The Tanzania I paint.

Tanzania is home and always will be. In my eyes, Tanzania is the most special place on earth. It is where I grew up, where my family still live… and it doesn’t hurt that it is one of the most beautiful, wild countries left in the world.

Although I grew up in Tanzania, I live and paint in England now. These two places are so different, and yet both hold such significance to my work and to my life. I guess you could say I have two homes… and both of them are beautiful. 

So, when I returned to Dar es Salaam recently, I decided to take the opportunity to ask myself, what about this special place made me into the artist I am? What is it about Tanzania that I am hoping to bring into the homes of people all around the world, starting in London? 

I also worked with a videographer to create a short documentary that captures a little of the Tanzania I know and love. Don’t miss the video here: 

A little bit of wilderness

Of course, nowhere is perfect, but what makes Tanzania “perfect” in my eyes is the wilderness and the endless untouched beauty. Not all of the land is beautiful, but from the National Parks to the clear blue oceans, Tanzania is nature at its most unforgettable.

Nature at its wildest.

Growing up, we spent almost every weekend out at sea, swimming in the ocean, snorkelling, diving, pretending to be fish… or mermaids! Let’s say mermaids… they are so much more mystical. ;) And without fail, every year, as a family, we would go on safari.

Between the sea and the bush, we were constantly surrounded by nature, and although I took it all for granted at the time, quite recently, I have realised how lucky I truly am — that experiencing all of this was normal to me. 

I have so many magical memories of Tanzania’s natural spaces, and I find myself returning to them again and again on canvas.

A burst of colour

Another source of inspiration in my work is colour. I love working with brightness and mixing “unusual” colours together to represent something beautiful in a new and unexpected way. Not to try and sell Tanzania to you, but it is a country filled with so many colours! Have you ever admired the brightness of something as simple as a fruit? The open skies of Tanzania make everything from bananas to beads shine, and the people embrace colour with such a sense of joy, from their fabrics to their art. 

Learning from the experts.

Tinga Tinga is a painting style derived from East Africa. In Dar es Salaam, the majority of the local artists paint using this style. Colour explodes through Tinga Tinga, and this is where much of my love for bright colours was born. In the past, I tried to keep up with the “European trends” and stick to neutral colours, but honestly, I find it so boring to limit myself to quiet tones. I think neutrals are beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but colour is what makes my heart sing! It makes me feel alive! 

A deep and quiet love 

There is one thing about Tanzania that has inspired my work in a purely personal way, one that you may not always be able to see. My grandmother, Miggie, lives there. She is the person who taught me how to paint, and she was perhaps my biggest inspiration of all. 

Miggie and me.

Miggie had the most amazing little art studio at her house, and this is where I learned everything! When we weren’t at sea, in the bush, or exploring local markets, you would usually find me curled up at Miggie’s house (only a 10-minute drive from my home). I would spend hours copying all of Miggie’s paintings one by one, desperate to be an artist just like her. 

Miggie’s studio is where all the magic happened. Here, I learned how to use different paint mediums, and how to capture the things that I loved in colour and lines and movement. This is where I became an artist. 

Two homes are where my heart is 

It has been strange since I left Tanzania to know that my heart can be in more than one place at once. Tanzania is where I feel the most grounded, the most connected to nature. So, I know that it is vital for me to go back as often as I can so as not to lose sight of this. Life moves at a slower pace in Tanzania, whereas in England, I can feel a little like I am stuck in fast-forward. 

Slowing down and connecting.

And yet, I have always wanted to live in England. Like Tanzania, England has a lot of beauty and wilderness. It may look very different, but to me, it feels the same: something precious that we should love fully and do what we can to protect. 

After a trip to Tanzania, I always come back feeling inspired. I am ready to create, to combine the beauty of Tanzania with the beauty of England, to mix my two homes and hearts together… to make a new identity for myself. I come back to London - to this concrete jungle where flowers still grow - to tell my story and to share the importance of nature, colour, and love through my art. 

At the end of the day, if I have inspired even one person, I know that my art has meant something.