Praying Without Ceasing by Sasa Igwe

Praying without Ceasing by Sasha Igwe, 2021, Mixed media acrylic and digital illustration Canvas Print, 24 x36 inches

“Praying Without Ceasing” is inspired in part by the song “Beautiful Rain” by the Cavemen, with the Roots album cover influencing the color palette. When I first heard this song, I perceived it as a prayer. I painted the background while listening to this song, in repetition. It was both healing and freeing to listen while painting, later adding a digitally illustrated form to complete the piece. This became the first completed in “The Praying Women” mini-series.

Sasha Ifeoma Igwe is an emerging artist and illustrator, born in Ypsilanti, MI, and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. A self-taught artist, she developed a strong interest in drawing/illustration at a young age, often attempting to illustrate characters from her favorite novel series. She continued her love of art into high school and university elective courses. For a good part of her young adult years, she placed her love for art and illustration on the back burner to attend graduate school. However, after graduating with a doctoral degree in the health field, her curiosity for art in different styles and media reignited and she returned to her artistic passion. Sasha is significantly inspired by artists such as Hayao Miyazaki, known for Studio Ghibli films, and Alphonse Mucha. Drawing heavily from her Nigerian-American background, Sasha combines Mangaka and Afrocentric styles in her pieces. She has had multiple opportunities to display her works of art in local galleries, collaborate locally with other artists, and become more known for her illustrative style. She currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA.