By KARI MUTU

More by this Author

Oceans and coastlines have inspired artists for centuries. And although visual artist Edward Muratha lives in Nairobi, he has a great affinity for the coast region.

He likes to capture social settings, many of them based on streets scenes and daily life on the islands of Lamu and Zanzibar.

“My interest comes from the history on the streets. Old is gold and the colours have that have blended with time have challenges that help me better myself,” he says of his approach to art.

The illustration Father and Son is of a narrow coastal street in the historic quarters, lined with old buildings and shuttered windows and presented in subtle colours.

An older man and younger man in traditional robes in make their way through the otherwise empty street, and you get the sense a place that has not changed much with time.

On a warm, sunny day in an open-air market, vendors are selling their wares under large, colourful umbrellas to people in Islamic dress in a painting called Marketplace.

It is a typical setting with a mood of mild busyness captured in serene colours.

Game is Over is a semi-abstract painting of men seated outdoors playing board games, another familiar sight at the coast.

There is a nostalgic appeal to Muratha’s representational paintings. He depicts scenes that are comfortingly familiar and they evoke pleasant memories.

Coastal architecture is another of his themes, particularly the carved wooden doors found in Stone Town, Zanzibar and Lamu.

“There is beauty that the generation to come must uphold, and remember their roots,” says Muratha of his interest in cultural designs.

He carves three-dimensional doors attached to the picture frame. The doors are made from polyfiller then engraved and painted to look like wood.

They open up to painted scenes of bustling streets and seaside views, much like looking out of a window to the outside world.

Muratha is self-taught and refined his skills by research, visiting galleries and travelling to places of interest.

His paintings can be seen at the Nairobi Museum, Tazama Gallery and Banana Hill Art Gallery.