#KeArtists – Joan Otieno

Her name is Joan Otieno. At first glance, she seems calm and carefree, but when you approach her, her buoyant nature comes alive. Her smile is warm, welcoming, and she is above all else kind-hearted.

Today, Joan is known as the artist that takes junk and turns it into art. You see, Joan was raised in Baba Dogo, and back then, dumping sites were emerging in every corner. It goes without saying that, for someone as passionate as the environment as Joan was, she grew irritated by the carelessness. As waste continued to pile up and nothing was done about it, so did her frustration. But rather than stay upset, she did something about it. Joan would spend time collecting re-usable trash and incorporating it in her art.

While she hoped to be a full-time artist, her parents believed that accounting was a more respectable career choice. Joan, upon her stepfather’s request, enrolled and was admitted at Kenya College of Accounting. Equipped with entry-level accounting knowledge, Joan still yearned to pursue art. She sought Patrick Mukabi who gladly took her under his wing. Her skill manifested at the Dust Depo Art Centre.

Eventually, she felt the need to break out as an independent artist. She’d become a skilled painter and she wanted to continue her upcycling habit. The dumping sites in Baba Dogo were still as they were, and she realized the same habit was ‘practised’ in areas such as Kariobangi and Kibra. Refusing to remain passive, Joan affirmed to make a change. Her art spoke for itself with more and more pieces integrating junk. The work she produced was exhibited in several places such as The British Institute of East Africa and The Railway Museum. She was doing her little thing and it made her jovial.

Despite the success that came with this creation of awareness through art, Joan craved to do more. Reflecting on her growth, she believed she could make an impact through mentorship. A call to a few girls in Kariobangi led to the creation of Warembo Wasanii. Joan registered the company in 2018, acquired an office in Kariobangi North and trained young women to create awareness on the environment through art. In many ways, Warembo Wasanii has succeeded. Not only are more girls inquiring on whether they can be trained into skilled artisans, but the workshop has become a safe haven to women that would otherwise be left idle and to some extent vulnerable.

Warembo Wasanii’s first project is one Joan fondly remembers. She led her first cohort around dumpsites in Nairobi, encouraging creativity. The task was to collect anything they felt could be used to create an artistic masterpiece. On return to the workshop, the pieces were cleaned and the work began. In June 2019, Warembo Wasanii had their first exhibition at Alliance Francaise themed ‘Trash to Treasure’. It was a showcase of creative products from upcycling.

Joan reminds us of our very own environmentalist Wangari Maathai who said, “It is the little things we do as citizens that make a difference.” Joan’s little thing is environmental conservation through art, and she does it with a smile on her face.

Hongera Joan!