Ma Muse
150 x 120 cm 
Mixed media collage on canvas 
2025

Ma Muse was created during my residency at Coachworks in Ashford a vibrant space where music and food sit at the heart of community. These elements instantly bring one person to mind: my mum.

This portrait is more than just an image; it’s a layered homage made with materials that speak to her roots and our shared story. Her face is formed from Nigerian newspaper The Punch, while her Afro is built with pages from The Guardian and The Metro, merging culture, history and memory. Hidden messages live within the collage’s textures, quiet whispers only found by slowing down and looking deeper.

After years of gently asking, my mum finally agreed to let me create a piece of her. It feels like a full-circle moment. She has always been my anchor guiding me through childhood eczema, creative growth, and now motherhood. Watching her become the most beautiful Gigi to my daughter Ivy has filled my heart in ways I didn’t expect.

This piece is a thank you, a celebration, and a reminder: she is, and always has been,
ma muse.