Bio
Anisa Esmail is an arts and culture writer, fashion designer, and abstract figurative painter. Born in Alameda County, CA, in 1992. She resides in Oakland, CA, and works in San Francisco, CA. She has shown her artwork at Minnesota Street Projects, Southern Exposure, and Root Division. An art major at San Francisco State University, Anisa Esmail is also an active member of the arts community with previous education from the San Francisco Art Institute. She also freelances as a dressmaker and womenswear designer.
I explore my identity through art, drawing inspiration from femininity, organic shapes, vivid colors, expressive lines, and abstraction. I work interdisciplinary through apparel and jewelry design, painting, and textiles.
Currently, I'm focused on two art series. The first explores my parents' journey to the United States, touching on themes of culture, assimilation, and memories from America in the 1970s and Kenya in the 1960s. It ranges from mixed media paintings to garments with prints from specific artworks. My second series, painted with oil on canvas, reflects my current life – people, places, and sentimental objects. I aim to capture the essence of these moments, exploring the interplay of memory and nostalgia. This series is an ongoing exploration of my experiences.
Selected Work
