Eva Uuyuni is a visual artist who creates works of art through what can be described as “conscious skill and creative imagination”. 

The 21-year-old student uses acrylic paints and other materials on canvas and hard textured paper.

Uuyuni began painting in her primary school years, but only took the big steps of painting larger pieces at the age of 19.

The honours degree student in quantity surveying at NUST describes her creativity as a “piece that carries principles that are concerned with nature and appreciation of beauty”.

“The main aim of my abstracts is for aesthetics because all pieces carry a hidden meaning,” she told Youth Corner.

Uuyuni captures the overall feelings for her paintings on songs she listens to, books she reads and other great artists whose work she finds “thrilling”.

“I depict the beauty in nature while observing the creativity of the world around me, and celebrating the aesthetic of common, ordinary and mundane objects,’’ she added.

Uuyuni has never attended any art classes or art school because she believes it will detach her from the creativity that she is emotionally attached to.

“Art school is a controlled environment. One is taught what to think and what not to think. I don’t want my creative imagination taken away just like that,” she explained.

An art enthusiast, Julia Puteho, described Uuyuni’s art as emotional-driven art.

“Her art is painted with deep felt love; art that is driven by emotions and can speak to many minds and touch many hearts,” said Puteho.

Another enthusiast, Susan Shilongo, described Uuyuni’s work as enthralling and intriguing, “with a smooth polished texture”.

“As a lover of art, I find Eva’s work very impressive and breath-taking,” she said.

Shilongo added that what caught her attention was the fact that Uuyuni is able to draw human portraits, exactly as their faces.

“She is such a great artist and I really can never stop myself from looking at her captivating drawings,” added Shilongo.

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