Meet Jesse Ellis
Some of my earliest memories
are filled with
colour.
A young artist from Thika, Kenya, whose creative journey began at three years old beside his mum — and who now paints for the planet.
Where it all began
I grew up in Thika, Kenya, sitting beside my mum as she made art — and wanting to make it too. When she painted, I painted. When she sketched, I sketched, and I'm sure I borrowed a few of her supplies without asking. Instead of telling me I was too young, she handed me paper, paint and scissors, and kept encouraging me to create. She wasn't just introducing me to art. She was teaching me that my ideas mattered.
Sometimes, all a child needs is one person who believes in them.
A painting that changed everything
In 2024, at seven years old, I entered the First Lady Mazingira Awards under the theme "Restore Our Land, Secure Our Future" with a painting called Renewal from Fragility: A Kenyan Vision. It imagined a Kenya powered by renewable energy — solar panels and wind turbines as symbols of progress, and proof that we can still choose a different path for our environment, our biodiversity and our future.
© Jesse Ellis
From canvas to conversation
“While I received an award for this artwork, the greatest reward was witnessing how it sparked conversations among a diverse audience, opening up an important dialogue about how much children’s ideas matter.” I visited State House for the ceremony and an environmental tour led by Kenya's First Lady, Mama Rachel Ruto — experiences that convinced me children don't have to wait to grow up to make a difference.
Today my art lives on canvas, T-shirts and tote bags, and keeps growing through competitions, exhibitions and community projects. In 2026 I was named Kenya's winner in the global Fish Art Contest. I also run creative workshops for children and speak to high school students about the Creative Arts Pathway.