Artist Jamaal Rolle said he felt a great sense of accomplishment when he presented Pope Francis with a self-portrait in Vatican City last month.
Rolle, 29, described the moment as a culmination of months of labor and dedication to a dream he knew would be fulfilled.
"I had this epiphany," he said at Graycliff restaurant yesterday.
"One night I just had this idea to do a portrait of the pope. It was so strong, something to obey in a sense. So I commenced working on the portrait for no reason. I just did it."
Shortly after finishing the portrait, Rolle said he contacted his publicist Azaleta Ishmael-Newry asking her to find a way to get it to the pope.
He admits the idea sounded crazy.
Ishmael-Newry explained that the pair was fortunate enough that Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, papal nuncio and representative for the Vatican in the Caribbean, was able to assist Rolle.
In Vatican City the pair had a private tour of the Apostolic Palace, the pope's residence and met with Girasoli at the palace's bronze doors.
Rolle said the next day it was not only raining, but there were some 70,000 visitors waiting to see the pope.
"As I presented the portrait, because of the rain and it was so big, I didn't really get to shake his hand but his guards accepted the portrait and the pope was smiling," Rolle said.
"So it was a good experience. It was a privilege to have my work in Rome where it will be among the Renaissance greats such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci."
Rolle, who has painted and presented portraits to celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Sir Sidney Poitier, media mogul Oprah Winfrey and the Miami Heat basketball team, said he hopes to inspire young people.
"I always feel, 'why not take your talents to the world? As Bahamians I feel that we are the most talented people in the world," he said.
"If I can inspire one person I feel like I've achieved my purpose.
"I want to encourage young people to reach for their dreams."
Rolle's sponsors for the trip included Sir Durward Knowles, Alain Torchon-Newry, Anthony Adderley, Ian Bethell, John Armstrong, Julian Smith, Branville and Lisa McCartney and Graycliff's Enrico, Annamaria and Paulo Garzaroli, just to name a few.

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