AYOO AFRICA
  • TOP TEN
  • COVID
  • Afro Culture
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Afritech
  • MORE

    EXPERIENCES

    • Ayoo Digital ConferenceNew
    • Top Ten
    • Afro Culture
    • Foodie
    • Afritech
    • Music
    • Canvas

    LISTEN ON

    • Ayoo TV
    • Podcasts
    • Youtube
    • Spotify

    African Content Partners

    • Karawa Media
    • Dimma Umeh
    • Betatinz

    FOLLOW ON

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Linkedin

    U.S. Content Partners

    • One Tribe Mag
    • Kedu TV
    • The Hot Jem

    LEARN MORE

    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Partner with us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms Of Use
    Ayoo Africa

    Ayoo Africa is an online cultural magazine and community platform that's dedicated to showcasing African music, food, startups, artists, creatives, and events across the planet.

    • HOME
    • ABOUT
    • AYOO TV
    • TOP TEN
    • PODCASTS
    • AFRI TECH

    NEWSLETTER.

     

    Thank you!

    You have successfully subscribed.


    .

No Result
View All Result
AYOO AFRICA
  • TOP TEN
  • COVID
  • Afro Culture
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Afritech
  • MORE

    EXPERIENCES

    • Ayoo Digital ConferenceNew
    • Top Ten
    • Afro Culture
    • Foodie
    • Afritech
    • Music
    • Canvas

    LISTEN ON

    • Ayoo TV
    • Podcasts
    • Youtube
    • Spotify

    African Content Partners

    • Karawa Media
    • Dimma Umeh
    • Betatinz

    FOLLOW ON

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Linkedin

    U.S. Content Partners

    • One Tribe Mag
    • Kedu TV
    • The Hot Jem

    LEARN MORE

    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Partner with us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms Of Use
    Ayoo Africa

    Ayoo Africa is an online cultural magazine and community platform that's dedicated to showcasing African music, food, startups, artists, creatives, and events across the planet.

    • HOME
    • ABOUT
    • AYOO TV
    • TOP TEN
    • PODCASTS
    • AFRI TECH

    NEWSLETTER.

     

    Thank you!

    You have successfully subscribed.


    .

No Result
View All Result
AYOO AFRICA

6. “The Arts Can Pivot” – with Shiri Achu

Sheba KereerebySheba Kereere
May 4, 2020
3 min read

Shiri Achu  is an Awardee of the Arts Category in Ayoo Africa’s 2020 Top Ten D.C Awards.

“I looked into my studio and realized that there was a painting that I had not worked on in a year. I wanted to finish the painting, and then I thought, there must be poetry to go with it.” – Shiri Achu

Let’s be honest, trying to find the silver lining during this on-going COVID-19 crisis is hard! Shiri Achu, an artist whose paintings vividly reflect and showcase African culture, is also a full-time Architect and a mother. Phew! She admits that these are challenging times.

Shiri celebrated her tenth-year painting anniversary last year. Four exhibitions were planned. The first in London, (she was born in Cameroon, raised in the United Kingdom and is now based here in Maryland), the second at the Embassy of Cameroon here in Washington, D.C, the third at a local Community College and the final one in Cameroon this Spring. The first three went according to plan and were well attended, but, unfortunately, because of COVID-19, her trip and exhibition scheduled in Cameroon couldn’t happen.

She also admits that working full-time, now at home because of the crisis, having to manage her small business and make sure her children are doing their online schoolwork, has been “very interesting.”

How did the artist pivot?

“I looked in my studio and realized that there was a painting I had not worked on in a year. I wanted to finish it, and then thought that there must be poetry to go with it. Since we are all indoors, why not make it in such a way that people can submit poetry based on the painting, and turn it into a competition. I was then inspired to finish the painting live on Facebook.”

“Under normal circumstances, I would never open my world to people, but I invited people in. Twenty people sent in poems, everyone loved seeing me paint, and the engagement on social media has increased.”

What is the secret potion, especially during these times?

“For me, it’s to keep the fire burning, and the passion alive. I think that once you have that, you will keep going.”

How are you balancing full-time work as an architect and painting?

“I’m blessed because both my fields are in the creative world, so my architecture feeds into my art, and vice versa. I’m passionate about both of them. For me, it’s always about keeping focused. Seeing ahead and your end point, and then working towards it.”

Has there been a silver lining?

“It’s (the lockdown) given me time to stay in, and actually produce art.”

ShareTweetShareSend

More Stories

grayscale photo of person placing hand on face
Ayoo Africa Podcasts

Unscrambling Your COVID-19 Panic

bySheba Kereere
June 5, 2020

I like scrambled eggs. What we all however can agree on is, nobody likes their lives to feel like...

Photo by David Laws
Ayoo Africa Podcasts

“Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Response to Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs”

bySheba Kereere
June 5, 2020

Below is a lightly edited transcript of the interview between Councilmember Will Jawando, and The Water and Grain’s Co-Host,...

Photo by Ubu Komarova
afro culture

The Arts Can Pivot

bySheba Kereere
June 5, 2020

“I looked into my studio and realized that there was a painting that I had not worked on in...

Photo by Jossuha Theophile
afro culture

“Complacency Will Kill You In the D.J World”

bySheba Kereere
June 5, 2020

Soccer player. Actor. Pilot. Race Car Driver… These were some of the answers we gave when we were children...

AYOO MAG

Trending Stories

  • Announcing AYOO AFRICA 2020 TOP TEN D.C. Nominees

    53 shares
    Share 53 Tweet 0
  • 2020 TOP TEN D.C. Is Here!

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Meet 2020 TOP TEN D.C. Judges

    27 shares
    Share 27 Tweet 0
  • “Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Response to Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs”

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

NEWSLETTER.

 

Thank you!

You have successfully subscribed.
.
Ayoo Africa

© 2020 AYOO AFRICA
AN I/O SPACES LLC COMPANY.

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • AYOO TV
  • TOP TEN
  • PODCASTS
  • AFRI TECH

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • TOP TEN
  • COVID
  • AFRO CULTURE
  • AYOO TV
  • PODCASTS
  • AFRITECH
  • PARTNER WITH US
  • MUSIC

© 2020 AYOO AFRICA
AN I/O SPACES LLC COMPANY.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist