AFRICAN QUEENS

Oils on Canvas

This painting of three Samburu women is rooted in my earliest memories of Kenya — a place where colour, culture, and grace shaped my childhood imagination. I remember watching the Samburu women with quiet awe, captivated by the elegance of their posture, the music of their laughter, and the dazzling beadwork they wore with such pride. Their adornments were not just decoration, but expressions of identity, beauty, and tradition, each bead carrying meaning.

In this oils-on-canvas piece, I wanted to honour that memory with care and fidelity. Every bead has been meticulously painted, stroke by stroke, in tribute to the artistry I admired as a child. The women stand together in calm confidence, their presence both strong and serene, embodying the spirit of a culture that influenced me long before I had words for it.

This painting is not only a portrait, but a remembrance — a way of returning to Kenya through colour, texture, and the timeless dignity of the Samburu women who first opened my eyes to the beauty of adornment and the depth of tradition.