Africa is not the hunger and poverty shown in television commercials or the war-torn scenes presented in the news. It’s a thriving continent with a rich cultural history and an evolving people. In my work, I aim to reflect that version of Africa: hopeful, human, vibrant. I want the canvas to convey moments of everyday life, community, and resilience, so viewers encounter Africa as a living story, not just a picture of suffering.

I began with Tanzanian subjects. For as long as I visited galleries in Toronto or abroad and studied history books, I rarely saw myself reflected. African figures most often seemed tied to struggle. I chose to paint Tanzania as I experience it: personal moments, family life, with strong women at the centre of that life. I wanted to fill the canvas with images that define what it means to be Tanzanian, to be African, in meaningful ways.

At first, I worried the work might be too niche. Yet viewers found themselves within the paintings, regardless of race, age, or gender. The feedback, from people who felt seen and connected, was humbling. The positive reception confirmed art’s power to broaden representation and to celebrate and share our humanity.