[Art Attack] Multi-faceted photographer, writer, and illustrator Fatmata Kamara

20-year-old Fatmata Kamara is a Sierra Leonean artist currently residing in Australia. This triple threat began taking her craft seriously when she moved down under. The creative – as she likes to be called can’t pinpoint an exact time she began creating, it was a gradual realization.  She decided to commit to what came naturally to her – crafting.

Face2Face Africa chatted with the young starlet who has no qualms about admitting her talent. She says: “A lot of people are hesitant when it comes to admitting they’re good at what they do because they don’t want to be seen as “cocky”; but there’s nothing wrong in admitting you’re good at your craft. I’m good at the things I do and I’m only going to get better.”

Kamara had a bit of a deterrent as an adolescent as she didn’t have to resources needed to hone her art however, she persevered and used her surroundings as muses.  Kamara explains: “I didn’t start making art until I moved to Australia when the resources became available. It was something people told me I was good at, and I really enjoyed doing. It was almost like a form of escapism to me.”

Presently, Kamara is passionate about the process more so than accolades, she comments: “I honestly don’t like calling myself an artist, I like the term creative better because I only tend to do illustrations every now and then. Artist just sounds restrictive to me; but I never decided to become an artist/creative, I just always was.” When asked if she’d entered any contests or won any awards for her work, she commented “No I haven’t. I haven’t really gone out of my way to try to win any. On top of that, I feel like I haven’t reached my full potential yet, as well as I don’t really see awards as a necessity. That’s not to say I would turn one down!”

Kamara sees the development of herself as the basis for being a great artist.  When asked what she hopes to manifest in the future; when pondering about where she’ll be in five years, she professes: “A better, constantly improving version of myself, hopefully making money out of doing what I love so I can help the people that I love.”

Kamara elaborates: “Seeing Black people struggling pushes me to keep going, to do more. My parents have suffered for us to be where we are now; and they’re still going, just to make life a little bit easier for us. So every time I think about that I’m inspired, just watching Black people living inspires me. The way we do things; the way we talk, the way we sing, the way we walk, the way we laugh, the way we dress ourselves. Everything about us is art. From Africa to the U.S, to the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia; doesn’t matter where we are we always make the best of what we have and that inspires me.”

Stay in touch with Kamara on Instagram at fdotadot.