My name is Temitayo Lawal, and I’m a final-year illustration student at Nottingham Trent University. My journey as an artist began in primary school, where I discovered sketching as a way to escape the chaos at home. Drawing gave me peace,it became my emotional outlet during a crazy period in my life. As I grew older, my love for sketching turned into a deeper connection with painting, especially acrylic, which I fell in love with during college. I’ve always been drawn to realism because of its ability to capture life, emotion, and detail in such a raw and powerful way. Over time, I realised that my art could be more than just a personal passion, it could be a tool to challenge the expectations placed on Black Africans to follow “safe” career paths like medicine or law. Art is where I found my voice, and now I use it to explore identity, mental health, and cultural representation. It’s more than a skill, it’s my purpose.