Keep creating

My advice would be: just keep creating. In the middle of challenges, low energy, lack of family support, lack of exhibitions… keep at it. The thing is: once you’re authentic with your story, you will always have something to talk about and that authenticity would shine through anytime. 

Also get a job on the side to pay your bills. That will give you more time to put your art out there without having this feeling of “Oh, I must make money from this.” It just takes away that money-mindedness from your art and it helps you to focus on the creative aspect of it.

Just keep creating and don’t give up.

My hopes for the future

So, over time, I’ve had people come up to me saying: “Oh Yewande, your paintings made me feel a certain way today”, and I’ve also received messages saying: “Your work is amazing, it’s like a breath of fresh air; I looked at your work and I felt something; I was going through a tough time, and your paintings depicted exactly what I was going through.”

That gives me lot of joy, to know that my pieces are giving much joy to people. So, I hope for that to continue on a larger scale in the future.

I want my paintings to be more than an aesthetic piece, to serve as a sort of companion to people helping them get through tough times; something people can look at and say: “oh, okay, that’s a bit of strength for today”. I want my pieces to help to restore faith in humanity because it’s so easy to get caught up by everything going on in the world right now.

I’d like them to be viewed and engaged with by a larger audience; having people walk into these rooms, galleries, or art institutions, experiencing emotions and leaving with a sense of hope.

Where can we see your work & how to get in touch with you?

I was just part of a group show by Afrikrown called Levi-Unite II, an annual art exhibition showing in Abuja, Nigeria. I’ll also be part of the group show “Mis-predilections of Aboya” (59, Raymond Njoku, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria) this October. 

My Instagram page (@ambeke) is ready to receive people with open arms… Enquires can be sent by DM or to my email (new.yewandeambeke@gmail.com).

Dear reader,

Thank you so much for reading Yewande’s interview until the end. We hope you could take something
inspiring away from it & encourage you to believe in the beauty and power of art.
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