Africa Meets Africa Through Art In The Nation's Capital

An African Art Exhibit & Reception featuring Ugandan artist and painter, Stella Atal.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) November 3, 2005

In 2004, Africa Meets Africa hosted Stella Atal as guest in a special broadcast segment that featured African Women Entrepreneurs. Creativity, originality and a visible connection to their cultural style and expression as business owners was a part of the criteria. She was uncovered during the production team’s search for a female African entrepreneur that lived and worked on the continent. Stella Atal was selected and featured along with two other notable African women entrepreneurs that live in the DC area.

Following her studies, Stella was hired at one of Uganda’s first art houses. In her capacity as design director & production manager, she had a seminal influence on developing a look that has since become synonymous with cutting edge Ugandan design. After four years, she had outgrown the constraints of her employers’ limited vision and decided to give free rein to her own. Encouraged by the lively interest shown in her work, Stella started making her own pieces, supplying several outlets in Kampala and Jinja. Her steady sales of work, together with a small group of clients she supplies directly, allows Stella to pay her younger sister’s school fees and maintain her artistic life.

In addition to her artistic pursuits, Stella is a member of the International Women’s Organization and was commissioned to design the logo for the international conference on gender to be hosted at Uganda’s premier university, Makerere, in Kampala. She has also been a member of a local non-profit organization, Youth Alive, since her teenage years. Having trained as a counselor for people with HIV and street children, Stella is still an active member of the organization and on-call in case of emergency. Having had a traumatic start to her life, Stella fully appreciates the value of care and support in the face of personal tragedy. Just as significantly, she recognizes the importance of a good example, and hopes to show, through both her voluntary work and her art, that outstanding achievement and hope can grow out of the most desperate of situations.

Stella Atal’s art work will be on a one time display on Monday, November 7th , 2005 at the District of Columbia’s Art Center at 2348 18th Street NW. 6:30pm – 9:30pm. The event is hosted by Angelique Shofar, Executive Producer & Host of Africa Meets Africa on WPFW 89.3 FM. For more information call 202-588-0999 ext 319 or visit http://www.africameetsafrica.com.

Contact:

Angelique Shofar

(202) 270-1688 (media only)

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