What inspired you to become an artist, and when did you first realise that you wanted to pursue this career path? I have been painting and creating from a young age and for me it was the perfect escape from my surroundings. I come from a diverse background, and I felt I was able to express myself through my artwork. I knew from an early age I wanted to pursue art and design as a career it always felt natural. It has always been a natural progression for me from a young kid who just loved to express themselves by creating, to studying textiles at university and all to becoming an artist and designer. What are some of your favourite materials and mediums to work with, and why do you prefer them? I would say I am a multimedia artist. I love experimenting with new materials. However, in the past few years I have found a love for gouache. I first started using it when I began studying years ago as it was perfect for painting florals for textile designs. I love the flexibility of gouache, its workable and reworkable and I have infinite blending opportunities. It works fantastic with the work I have been creating in the past few years which have a slightly more illustrative nature. When creating fine art pieces my go to is always acrylic or oil paints. How would you describe your artistic style, and how has it evolved over time? My work is very much travel, culture and nature inspired. I combine the styles from my fine art background and illustrative contemporary style from my textiles background. My work has become more illustrative and freer over the past few years. Whilst perusing a career in the fashion/textiles industry my work became very precise and always with a goal in mind. However, the work I create as an artist I wanted to be more expressive and unpressured. What themes or ideas do you explore in your artwork, and why are they important to you? I love to take inspiration from my travels around the world. In some ways its an escapism for me and a way to dream of being somewhere lush and green or by the ocean somewhere in Italy. I wanted to create work that people look at and makes them smile or think of a happy place. I grew up between the city and the countryside which was always a great escape for me. All seasons of the year I was able to explore and be around nature which was not only great for my mental health but incredibly inspiring. I would also say having a diverse background, culture has always been a big source of inspiration for the work I create across all mediums. Representing my African roots will always be important to me, and it is something I would love to explore further in the future. Can you walk us through your creative process, from the initial concept to the finished piece? What challenges have you faced in your artistic career, and how have you overcome them? Who are some artists or other creative figures that have influenced your work, and how have they inspired you? Firstly Frida Kahlo – I studied her work whilst I was studying my A levels. I love her use of symbolism in the paintings she created. Kehinde Wiley has always been a big inspiration for me. The way he captures the essence of history, wealth, subject matter, juxtaposition, and African culture in his work is beautiful. As a textile designer and artist Wiley’s incredible patterns and subject matter have been a source of inspiration to push my work and embrace my African culture within my creative work. How do you stay motivated and inspired when you hit a creative block or rough patch? Walking and being around nature keeps me motivated when I hit a creative block. It happens and when it does the best thing for me has always been to take a break, go for a walk, get some fresh air and be around nature. I think it is important in them moments not to be consumed by the pressure or the block and detach from creating just for a moment. The break, that moment of fresh air and being amongst nature is the perfect way to rebalance myself and my creativity. What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting out on their artistic journeys? Go for it, be yourself and have. It may all sound cliché but if I could go back and tell myself this, I think I would’ve been a lot less hard on myself. Pursuing a career in art/design isn’t easy but its important that along the way on that journey you have fun and love what you are creating. Be yourself, find your own style and create what you love and enjoy that’s always important. When creating art there is no one right way to do things, everyone has their own interpretations and unique styles that make them the artists they are – don’t compare yourself. What are your goals for your art in the future, and where do you see your career going in the next few years? I hope to diversify my work and home in on my own style as an artist further. I want to include my African heritage more in my work as it develops and explore this further. What's your favourite piece that you sell on Fy! and why? ‘View from the window’ Has always been a favourite piece of mine. I really found my style here when I got back into painting after some time away. When I look at the painting it makes me happy, I feel a sense of peace and longing to be sitting at that window staring out at that view. It reminds me of times travelling and seeing the world where I have had some of the most wonderful of times. Which other artists on the Fy! platform do you love? Can you share with us a favourite piece of art from another artist and tell us why you love it? (please ensure the artwork is available on Fy!) How do you see your art contributing to the wider cultural conversation, and what message or themes do you hope to convey through your work? I have always enjoyed sharing the art of Africa and adding elements of that within some of the work I create especially my career as a Textile designer. I grew up in a community that wasn’t so diverse, and I would say I didn’t always feel in touch with my roots. Exploring my African roots and the culture through my work has allowed me to understand myself and my heritage better. I hope that with my work in the future, including this further in my work I can share the wonderful patterns, heritage, and culture of not just Ghana but African as a whole. What advice do you have for aspiring artists who are just starting out in their careers? 16. Our shoppers love to buy multiple pieces to create Gallery walls, can you suggest any other art prints on Fy! which you feel compliment yours? 17. Tell us about the artwork you hang in your own home and how this fits into your interior style? 18. Where is your artwork best suited in a home? Do you love making prints for big bright hallway spaces or cosy bedroom corners?
