Farai the Artist

My name is Farai, and I am a self-taught artist from Zambia. I began painting after experiencing an illness that left me with a disability. What initially started as a way to manage physical and emotional pain slowly evolved into a cherished hobby, and has now become meaningful work that I hold dear.

For me, art is a tool of clarity. While my mind can often feel cluttered or overwhelmed, the moment I begin painting, everything becomes still and focused. On paper, my thoughts make perfect sense. Painting offers me a calm, restorative peace, one that I find difficult to articulate in words, but which I hope others can feel through my work.

I see art as a way to connect, to share fragments of my inner world in a visual language that invites reflection and empathy. My aim is to create pieces that bring a moment of serenity to those who view them. I hope that through my art, people might feel encouraged to embrace their own thoughts and emotions, and to feel safe in their vulnerability. I believe there is strength in softness and beauty in honesty.

I work primarily with watercolour, gouache, and coloured pencils, mediums that allow me to blend gentleness with depth, fragility with resilience. They suit the introspective nature of my pieces and provide the subtle texture I need to express my experiences.

Although I’ve never received formal training in art, everything I know has been shaped by personal exploration, persistence, and a profound emotional drive. Creating art has been both healing and liberating—and I hope it continues to be so for others who come across it.