh carries the memory of both parents with him. While he was grateful that his father lived long enough to witness parts of his journey, he wished his mother had been around to see more.

“I wish my mom is around so that I can take really good care of her and make her enjoy, make her proud,” he said.

But he believes she would have been proud too.

“My dad told me he’s proud of me all the time. He calls me and tells me he’s proud of me,” Moh said.

For an artist who once searched for a place to belong, the support of a father who bought a few paintbrushes became one of the strongest foundations of his journey. A reminder that sometimes life-changing moments come not from grand opportunities, but from someone believing in you when your dream is still small.