Adetola Abatan is a chemical engineer who recently rediscovered her artistic side as a collage artist. She primarily works with paper and fabric to explore ideas of being, becoming and belonging.

Most recently her work was featured in the ‘Dance in Collage’ virtual exhibit for the 2020 Jazz Dance Open in the Czech Republic. She is also a West African and Afro-Brazilian percussionist, and has performed with the University of Pittsburgh West African Dance and Drum ensemble, as well as Batala Houston.

In her arts leadership experience, she developed the Tales from the Homeland Children’s animated series and co-lead Houston AfriFEST for three years, providing a platform for African artists, creatives and performers. In the future, she plans to continue telling cultural stories that highlight the past and present beauty of African traditions, particularly in the Arts.