By Katie O’Reilly-Boyles
Creating traditional African art on Bahari Beach may sound like the dream job, but 29-year-old Musti has worked hard at his artist’s studio, Zamani Sanaa, Swahili, for ‘Old Art’ for over a year and a half. Painted using watercolours and oil paints on canvas, the Tingatinga style he uses is very popular with art lovers. Musti’s workshop is gradually growing as a successful business as he makes contacts and his studio/gallery becomes more well-known in the area.
Although he has been interested in pursuing his talent for painting for the last six years, Musti wasn’t always going to become a professional painter. However, his creative ability was always present because he was an artist in a different respect, working as a lyricist and singer as a teenager! Along with his pastimes, including sports activities and travelling, art was also a hobby, but his passion for painting blossomed and developed in his twenties.
Although creative arts seem to run in the family, with his brother being an artist and filmmaker as well as a boxer, Musti tells us that his inspiration was himself, as he made the critical decision to change from music to art, feeling that this could be a more prosperous life plan. Quickly and successfully learning how to use strong and vibrant colours to produce Tingatinga at Bagamoyo, where his friend was studying sculpture, his art career was soon launched. Unlike many shops, which may have security apparatus or perhaps a security guard to prevent the merchandise from being snatched, Musti insists that he does not need to worry about people stealing art which is in the style of Tingatinga because of its traditional nature, and the fact that even potential thieves would therefore not disrespect it to that extent.

Although he has been interested in pursuing his talent for painting for the last six years, Musti wasn’t always going to become a professional painter. However, his creative ability was always present because he was an artist in a different respect, working as a lyricist and singer as a teenager! Along with his pastimes, including sports activities and travelling, art was also a hobby, but his passion for painting blossomed and developed in his twenties.