La Forêt
The process of a commissioned painting done for the office of an event planner
The Pool Players
A small look into a very simple method used to give form to one of the seven men painted in this surreal painting
Orchids
Another commissioned painting made for a coffee shop named Orchid in Dar es Salaam
Afrex Lion
A commissioned mural for a property development company in Dar es Salaam, named Afrex. They wanted to go with a bold nature-themed mural featuring a lion which is the essence of the company logo.
Never In A Million Years
This painting had a specific athletic, yet peaceful theme in mind as it was commissioned for the juice bar at a popular gym
More on the thought process
The Pool Players
There are seven men in the painting and although they all have a sense of uniformity and they stand together, there is a feeling of disconnect between them, as they all face and gaze into different directions. Their wide-brimmed hats and overcoats create an elusive impression. And the fact that their bodies remain incomplete gives the idea that there is something fragmented about them. The backdrop of a dream-like orange sky and clouds allows one to believe that they are in a world of their own.
The inspiration for this piece is from the poem “The Pool Players” by Gwendolyn Brooks:
We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz june. We
Die soon
Ethereal
The bold orange-red colours of this piece give it an aura of strength and exhilaration. The perspective offers the illusion that we are looking through a row of pillars/columns at an otherworldly scene of a woman in moonlit water. The colours and solidity of shape illuminate the strong sense of isolation. It allows the idea to be presented as bold and blissful, rather than desolate. The woman is peaceful in her isolation, with her thoughts and self-reflection. She is powerful and drawing strength from the moon and currents of the water.
This piece was inspired by a quote from Tao Te Ching:
“I am drifting like an ocean, floating like high winds
Everyone is so rooted in this world
Yet I have no place to rest my head
Indeed I am different...”
Deep Obsessive Blue
A woman is submerged in water, far into the ocean and from the distant island in the background. The water is vacant, no other life, except for the seaweed below her, and the island also appears deserted. However, the complete isolation of the woman lacks any eerie feeling, and there is a sense of peace and tranquility in the placid colours and ripples of the water. She is at ease and allowing herself to sink into her natural surroundings. There is no sense of haste or a need to get anywhere; she is simply connecting with herself.
This piece was inspired by lyrics from the song “Blue and White” by PHOX:
“I belong to blue and white, blue and white…
I belong to me alone when I’m alone”
Save Me
The woman in this painting is submerged in clouds and appears to be sinking or drowning. However, she is holding on to a rose, which is presented as a lifeline of sorts. The rose symbolizes a connection to the woman’s fertility and sexuality. The clouds and colours are soft alluding to the woman’s tenderness. The bold sailboat cutting through the clouds stands out and its sharp edges disrupts the peaceful environment. In contrast, the woman holds the rose, connecting her to the sky, clouds and moon, rather than imposing herself on it.
An excerpt from a poem by Diana Fitzgerald Bryden inspired this piece:
"But there,
you let it go, hands free.
Except in the whining surge of take-off and descent
When the earth, its contents,
Pull with such force
you beg them not
to let you leave."
Saturday Night
There is a sense of urgency in this piece, yet it creates the feeling that is it a moment frozen in time. Therefore there is a contrast between movement/life and stillness/rigidity. There is movement in the clouds as they circle around the moon, which is the only source of light, and therefore energy. The tree is partly lifeless and only comes alive where it is in close proximity to the woman in the bathtub. The harsh lines of the building are in some way mirrored by the woman’s rigidity. Although some forms of life flourishes around her, she seems disconnected from it. Also the rose is in full bloom, symbolizing her fertility, but it lies far from her. The building has no roof and there is a ladder, yet the woman seems to be enclosed within herself and the building.
An excerpt from a poem by Margaret Atwood was the inspiration behind this piece:
"proclaiming (her)self the centre,
with...no borders
anywhere; the sky no height
above (her), totally un-
enclosed
and shouted:
Let me out!"
Mirror
This piece features mirror images of almost identical women, yet there are subtle differences between them. It speaks to the solidarity and the mirroring of movements that comes with having a close bond to one another. They wade through water in a forest of thin trees. The women blend into the mystic surroundings and their nudity and lack of features, alludes to their connection to the landscape and draws further attention to their femininity.