Biography
Shama Jaffer a self-taught female artist and entrepreneur born and raised in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Since the age of 6 years old, Shama has had a passion for Art using crayons, pencils, markers, watercolors, and anything she could get her hands on to express herself. Since then having taught herself to draw, paint, and do various crafts, has fueled her enthusiasm and continues to lead her to challenge herself to become a more sophisticated Artist.
Family, friends and
co-workers have always encouraged her and that made her practice Art all the
harder. At first, she gave her Art away, but she soon found a big part of her
missing. And now she never misses an opportunity to exhibit her work or help
others realize their passion in Art and exhibit their work, even if it is a
small wall.
At a
young age, Shama found herself coordinating small exhibitions and Art events
with much success. The personal satisfaction of sharing her knowledge and see
the public viewing the artworks caused her to create even larger events and
exhibitions, never letting go of her passion for painting that began early in
school.
The first
large exhibition she single handedly organized was “The Showcase Art Exhibition’
which was successfully held in 2009 and she decided to organize it every
year. One thing led to another and soon she
became immersed in producing more artwork, organizing and curating exhibitions
and events.
Education
has remained very important to her. Being from a Country that lacks any kind of
formal Art Education she has managed to find her way through books. She also
attends any seminars and workshops in art techniques, and the business of art
when they are available. She volunteers
teaching art to children in different schools because she knows what a
difference Art and education has made in her life. Her dream is to own an Art Center where she
can: teach Art and help others learn
about Art, have Artists exhibit and sell their work, and a place where she can
create art.
PROFESSIONAL WORK
EXPERIENCE
Freelance Artist, Art
Instructor, and Curator (2008)
2006 to Present
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
·
Commissioned
paintings, paint, exhibit, and sell artworks.
·
Teach
painting and drawing to children from age 5 and above.
·
Organize
exhibitions and workshops to promote Art.
Art n Craft Host
October 2010 to Jan 2013
Art n Craft Show on IBN Television,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
·
Hosting
the Art n Craft Show on a local television channel including teaching Arts n
Craft activities.
Art Director and Front Office Supervisor
June 2012 to Jan 2013
AmNu Business Solutions, Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
- Supervised office administration work.
- Meet with clients to understand and prepare promotional media for their businesses keeping in tune with their needs and their company profile.
- Handled promotion activities of the business on social media.
- Dealing with walk-in, telephone, and email customer inquiries.
Country Representative
October
2010 to June 2012
·
Assist
clients in buying Tanzanian paintings through the African colours team, and
promote Tanzanian artists.
Programme Director
July to December 2011
East African Art Biennale in Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania
·
Responsible
for collection and sale of artworks from over 100 Artists from all over East
Africa (5 different countries) and international guest Artists.
·
Responsible
for designing a catalog to display all artists and their artworks.
·
Maintaining
relations and coordinating all activities with various venues and setting up
artworks for exhibitions.
Founder, General Manager, and Curator
October
2010 to July 2011
Ujamaa Art Gallery, Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
·
Established
a new gallery; handled all business startup activities, gallery layout/color
scheme and display setting.
·
Organized
various exhibitions including selecting/qualifying artists and artworks based
on the theme of the exhibition, displaying and pricing artworks, promoting and
marketing exhibitions, inviting prominent members of the Art community and
ensuring success of the exhibition and gallery in general.
Managing Director / Co-Owner
March 2001 to December 2002
Cyberspot Internet Café, Arusha,
Tanzania
- Started and Managed an Internet café catering to tourists and the general public.
- Managed staff recruitment, training and scheduling.
Customer Service, Front Desk
Operations, and Cashier
July 1998 to December
2000
Tri Telecommunication – First digital
mobile GSM company, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Attend customers, handle customer complaints, and solve problems.
- Accepted payments and handled large amounts of cash on a daily basis.
EXHIBITIONS: Organized as
Curator/Promoter/Organizer
UPENDO Art Exhibition October
2012
Location: Goethe Institute, Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania
·
A
group exhibition of Tanzanian and Ugandan Artists
Tanzanian Artists Exhibition September 2012
Location: Village Walk, Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
·
A
group exhibition of 10 Tanzanian Artists with proceeds going to support
education for kids.
The 2011 East African Art Biennale August
– December 2011
Location: six Dar es Salaam venues
·
Programme
Director and Curator of exhibits by East African and International Artists. A
biannual Art exhibition displaying at six different locations, works of
professional Artists from East Africa and invited international guest Artists.
“The Business of Art” Exhibition July 2011
Location: The Alliance Francaise, Dar
es Salaam, Tanzania
·
An
Art Exhibition for 25 U.S. Artists organized by The Arts Council, Lake Erie
West, Toledo, Ohio, USA.
‘51’ Exhibition April 2011
Location: U. A. Gallery, Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania
·
Exhibited
works of 51 Tanzanian Photographers and Artists
Artists Group Exhibition March 2011
Location: U. A. Gallery, Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania
·
Gathered
over 25 Artists to display their work
Photographers and Artists March 2011
Location: U. A. Gallery, Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania
·
Displayed
works of Tanzanian Photographers and Artists
6 Tanzanian June
2011
Location: U. A. Gallery, Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania
·
Gathered
the top 6 Tanzanian Artists including Late David Mzuguno
Angaza Art Exhibition May 2010
Location: Mlimani City, Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
·
Exhibited
works for over 65 local and international Artists
Showcase Art Exhibition July 2009
Location: Al-Mis, Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
·
My
first major Art Exhibition organized to give a platform to local Artists to
display their talent.
EXHIBITIONS:
Participated as Artist
Local Exhibitions
2012 Oct - Goethe Institute of Dar es Salaam
2012 Sept - Village Walk Tanzanian Art Exhibition
2012 Jul - Ya Mahdi Art Competition (Was Awarded 1st Position)
2011 Nov - East African Art Biennale
2012 Jun-Jul - Solo Exhibit ‘A Woman’ - Black
Tomato, Makutano House, Dar es Salaam
2011 May - Tanzania Global Platform Exhibition,
Best of Show Award
2011 Mar - Twenty-five Artists Exhibition, U.A.
Gallery, Dar Es Salaam
2011 Feb - Imagination Art Exhibition at
SautiZaBusara Xtra, Serena Hotel, Zanzibar
2010 Jun - Slipway Terrace Wasanii Art
Exhibition
2010 May - VISA2DANCE Art Exhibition
International / Online Exhibitions
·
My
‘Masai Mama’ painting exhibited in Des Moines, Iowa USA, 2010
·
‘Project
Alena - Mission impossible’ 135 artists from 74 countries meet on the
stamp: http://www.celesteprize.com/artwork/ido:90166/, 7/2011
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
WORKSHOPS / SEMINARS
Organized
The Business of Art Workshop July 2011
Location: The Alliance Francaise, Dar
es Salaam, Tanzania
·
Programme
Coordinator of a one week workshop for local Artists by The Arts Council, Lake
Erie West, Toledo, Ohio, USA.
Participated
2011: “Business
in Art” workshop by Mr. Martin Nagy - Art Director from Arts Council Lake Erie
West, Toledo, Ohio, USA. 10th July
2011 - 15th July 2011
2011: Seminar
for Art Marketing in Zanzibar by Keizer from Kennedy Center, Washington D.C, USA.
2011: “Tanzania Global Platform”; How Art can
solve problems workshop organized by Action Aid Tanzania.
2010: "Art
for the Whole Child and Curriculum Professional Development In-Service Training
Workshop” By Arts Council, Lake Erie West and Great Lakes Consortium for
International Training and Development (USA) in Tanga.
2006: Water Color Painting Technique: A six
day workshop by Local Artists at Nyumba Ya Sanaa.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
·
Star
TV and Image Professions Second Annual Tanzanian Art Competition One-Day Art
Workshop at Hindu Mandal Primary School, October 2012
·
First
place award winner Ya Mahdi Art Competition, July 2012
·
Received
token of appreciation by the U.S Ambassador for Tanzania, June 2012
·
Exclusive
Contributor to the Dar Life Magazine Art Section, February 2010 to Present
·
Exclusive
Contributor to Precision Air In-flight Magazine Art Section, July 2012 to
Present
·
National
Museum of Dar Es Salaam One-Day Art Workshop, by Exim Bank, August 2012
·
Administrator
and member of various Art Groups on Facebook and various Artists’ Blogs
·
Catalog
Designer, East Africa Art Biennale – July 2011
·
Volunteer
Art Teacher at Toledo Secondary School and Burhani Primary School, Tanga,
Tanzania, July 2010
·
Organized
an Outdoor painting open to all Artists, 2010
·
Volunteered
as a member in the Leo Club (Host of Lions Club) 1997
·
Face
Painting for children at Jiba trade Fair 2006 /2008
·
Artist
for DSM Shia Scouts, Paint religious artworks and exhibit since 1996 - 2012
·
Painted
Logo’s for Tajoj Tea Courier in Mombasa Year 1995
·
Teach
Art to Youths and Children during Holidays
PRESS
Featured
in articles and paintings displayed in various Magazines, Newspapers, Blogs,
and TV Channels. Some of which are:
·
Featured
Artist, Citizen Newspaper, 30th November 2012
·
Featured
Artist, Precision Air In-flight Magazine, July - October 2012
·
Citizen
Daily News, Feature Article, September 2012
·
Channel
10
·
Woman
of the Week: Citizen/Mwananchi News Paper, August 2012
·
Featured
Artist, Dar Life Magazine, April 2012
·
Citizen
Daily News for Opening and Curating at U.A Gallery, March 2012
·
Citizen
Daily News, Feature Article, September 2012
·
TBC
Channel
·
Citizen
Sunday News, Front Page Article, May 2010
PROJECTS
·
"My
Favorite Leader" Painting Workshop for the U.S Embassy in Dar es Salaam at
Makongo School June 2012.
·
Artists
Photography with http://www.pavlove.net/ a photographer from Milan, July 2012.
·
“Helping
Kids Through Art” Painting Workshop for the Exim Bank at Kilakala Primary
School Aug 2012.
CHARITY WORK
·
Fund
Raising Program / Charity Event in support of Zanzibar Hospital Year 2010 at
the Serena Hotel, Zanzibar.
·
2
Paintings for Peak4Poverty in Des Moines which is on silent auction and on
display at different locations since February 2011.
·
My
Painting “FINALLY” from Ya Mahdi Art Competition was auctioned and the amount
was donated for Charity July 2012.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2006
- Certificate in Graphics Designing at
Power Computers
2000 - Certificate
in Web Page Designing & Internet at IMIT
1998 - Handcrafts
Courses
1998 - Computer
Basic Certificate at Computer Trainers
1994
– 1997 - ‘O’ Levels Secondary Education at Al-MIS
1987
– 1993 - Primary Education at Upanga Primary School
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