Last week, East Middle School 8th graders in Jennifer Grasso-Moise’s studio art class had a special visitor. Nigerian artist Oluwaseyi “Shayee” Awoyomi led students through a hands-on workshop in the Yoruba textile tradition of adire. 

Shayee, whose mother is renowned textile designer Nike Okundaye, has worked in textiles, painting, sculpture and performance. She blends traditional Yoruba techniques with contemporary approaches and focuses on helping students explore cultural art forms. 

In the classroom, Shayee introduced adire, explaining how Yoruba cloth patterns carry stories and meaning. Students carved their own stamps from soft blocks or foam, learning to consider repeated patterns, positive and negative space, and layering. They then stamped their designs onto cotton fabric, creating unique patterns. Some students shared stamps and combined designs to explore collaboration and creativity. Once the students finish their designs, Grasso-Moise said she planned to have them stitch all the cotton squares into one large quilt. 

Shayee encouraged students to think about how their patterns could express identity, story or place, showing them how fabric can become a visual language that connects cultures. The project gave students hands-on experience with textile art and African cultural traditions while emphasizing creativity and personal expression.