Interior designer realises dream of showcasing art

Chege Gitura has had deep interest in fine art since he was five. He, however, did not follow his heart’s desire, opting instead to pursue a successful career in interior design.

Almost 45 years later, Mr Gitura has finally pursued his ambition of putting together an exhibition showcasing his true love for art. Twenty-five of his paintings are now on display at the National Museum of Kenya, Creativity Gallery, in an exhibition dubbed New Horizon.
This first public showing is a major milestone for the father of three who always looked forward to the day he would showcase his work.

“I kept saying I would do it,” he said in an interview at his Nairobi office. “It was a question of if I had the guts to do it. Guess I do.” He calls the move a “leap of faith.” Pursuing his love for art brings him joy and is something he is doing for himself, unlike interior design that is a profession where he creates for his clients, he says.

“Art is something that outlives you; it is a statement you make.” The motivation to paint is part of a self-actualisation journey as he reached the age of 50.
The work process towards exhibiting began 10 years ago, when her drew some of the sketches, with most of the painting being done this year. Each painting took about two weeks to finalise.

Standing tall, with a greying goatee, Mr Gitura has drawn inspiration from years of travelling, reading, interacting with his environment and observing it. One of his inspirations is the late Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai. Her afforestation efforts and firm stand on what she believed in is something he admired and has captured in his paintings of the environment.

Contact with different people also inspires him to put them on canvas, addressing the endless list of questions that come to his mind with every interaction.

My art attempts to capture these intricate aspects on canvas and oil, he says. He uses the palette knife technique, which omits fine details, creating a rough feel but still portrays the character intended.

Mr Gitura got basic training in fine art during his secondary school years at Lenana School where the subject was taught.
Upon completion of high school studies, he opted to pursue a degree in design at the University of Nairobi where he graduated in 1981.

Strong defender

Four years ago he went back to his alma mater and attained a post-graduate degree in the same field.

The father of three opted to start his own firm, Chege Designers Limited, which does interior design and landscaping — right out of college.

Over the years the firm has risen to become one of the leading in the country, working on both residential and commercial spaces.
Mr Gitura is a strong defender of his profession which he says is sometimes misunderstood and undermined.

He points out that interior design is misunderstood with people assuming that “we are decorators.”

It is a profession like any other that involves extensive technical skills that see empty spaces transformed into working spaces that suit the client.

Some of his clients have included Parklands Sports Club, Britak offices and apartments, Dyer & Blair Ltd, Equity Building Society, and residential homes across Nairobi, among others. Recently the firm, which employs eight designers, moved to working with only commercial clients as part of business progression. Seated in his office every morning by 7:30 am, Mr Gitura has learnt to make time for his office, meeting clients, painting, golf, and his family.