A Canvas for Healing, A Space for Conversation

“If healing is a color to you, what color would you bring? What color would you wear?” Annette begins. “There’s beauty in the damage, and art in all forms is an expression of our most primal self. That is Canvas and Conversations.”

“Behind Canvas and Conversations is Annette Agutu, a creative entrepreneur whose interest in art extends beyond aesthetics into the human experience.”

Annette, during the Tuza Awards, which she co-curated, a 3-day event that happened in August, said, "we're doing it again in March next year "

How, then, would Canvas and Conversations rub a balm over some of that damage?

"Art heals," Annette explains. Through Canvas and Conversations, she hopes to explore this through curated acoustic performances, live painting, and art exhibitions.

But beyond the performances and displayed artworks, there will be room for conversations and storytelling, with attendees encouraged to reflect on what healing means to them.

Even the colors they wear become part of that expression. If healing were orange to you, what story would that color tell?

For Annette, creating spaces where people can share their frustrations and experiences comes naturally. Her background in customer service taught her the importance of listening.

Still, her desire to bring people together is also driven by her passion for art, meaningful conversations, and beautiful experiences.

“Aesthetically pleasing, a space that lets down your defenses. That’s how you experience people in different ways.”

And then there's the book, ‘Tears and Joys of a Single Mother,’ published in 2022.

Inspired by her personal journey into motherhood, she describes the experience as one she had not planned but embraced with love and responsibility.

Yet, looking back, she acknowledges how the experience shaped her and influenced the decisions she has made in life. Through the book, she hopes to encourage single mothers who might feel that becoming mothers means putting their dreams, ambitions, and personal aspirations aside.

Her creative journey also includes organizing sip-and-paint experiences, fashion events, and gala gatherings.

While the upcoming gathering is an addition to her event-curation journey, Annette's ambitions stretch beyond organizing individual experiences. She is interested in meeting people, encouraging interactions and building a community around shared interests and experiences.

Canvas and Conversation will take place on 21 November 2026 at Opaque Gardens, Kilifi. Under the theme, it invites attendees to experience art beyond the canvas, finding room for self-expression, meaningful conversations, and connections with others.