A Tereora College student has combined her artistic and entrepreneurial skills to tap into the tourist market while helping with household costs.

Anthena Napa-Nicholas, 13, has just opened a shop at the Punanga Nui Market where she is selling a range of artworks she has been working on since 2019.

Napa-Nicholas was busy briefing tourists on her works when Cook Islands News visited on Saturday.

She has been at it about three weeks and is using the dollars to help her own household.

The young artist has had a bit of a push from her mum, Chantal Napa.

“Mum is good at talking and making money,” she joked.

Napa-Nicholas said she was inspired to combine her artistic and entrepreneurial skills during a primary school project, when students were asked to create artworks and sell them.

“The idea was to get kids to learn about, and fundraise for the school.”

Her mother encouraged her to continue with art, and took her to art classes at the Little Red Gallery on Rarotonga.

“It was painting and painting in more detail.”

Now she is selling some of those prints.

“It was quite fun, it was hard at times.

“But when I completed the course it was worth it.”

Napa-Nicholas said the idea to sell the works at Punanga Nui Market came about after she asked her mum for money.

“I asked mum for money and she said, ‘we should sell at the market’.

“It’s a combination of A4 prints and little cards, it’s going well.”