Eunice Bossman-Okai was born in London then relocated to Nigeria as a child with her family in the 70’s, before returning to London in 1995. Due to her creativity and incredible passion in exploring different African traditional objects, Eunice decided to pursue a career in artwork. She achieved a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design in 2010 at Lewisham College and later a BA in Jewelry and Accessories program at the Middlesex University in 2014. Her culture plays a vital part in the handmade work she produces. She is a multidisciplinary artist and a jewelry designer who handcrafts unique pieces using a combination of traditional and modern techniques. Her work is inspired and influenced by spirituality, culture, nature, and texture. “I love the philosophy of experimenting and this has led me to work with materials based on natural resources primarily from Africa”. Her love for experimentation has inspired her to expand her creativity beyond jewelry and use a variety of media. She produces art and jewelry that are distinctively detailed, original, timeless, and classic. Eunice loves interacting with people and sharing her knowledge about some of the rare raw materials she uses such as Kola nuts, African traditional sponge.
Eunice founded Meitam London brand in the United Kingdom in 2018. The name Meitam is derived from the her Nigerian name “Meitamunopiri” which means “Doing it for God”. Her vision is to uplift and encourage people through creativity. Each piece of work is unique and has an underlying message that is forged as part of the creative process. Her love for art continued to expand in 2018 by making sculptures, some wearable and others for display purposes. Most of Eunice’s work is a variation of mediums such as sculptures, wall sculptural art, painting, and digital art that enhances the uniqueness of her art.
Eunice currently resides in London, UK, she is married with three children.
Statement
“My work brings an awareness to the values and morals attached to my spiritual beliefs. This has been influenced by my culture, nature, and spirituality. These factors contribute to the distinctiveness of each artwork produced and creates a deeper understanding than to what the naked eye presents to the viewer. This practice involves working with materials and natural resources, which are quite tactile, so texture is always important to the artwork. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to lean on my spirituality for upliftment because of the fear of the unknown. Throughout this time, I explored the form and the effectiveness of rainbows and its colors and this inspired me to make this body of work with rainbow palettes. I saw a rainbow as a source of inspiration, with the quote “There is light at the end of the tunnel”. Hence using the colorful rainbow palettes with acrylic paint as a source of inspiration and encouragement for me and the viewer. The texture was added with sand to represent the tough times and disappointments we are going through during this season. Each color has a meaning: orange represents vitality and change, yellow symbolizes hope and positivity, green represents new beginnings and growth, blue symbolizes calmness and strength, indigo represents tranquillity, and violet symbolizes creativity and inspiration.” – Eunice Bossman-Okai