Artist Profile of Saidi Ray:Dar es Salaam - Tanzania

About the Artist

About Saidi Ray:- born in 1975 he grew up in the port of Dar es Salaam on the Swahili coast of Tanzania. He started to show interest in art - particularly sketching - from an early age. This interest in art was encouraged and developed by his nursery school teachers. After completing his education Saidi studied art at Nyumba ya Sanaa [House of Arts] the renowned art college on the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago;he graduated with honers. Saidi Ray is an accomplished artist in all mediums including,acrylics,watercolor,oils and ink he is also accomplished graphic designer and 'light sculpture installation'. He returned to the mainland of Tanzania to get married and now lives and works in Dar es Salaam. His main focus is to concentrate on his work as an independent artist and sign writer. Saidi does not attend the Art Markets north of the city center - as he concentrates on showing at independent galleries - although sometimes it is possible to find a Saidi Ray at the art markets if you are very lucky. He enjoys working as an independent artist and usually shows/sells his work from galleries around the city including the Oyster Bay Gallery. As he gradually becomes more well known there is interest in his work in Europe and his paintings become increasingly hard to find in Dar es Salaam

About the Work

Saidi Ray What Influences His Painting:- His paintings identify with African Culture and in particular with Tanzania's rich culture and proud Swahili tradition. He likes to portray his people in his paintings concentrating throughout 2010/2011 to paint - usually - with acrylic on canvas. Typical picture sizes are about 30cm x 40cm and at this size there is no need for stretcher bars, as the pictures look fantastic in a normal frame and mount. He paints Tanzanian people through their normal daily activities. He is particularly inspired by African women, especially Swahili women when wearing the colorful traditional khanga fabrics; showing lots of beautiful colors. His use of colour [even when using one color as in baby in Khanga pictured above] is amazing. The creativity and quality of the paintings is testament to the talent of this young artist.

influences:

Saidi Ray acknowledges his first art teacher Mr A. Ausy who taught Saidi from High School. Mr A. Ausy supported Saidi's interest and developed his life long passion for painting and his extraordinary talent and gift with color.

saidi ray gallery