Djeynaba Ndiyae is born during the “ time of lean kine”; we cannot know more precisely. As her mother before herself, she works as potter in Tambacounda. She is mother of several children and supports her family.

Aside her pottery useful works, she also creates some little and very expressive figurines from animal or human inspiration

Everything started in 2002, as she attended to an international artists workshop in Geneva. There, she had opportunity to see artists in painting and drawing process. At everybody’s surprise, she started drawing, for the first time in her life. This was a real trigger.

Back in her village, she continued drawing like crazy, despite her very busy potter and family work. Very motivated, she tried different techniques and materials in order to explore this new universe. Mostly, she now draws with oil pastel and pencil on paper, and describes Senegalese everyday life, customs and belief in spirits.

Totally free of any academic knowledge, (she has never been in school) she knows no limit; she mixes figurative and abstraction. Her paintings and drawings are really audacious from an artistic point of view. Some of her drawings can be seen in different ways without losing their sense, or balance.