6 minute read
Happy Auala: On Embracing Challenges to Find Creative Evolution
In 2016, Happy Auala debuted at the inaugural Windhoek Fashion Week and later launched her popular XIX April line of leather fanny packs in collaboration with Frazao Martins. The fanny packs were a big hit at the time, with fashionistas buying the 90s-inspired accessory in large numbers.
Bright-eyed and excited about the future, Happy envisioned the XIX April brand to grow bigger and better in the years to come. Since those early days, Happy has achieved incredible milestones in Namibia and established a presence in the Angolan market.
Just recently, Happy and I met at the first Namibia Creative Summit, which is a platform for artists to engage in art showcases, participate in thought-provoking panel discussions and gain insights from various speakers. Happy treated guests at the event to a live art session, completing a stunning piece in a few hours. Seeing her multidimensional creativity on display, I was once again reminded of her incredible talent.
Speaking to me after the event, Happy explained how she discovered the synergy between visual art, graphic art and fashion by continuously experimenting. She was intentional about polishing these three creative skills over the years. “My first recollection of combining visual art with fashion was in high school when I created a fun and simple drawing that my friends and I had printed onto T-shirts for an event. After graduating with a qualification in graphic design, I saw how well these art forms worked together and proceeded to create designs for various clients for their branding and apparel,” she said.
Happy’s work often draws inspiration from Namibian culture. She seamlessly integrates elements from her heritage to express, communicate and share her love and respect for the culture and traditions passed on from her parents. “One thing I realised over the years is that most movies, famous shows and acclaimed art we saw while growing up were centred around Western and European cultures and beauty standards. While I believe every ethnicity and race is equally gorgeous, I started to include more African and Namibian elements in my art. Representation matters. I tell stories through my creations in the hope that years from now my art might inspire future generations to love, appreciate and preserve their cultural history and roots,” she says, describing the opportunity to create a live painting at the first Namibia Creative Summit as the perfect platform to promote Namibian talent, heritage and artistry.
After spending most of her life in Namibia, Happy moved to Angola two years ago. In Angola, she worked on graphic design projects with companies such as InterContinental Hotels. “From each project, I saved every dollar I could to purchase some canvases and paint to start creating an art collection in my spare time,” she recalls. Once she had enough artworks, she approached a leading gallery in Luanda and got the opportunity to display her art at their exhibition in 2022.
In December 2023, Happy created one of her most popular pieces, The 3 Wise Souls, inspired by the ancient Japanese proverb “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. As soon as she shared it on social media, Happy received overwhelming feedback and reviews, followed by another big opportunity – a request to create a live painting at a hip-hop event. She recalls how this opportunity came just at the right time when she was about to give up hope after many rejections.
She wasted no time and purchased a massive canvas after the successful show. The drawing – a picture of the late hip-hop icon 2Pac – was auctioned in a live bidding war, going on sale for thousands that night. With the final bid for this artwork being the highest for which she had ever sold an art piece, Happy was smart enough to recognise this was a rare opportunity and made sure to reinvest a fraction of that profit into producing, printing and packaging her first T-shirt collection in Angola and later in Namibia. Happy was also commissioned by popular Angolan producer, Black Spygo, who hired her to create five large custom paintings.
Working in Angola and Namibia, Happy acknowledges the vast difference between the local art scenes in the two countries. “As much as I love Namibia, I’ve seen way more respect given to the art industry in Angola. Several art galleries allow art to be showcased for free. Many locals are willing to buy and support artwork. They don’t see art as a hobby but as an equally significant career and industry,” she says.
She notes Namibia’s lack of support for artists as one of the biggest challenges she faced despite working extremely hard, acknowledging that while strides have been made in the sector, art is still often overlooked and undervalued. The only challenges she faced in Angola, she says, were mainly due to the language barrier.
Despite these challenges, Happy has accepted the differences and uniqueness of working wherever she found herself. Her biggest hack? Combining the “work ethic and diversity of a Namibian upbringing” with the hustler and “never-give-up” mentality of Angolan people.
Happy aims to keep pushing the envelope with her art and continues to try new things. “I hope my stubborn relentlessness in pursuing my passion can inspire other people to pursue their dreams and to never let setbacks along the way stop them.”
Her most recent T-shirt collaboration with her sister Precious Auala is an exciting and original fusion of art and fashion. “We drew different art pieces – some on paper and some digital illustrations – and we printed them locally on quality T-shirts. It’s been an absolute joy working alongside my sister and creating something that others can enjoy for years to come.”
Happy can be found on Instagram, where she thrives as a digital creator. Contact her via DM @the_classy_tomboy or @19april_graphics.
