Kitenge Bracelets by Kangsy (now KWK)

It was once said that 'the job of an artist is to make a sanctuary of beauty to an ugly world'. I once thought that the word artist only referred to people who draw or paint but with time came to realize that i had gotten it all wrong. The true definition of an artist, which I think is pretty simple, is a person whose work reflects exceptional creative ability or skill. That said, I can proudly say that I'm an artist and my aim is to beautify the world. Here's why:

I love African fabric; whether used on clothing, jewelry or any other ornament, it'd still blow me away. My mum used to be an extremely talented home-based tailor and people would flock our house with different fabrics that she would use to make designs of any clothing the customers preferred. Being the last born girl at the time, and probably the most trusted, she would let me manage the orders and keep track of which materials (fabric) were occasionally brought in. She would teach me how to cut, measure and design each fabric and would also take me through the dress-making steps. I paid much attention to her description of the types of African (Kitenge) fabrics but not so much on the tailoring because I was captivated by their uniqueness. The captivation still stands to date.

Over the years, I've developed more interest in African jewelry; the bracelets to be specific. There is a wide range of locally made bracelets but my specialty is the Kitenge bracelet; one coated by unique African fabrics like these that you see here. 

What is Kitenge Bracelets by Kangsy?

In October 2014, last semester of my 2nd year of uni I discovered Pinterest; a platform where people share photos of all kinds. I was only interested in knowing more about African fabric and it's there that I got ideas for making Kitenge bracelets. I created a folder on my Pinterest page, one that I filled with creative mini-projects that i would work on during my free time. School brought with it a huge workload at the time so it took me a little longer to finally sit and work on my DIY's. I got myself the materials needed and made several bracelets. The finished product was amazing, colorful, neat and simply jaw-dropping! 

My initial plan was to use these bracelets for my own needs but once my roommates saw them, they wanted some. Now, you know how in college you're supposed to operate on a budget and most of the time broke becomes your extra name. This was going to be a breakthrough for me! A 'side hustle' that will earn me extra cash for my upkeep? Who wouldn’t want that?! I sold few to them, word quickly spread out and in no time I had several orders to act on! This wasn't my expectation at all and it got me puzzled and confused at first but eventually adjusted my life to incorporate the change. Talk about making my passion my profit!! 

I get so much joy in making these bracelets! There is a certain serene feeling that comes with engaging in something you love doing. It's by doing this that I get to relieve whatever stress that I may be experiencing. When I’m thinking of a way to wind up my day, this comes among the things I prefer doing. What makes it even more fulfilling and satisfying is the fact that people appreciate what I do; order after order, compliment after compliment! These give me more strength to keep doing it, better and bigger! It also makes me feel that my special art is indeed creating a sanctuary of beauty in someone's world.

How being a member of HHFL enhanced my creativity

Hanne Howard Fund Lenana has basically been my wonderful home for 10 years now. I call it a "hive of creativity" because it equipped me with important skills that have helped me a lot. Every other time when myself and other beneficiaries came home for holiday, this would either be primary or secondary boarding schools, we would get a well set holiday programme full of activities for the month that would get everyone involved in one way or the other. This programme involved art in various forms i.e. drawing, painting, knitting, drama and music (I learnt to play the Flute here), acrobatics, among many others. Exciting English lessons would also be incorporated to help us improve our language and at the same time give us a break from the usuals of the monotonous 8-4-4 system.

Every person is creative in their own way. It takes imagination and openness of the mind to discover the extent of the amount of creativity you possess. I think it also take the zeal to think beyond what you see and act upon it. This remind me of a statement I once heard that "If you're a teacher, a parent or simply an individual who is trying to bring out the creative side of a child, for example in an art platform...give the child a blank paper and tell him/her to draw what they are imagining. Don't draw something and tell them to copy. That would be depriving them of imagination. Once they've put down a sketch ask them to describe it. Put forward leading questions that will make them imagine further beyond what they've already put down."

HHFL has nurtured a number of us and given us a platform to create. The pieces we create today have led us to start small businesses that have contributed a lot to our progress. Other beneficiaries who are now notable masters of art are James Okwemba (artist), Steve Muasya (artist), Peter Maina (artist), John Mutahi (artist and designer who co-founded Morphed, an art & design business). 

More about Kitenge bracelets:

Check out my Facebook Page (Kitenge World by Kangsy) . Thank you for passing by! Go discover what your art is and make a sanctuary of beauty in a seemingly ugly part of someone life! You know you can, right??