1996–present
Theresia Kyalo
Theresia Kyalo, a Kenyan artist and jewellery designer, studied law in Nairobi but works in art: she began in 2016, while still a student, with line drawings and moved on to textile, paper, film and metal. Her jewellery is made mainly of brass so that it stays affordable to the general public. In July 2020 her name was added to Beyoncé’s directory of Black Owned Businesses.
Biography
Theresia Kyalo made her first drawings in 2016, while she was still studying law. They were line drawings, and she had no teachers: she came to art as a self-taught artist.
She was born in Kenya around 1996; the exact date is not known. She went to school in Dubai, at Greenfield Community School, where she completed high school and received her diploma. She then returned to Kenya and enrolled at Riara University in Nairobi. She received her Bachelor of Laws degree in 2020. Her legal training has stayed on the sidelines of her work. The line drawings soon gave way to other forms and materials: she works with textile, paper, film, brass and other metals. She often makes work together with other artists. She shows it both in physical exhibitions and in digital form, as video and photographs. One part of her practice is devoted to jewellery. The pieces are meant for both women and men. She uses many metals, but most often brass; by her design, this keeps the price of the pieces within reach of the general public.
Among her recent projects are collaborations with established brands, Adele Dejak and Love Studio. In 2019 she took part in the event “7 Days in November” and ran workshops there.
In July 2020 she was added to the directory of Black Owned Businesses kept by the singer Beyoncé Knowles. The directory lists Black entrepreneurs and companies. It seems to me that what matters for the reader is that she appears on such a list as a designer and not as a lawyer, even though she holds a law degree. I could not find details of which works prompted her inclusion.
Profile notes