Hello and welcome to Akua & - my space on the internet to talk about people and things that inspire me.
A little about me…
I was born in New York, but my parents moved to Australia when I was still a baby. I grew up in Melbourne where I visited organic shops and fresh food markets every week with my mum. The food in Melbourne is truly something special (I mean avocado on toast was basically invented in Aus) and healthy eating with fresh Australian grown food was a big part of our household. Although I grew up in a city, between school camping trips and holidays with family and friends, I was never really far from nature and Australian wildlife. Which is why after the devastating wildfires in Australia, I adopted Guyra Allen - a koala from Koala Hospital. I also have a huge love for elephants (just watch one documentary on elephants and tell me you don’t love them too!) and adopt Ndoria from Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
In 2007 I moved to London with my mum, and now live with my partner, Rory, and our cat Salvador, in East London. I studied BA (hons) Photography at London College of Communication and after taking a break from photography for a little while, I now freelance as a makeup artist and photographer. I want to use this website as a place to showcase both my own work, as well as that of others. Alongside journal posts with thoughts on fashion, travel, books, films etc, I will also be sharing interviews with creatives, small business owners and just generally lovely people.
My experiences as a child have given me a lifelong interest in sustainability, healthy eating and animal welfare. These will be reoccurring themes throughout this website. As a makeup artist I have been working towards making my kit majority cruelty free - I have also started a YouTube channel where I try and make most of my tutorials cruelty free. As a photographer I have always been drawn to nature, hoping to highlight its beauty and importance. As an interviewer (for this journal) I will be asking all interviewees to share their thoughts on these issues, as well as any tips and tricks they might have to be more environmentally conscious.
I have been lucky to know many talented and creative people in my life, and I thought it was time to start sharing their gifts with others. My hope is that Akua & is a place that cultivates inspiration and kindness.
