Throughout her childhood, Nigerian-Canadian artist Lizzy Idowu could be found molding, drawing, or crafting small worlds with popsicle sticks and a glue gun. But it wasn’t until she went off to the University of Toronto where she majored in Communication Culture Information Technology and double-minored in film studies and sociology that she discovered her true passion for creating at the intersection of art and technology.
Idowu’s work explores expressions of self-love and nostalgia transformed into cartoons, animation, and clay sculptures of the female form across a wide range of mediums, including painting, photography, videography and digital design. In 2021, she listed her first NFT series on OpenSea, the largest digital marketplace for crypto collectibles, and sold her first piece in less than 24 hours. Since then, she’s been featured in digital publications such as CoinDesk, Korea IT Times, and Contemporary And (C&). Based in Toronto, Idowu works as the social media manager at OpenSea and continues to actively be a part of the artist community on Twitter and Clubhouse. For a taste of aughts nostalgia, check out her signature Ether Puffs, a series of collectable, personified cartoon figures inspired by the iconic Powerpuff Girls. Saving the world before bedtime, one NFT at a time.
You can check out more of their work here.
What is the first creative project you remember?
The first project I remember is making the Big Ben building in the UK in grade three.
Describe your aesthetic in three words.
Cohesive, colourful, textural.
What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?
I worked as a creative art director with a small makeup brand called 1day beauty. I was entrusted to cast the models and crew, and was able to work with an incredible team of women—what we created was just pure magic.
What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?
A project I worked on for a photoshoot taught me that I could try new things and find out how great I am at them. Also, being comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?
I was definitely born creative. I was an only child growing up, so I always found ways to keep myself occupied, and I found that art came naturally to me.
What’s the last dream you had?
I’d rather not say, it was a bit wild and so out of pocket.
One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?
That it moved them in different ways. That people were able to find something to relate to from various genres that I produce. That nostalgia influenced their perspective of my work.
Follow @lizzyidowu on Creatively
Creatively is more than a platform—we’re a creative collective.
Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@creatively.life