The Mantis Knows(2025)

Artist's Inner Monologue:

I had so much fun and a lot to reflect on when I was creating this painting. It’s not just a portrait or figure of a child, it’s a reflection of resourcefulness born from scarcity. As a child growing up in a village, I saw how we learned through play, how lack became a teacher rather than a barrier. We created from the earth,shaped it, transformed it, without realizing those acts were small lessons in innovation and resilience. The idea behind the praying mantis is its patience, observation and silent determination, traits embedded in the way many of us were raised. We waited. We watched. We figured things out slowly. And over time, those small instincts evolved into wisdom I’d say. The mantis, like the girl, sits still but within that stillness is intent and potential. The Mantis knows