Elewa
Elewa is where beauty and understanding meet. Founded by Elizabeth Ashamu Deng, the creative studio draws its name from two languages that shape her story—Elewa means “beautiful one” in Yoruba, the language of her father, and “understand” in Kiswahili, the language of her adopted home in Kenya.
For Elizabeth, Elewa is more than a name—it is a philosophy. It embodies a pan-African vision, a belief that art can transcend borders, and a commitment to creating work that uplifts the spirit and transforms the spaces it inhabits.
The Artist
Elizabeth Ashamu Deng is a self-taught artist working primarily in cyanotype—a photographic printing process also known as “blue-printing.” Invented in 1842 by British scientist Sir John Herschel, the cyanotype process involves coating paper or fabric with a light-sensitive solution of iron salts. Objects or negatives are placed on the surface, which is then exposed to ultraviolet light. After rinsing in water, the result is a striking indigo silhouette.
Elizabeth’s passion for art began in childhood. Her favorite outings were trips to the art store, where she gathered materials for her latest creative projects—exploring everything from crochet to basket-weaving to cake-decorating.
Elizabeth first discovered cyanotype in high school and university photography courses, but it wasn’t until 2021—while on maternity leave with her fourth child—that she returned to the medium and rekindled her love for it. In 2025, following the sudden loss of her sister and the end of her diplomatic career with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), she turned to art as a form of healing and founded Elewa.
Elizabeth holds BA and MA degrees in African Studies from Yale University and a law degree from New York University. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked in human rights and humanitarian research, advocacy, policy, and grant-making.
