Why did you come to Belfast?
It was my art which brought me here. I came here to do some work with Diverse Youth and once I got here I had to push forward with my art. It really was sink or swim. I had my skills and I have worked hard to drive that forward. I don’t like to brag but I think I am the only person teaching this kind of art in Northern Ireland.
Where does your love of string art come from?
I trained as a sculptor in Nigeria, at school, working with metal. I stumbled upon String Art around 2016 when I was attending an art conference in South Africa. I saw a young guy making this type of art, he was just working the thread around the nails. I didn’t talk to the artist; I didn’t have a conversation with him, I just took some pictures and returned to Nigeria. It wasn’t a traditional form of art or anything like that, it wasn’t something I learned at school, it was just something I fell in love with and once that happened I had to find out what kind of art it was, I had to search for information and then I had to teach myself how to do it. It will be ten years, this year, since I started working with nails and thread. I love working this way and I want to do a lot more with it.
You have been developing your skills over a decade?
I think I had an edge in that I was a talented artist to begin with. I had a pedigree before I started working with String Art. And I wasn’t worried about the materials because of my training as a sculptor. I do look at some of my creations and I have to remind myself that it was me who produced this work. I remember the first piece I was really pleased with was a “heart-shaped” piece, I still have that piece back in Nigeria.
Later, I started doing portraits, working on the faces of musicians like King Sunny Ade, and I have worked on other artists and musicians over the years. I did this this because I wanted to find a unique approach to this type of art and at this stage I’ve lost count of the number of portraits I have produced.
Have you created portraits of anyone from Belfast?
I did one for the former Lord Mayor of Belfast, Ryan Murphy and a string art logo, for the Deputy Lord Mayor, Paul Doherty for his Foodstock charity centre. I have also worked on logos for organisations like the Oh Yeah Music Centre and 2 Royal Avenue.
What about your work with community groups?
I worked on a group piece during a conference with Diverse Youth. That was a communal art piece where people were stringing rather than just me doing it. This form of art really is limitless and you can play around with it, even adding other forms to the process as well.
You can produce this art collectively not just individually?
Yes, definitely. It is possible for me to go to events, show people how to work with the string and nails, then we can work together to produce a String Art piece.
And anyone can learn to do it?
I work with young people, old people and anyone in between. I do quite a bit of work teaching people the technique. I have been told that String Art was something that people in Belfast used to do, so I am bringing it back to Belfast but with my unique style.
Where to now?
I am working on my teaching, working on the events I organise, I have regular events called “String and Sip” where people can come along and they can string and have a drink while they are learning how to create String Art. I hope to increase my work in the community and I hope to have a solo exhibition later on this year. I just want to keep developing my craft, creative collaborations and increasing the amount of work I do.I also plans in top gear for a collaborative Late Night event….hopefully in June this year. (2026) No retreat, No surrender is my motto, just keep moving forward.
