‘To paint, I time-travelled listening to music’
point because I was the only student. There was a senior boy in senior class who was also doing arts.
So, how did textile design encroach on your passion for painting?
When I was in college, I did Fine and Applied Arts and you had to specialise in one fine arts course and applied arts. So, I did painting and textile. When I finished, I found out that a lot of people still liked Ajire and batik, so I continued. At some point I was encouraged to look deeper by an art workshop I attended that involved the British Council. It was meant to empower women. Some came without experience, while some had the experience. I intend to expand my textile business. But mainly, I really love painting because I get to express myself. Textile wears and tears when someone buys it, but this isn’t the case with painting.
This year you were one of the women selected for the ‘Go Woman Go!’ workshop, a collaboration between British Artist Laura Aldridge and women in Abuja organised by the British Council in Nigeria with the aim of empowering women with new skills and capacities in textile and printmaking. What was the experience like and what did you take away?
It was a really nice experience because they provided all the materials we used and there were wonderful women to work with. There was also that interchange conversations. We benefitted from the exchange, because Laura Aldridge does have her own experience. Nike Okundayo was also there. It was very professional and Nike is efficient in the Nigerians fabric, the Adire and batik. She personally taught us skills, like handling the wax.
What was the height of that workshop for you?
The height of it was knowing I could do the business big time and make good fabrics. I never thought of looking into that area because I got busy with other things.