Hopeless Romantic, Acrylic, Oil and Beads on Canvas, 75 x 80.5 cm, Angela Wambui, Kenya

In Hopeless Romantic, the artist captures the tender ache of longing, that quiet space between hope and surrender. The figure holds a Cinderella glass slipper rendered in beadwork, a fragile symbol of fairytale love. She now appears on the verge of letting it slip from her hand, a subtle gesture that suggests her hope may be faltering. Nearby, a lone swan, a creature known to mate for life, a symbol of eternal love, stands without its partner. Its solitary presence mirrors the emotional solitude of waiting for a love that feels fated yet distant. Through these symbols, the artwork reflects on the beauty and burden of being “too romantic”: the courage it takes to keep believing, and the vulnerability of wondering whether love will ever meet us where we stand.

Angela’s work is a profound exploration of self—an artistic journey through the layers of human experience. Each self-portrait invites the viewer to connect with their vulnerabilities and identity, making her art deeply personal and universally relatable.

Her Mixed-Media work captures the delicate balance between the conscious and unconscious realms. Angela combines acrylics and oils to depict the tangible world we navigate daily, in contrast to the beadwork that represents the unconscious world—an intricate tapestry of fears, vulnerabilities, and hidden aspects of self. Through vibrant colours and meticulous placement of her glass beadwork, she creates a powerful dialogue between the seen and unseen aspects of our lives.