 Albert Einstein once said the creativity is seen what everyone else sees, but thinking no one has ever thought. A very warm welcome to SPM Buzz and on today's episode of Masongko Chinya Magi we speak to the one and only Dege Tom as he likes to call himself on social media. Now this is what Tom does. He collects chicken feathers. Yani mayoya ya huku. Tom creates very amazing pieces of art using feathers. We're going to be finding out what inspired Tom to do this business as well as does he actually earn a living from this biyashara. I'm going to be your host Ms. Kipinji. Come with me as we talk to talk. Here we are here to inspire people. Yeah sure. As much as I come up to what I find the exact thing that you're doing they could be inspired to do something else in regards to art. Yeah sure. I'm going to be your host Ms. Kipinji. Okay, what I'll say. I'm going to be your host Ms. Kipinji. Yeah. This time one say the creativity is seen what everyone else sees, but thinking no one has ever thought. A very warm welcome to SPM Buzz and on today's episode of Masongko Chinya Magi we speak to the one and only Dege Tom as he likes to call himself on social media. Now this is what Tom does. He collects chicken feathers. Yani mayoya ya huku. And Tom creates very amazing pieces of art using feathers. We're going to be finding out what inspired Tom to do this business as well as does he actually earn a living from this biyashara. I'm going to be your host Ms. Kipinji. Come with me as we talk to talk. Yes. Habari aleo. Salamat. Sidiuka maukonarangi aiko sa wakabisa. Okay. Hey, Tom unafanya kazi mzuri. This is really nice. Yani iniki tu anyi sigia waio na mani popote. Okay. Eh? Okay. Onendele aji. Salamat. Ehe. Yes. Atami mi ni kupoa. Tu me fi kapa tuongeleshe watu. Yeah. Uu tu eleze. Yeah. Ika zia. Yeah. Yani uli fiki riade takfanya kazi kamaeishwa li Tom. Yani, where did you get this idea? Eh, just I am inspired by my uncle. My late uncle. Oh, okay. And they go mostly into paintings, not into this kind of art. Mine is collage kind of art. 3D kind of art per se. Okay. So, mi nika ingiliya into art, lakini in another way to fought in IAE. Ah. IAS, IAS, IAS. So uli kuna ishina IAE kama ulu kuna mtembelea wuna ona. Not really. I mean, his art, sa tango tu kuatotu tunga henda kuatembelea tunga zipata. Ah. Lakini after nima maeleza, maeleza shule badela kuka aido. Ehe. Something came about in my mind. Okay. I can do something with my time. Yeah. One day asa nilkwa na mu, abandawna for my friends and my cousin. Yeah. Abandawna some chicken feathers metu kuwa along the road. Ehe. Besend the road. Okay. So, an idea came. That idea, nika, that idea came into my mind na zapa niya kitu ima nyo ya. Ehe. So, ehe. Nika henda kuwanza kuwa makazin. Okay. Nika kama kawahida tukashina the whole day. Yeah. But after some time, nika, akili badu ikakili kaboutile manyo ya. Ehe. So, nika ru, nika chukwe yo manyo ya. Ehe. And asa, asa young man. Yeah. What I told na nida fanya ni, nila kini si kuwana ene, ene materyo wa so eba na zato niya fanya. Ah. Ene kai dofa. So nilkwa na isina babangu. My father was a mason. Okay. So, ange kosa wa kitu kama mamba wa misumari. Ehe. So, kwa nyumba, kulikwana sanfiu, ah, sorry. Kulikwana sanfiu umba okidogo. Ehe. Nika collect na misumeno nika kata manyewe. Ehe. Nika unganisha. Ehe. Then na si kuwana materyo. Ehe. Nika chukwa karton box. Just a karton box nika ene nika umba kwa duka nika prewa. Ehe. Uh, gulu si kuwana yaku pesta. Ehe. But uh, my father was a mason. So, ange kosa wo di gulu kwa nyumba. Ehe. Asa mason wajom tu kama isi kosa kwa nyumba. Awezi. So, wood gloni different from the one I'm using now na, sayi na tumia. Sayi uliya grade kidogo. Na tumia konta glu. So by then, yo wood glu, onlazima wishi kena kidole. Ehe. Then u-pest. Oh ya, I remember. Lazima kitamba unge, shika yo glu. Ya, the wood gloni ya white naka very, very thick. So onlazima wishi kendo u-pest. Ehe. But this one is much liquid. So, at least uh, nika itumia hevo. Baka nika maliza. Ehe. Kui maliza, nika kosa rangi. But uh, nika, nika ihang tu apupawoli, kwa naizu o katumbot. So, sika na idea ya kui usa. Ehe. But when the talent is in you, na mubana taka kui prosper into much higher level. Ya. Anaku connect na wadu. So. Nyokweli. During that evening, my parent, my father, had a kujana one of his friends. Uhum. The same evening ya yuli hangu. The same evening ya nili weka yo yo portrait. Nini nili maliza. Yes. His friend ali puyo na. Ehe. Aka frai yasa na kanuliza. Are you selling? I told him, yes, I'm selling. Ehe. Nika mumbia pesa, but it was a small amount of money. Manakesi kujo how much I can sell it. Ehe. So, aka nambia no problem. Nanda na tomorrow baba kontampia pesa. So, from there I was motivated. Ya, that's how you sold it. Your first arching sold it. The same same days. So, from there I was motivated. Ya, that was quite a motivation. Now, let me ask you. Yes. Immediately after school. Akun aka zingina ulukume fanya? No, not really. Are you serious? No, for real. So, over the years, how many years has it been? Now you're doing this? More than 15 years. More than 15 years, Tom. Yes. Oh, wow. Yes. Kwebo in short wewe, akun aka zingina ushay fanya. Ehe. Kuna kuna akati ushay wacha? Ya, kuna akati. Kuna akati in life. Ehe. Every work in Apuangana it's ups and downs. Okay. Kuna times kazi lekuwachi ni sana. So, I had to manuva nika atoka nika ingelia into hospitality. Oh, ehe. Yes, I went to be a waiter. We're a waiter. Ehe. Tauki dogun kafanya. Fanya almost like four months. Lakin ni, okay, the hotel manager kuwana jitu ana fanya art. So, alini accept as an artist. So, my arts nil kuna zihang kwayo hotelia o. Ehe. So, the clients wala wala kuna kuja kwa restaurant. Badu wala kuna jua. I'm still an artist. So, aki ziwana atu ana uleza nana na fanya hi. So, badu, kulkwana hile passion. You see, kulkwana badu na passion kwa rawe hangu. So, after some four months, nili achana nani karudia kazi hangu. From there I've never looked at it. Ya ni uleshindwa two four months kuwana. No, no, no, no. Ya, ya, ya. But now, did you start afresh when you came back after the four months? Okay, it was like afresh manake. Mali nili achia siha po. It was like afresh to me manake. But now, nili kuja na nikiwa maumachua. I knew what to do, where to start from. Manake once, beaten twice, shiai. So, you know, uki hangu kama ramoja. So, nangu wasem okiteleza ma ramoja. Ya bilu tajiwa maali. Punatatizo. So, the second time was at least from there I've never looked behind. Yes. Okay, okay. Yes. Tewa baik. Andele. So, sasa, Tom. I would like to know where do you get the inspiration? Because now Nazi is indegeni different. Do you decide today I'm doing this type of bad? Or where do you google amawuna fanyaji? Like, let's say, the time nikiwa like let's say 18, let's say to be precise 18 years ago. Ehe. Akuwa na amawuna google. Google laws for the ilu kwa ni awalawatu. There was no internet. Yes, there was no internet. Nakama ilu kwa ni kwa alawatu akuna pesazao. So, I used to go to Nairobi Univera na national museum of Kenya. Okay. So, I could spend the whole day up on national museum of Kenya. Okay. But before I joined national museum of Kenya, kulu kwa na organization ni nitu akuna trust. Okay. Kuna trust for foundation ni organization ni am a artist. Ilu kwa hapo national museum of Kenya. Ah. So, by then nili enda ni kwa join. Okay. Kwa join, then nika meet different types of artists. Uh huh. Wanafanya different types of arts. Kuna waluwa capturing, kuna waluwa ni ni. So, from there, nika pata likes of Patrick Mukabi. I know many people know about him. You can google search pa Patrick Mukabi ako na galaria kena Nairobi museum, next to railway's museum ako na galaria keapo. So, from there, ali ni inspire, naka ni shikamukono. Naa akana connect na mutu apundani museum. So, I used to go free na national museum of Kenya. Okay. So, ni gena and spend like even more than five hours ni kwa dani na read more about the buds. Uh huh. Na jua wota, she badi na itwaji na about the features of the bud. Then later on, nika because the book was very expensive and until now, the book is very expensive. How much is it? Kuna books of Africa, Buds of Africa na Buds of Kenya. Okay. The book was more than six K. Pa book. So, you see, kwa ipa chase by then na nandol kwa nanza. Inge kwa litriki. Ya, it was very tricky. Okay. So, poli poli ni kakuja, ni kwa angiliana na ii o kitabu, badae. Ya. I learnt more. So, na pia clients. Pia clients wana kumotivator wan this. Yes. Na poli poli kaji kuda maale. Ah, e yoni vizurenya kumela zima tumtua jitu me. Yes. Si kwa mkatu badaulitafta mo information, nuka research, you even have a mentor. Ya, true. That is good. Ya, true. Now, you know Tom ni getaka kwa jua. Ya. Did you start here over those years amakuna mali pengenu liyang? Ya. First, Maria Kwanza, millions in my parents' house. Ehe. Ehe. For some few years, manake, singeza kujiyamu siya tumiazana wami amuka. I used to do it in his house. Okay. Poli poli poli poli poli poli, but later on kawana haina haja nifanya kwa nyoma, then I moved out. But si kwa hapani lukwa sama ya, sama ya. Ehe. Ya, sama ya else. Ehe. Yes. Ah, so apa wume kaka mahalong? Apa nipona like five years. Meka five years? Yes. Ah, kueli. Yes. Bro, mutasiki ka. Zitachi kwa sautene. Ah, ya, sawa. So, oh, five years. Misha meko aji apa? Is it somewhere you like? Do you like to open your own mahali pengine kama a store? Most of the time, sezi sema ni imbwa ya. Ehe. Westi kama mahali modanwa ni akama. Kama ni sipazi. But most of the time, muna bata, niki isha, I use it as a workshop. Okay. Nazi uza. But most of the time, moka sa, my most, my mostly target na kwangani middle class. So middle class. Ehe. Hawa kwa within kwa inguwa me move outside Nairobi for Aspa for now. So most of the time, muna nipata ni kwa India Nairobi. Ehe. Maza kwa, unaza nipata, nimua fata like Kikitengela. Ehe. Nimua fata like Rongai. Ehe. The likes of Ruaka. So I know where the market is. So where the clientele wana move. So na jadu kumugnawao. So Sasa, do you go and position yourself somewhere ama wuna zuboku na sumuka around? No, not really, not really. Not really. Kwa sababu niki sema nangoja hapo hawata kuja. So most of the time na angalianga kama most, the clientele wuna zopata kwa restaurants. Ehe. Those big restaurants wuta wakosa apo. Okay. The Baba shops, the Nilspala. Ehe. Those places apo ni kwa 100% sita wakosa. Ehe. Yes. Kuna na chaka kuja wada tom kama kuna experience enye ushen yu ziam tu memo impress na kazi ako. Yeah. Hadi akasema atawacha kulipe zahidi ama kakupe aoda ya pesaya. Aya mo atama iluna. Sacha scenario? Ehe. Daza kuna waka ati. Ehe. Ni client wangu ni memfanya kazi no to once, no to twice. Ehe. Nika pata ili kazi ni memfanya. Ehe. Ikam freisha aka. Hadi. Itza restaurantia kuna restaurantia ke. Ehe. So most unapata yu restaurant ni meyeka more than five types of arts. Ehe. So aka ni connect na another client. Ambali ni peka kazi nzuru kumfanya hotelia ke, kitchen zingina different from his. Lakin ni. They almost look the same like kama zake lakin ni aleni inspire sana. Oh. Yes. Yoni po enu li pata referral from ili kazi luku mefanya. Yes na, seem to moja men connect na men connect kwa more than one, more than two clients onona. Ehe. Anana nifanya na tiyo, anana tiyangu wu sana. Ehe kabisa. Yes. Now Tom, is this the only job you have? Yes. Ama kuna kazi ngini mahali, ama ni hitu inakulisha. No, napanya art. Art is my life. Art is what I do. Art is what I do. Do you feel like people appreciate your work like it is supposed to be appreciated? Ok na dependu your market target. Ok. Ukuna places ukiaenda, they don't know, they don't know really what art is. Lakin ukuna market place ili na juwa niki target. Yeah. Wana elewa art ni nini na wana he appreciates and they buy. Ehe. Yes ukuna places nazaenda, hawata elewa. Ok, wana onana wana elewa, but to them I add up. Lakin ukuna places nikienda, they really understand and they promote. In short, what Tom is trying to say is you need to understand your target audience. Yes, true. Sindio, you say kila mtundi o target audience ya ako? Ya, true. Hai anu kweni. Now Tom nge takaku juwa. No, that this is the only business you do art. Indo kitu, ukuna family ya kwanza? Yes, I have a family. You have a family? Ya. Unalaya family ya kona ibi asara peki ake? Ya, sure. Serious? More than serious. Now Tom, ya. Unadio we are here to inspire people. Ya, sure. Jua as much as I takam amtu atafanya the exact thing that you're doing, ya. They could be inspired to do something else in regards to art. Ya, sure. Unaza tombi ya, unating iniza pesaka mangapi. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Pesaka ma approach, atati exact. Approximately. On a good man, tama on a good day. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Okay, what I'll say, na sita ila kia apoka pesa. Ya. Um, ha ha ha ha. Okay. Okay, to say, ila zote na undanga, hii uiki na uzanga zote. Hii mokuduna zase ma. Ila rureza zase ma. Nakini kusima pesa ila zahunda. Ya. Um. Na juse me kwa siku na chenge ne zanga api? Ah, okay. Kuna siku ya kunda framing, kama mande so iyo seze sabuna na nima undanga api. Ha ha ha ha. So, kuna times na zahunda, pawek na zahunda kubwa kama, kama tattoo. Kama tattoo. Moja, moja kusa lag. Ha ha ha ha ha. And, na upata na nima undanga, kama 18. Ah, oh, kama 18. Ya, the small ones. Oh, wow. Okay. Yes. Na unan zewza zote. Na lemi ask you, basi na kumbuka, of course, litu ambia uki anza pale kwa nyumba, au kukua na resources. Yes. Lakin ili wakati ulia mo kwenda komashio, luka mo aia, kumbe this is business I can actually do. How much money did you have in your pocket? Most of the times, takan juku ita jili pesa, de klantelua kwanza lini lipa kwa sababili. Asi kulipua, asi kulipua. Yes. Ili pesen yu, liku anaya wewa uki anzisha. Millions and 200 shillings. 200 shillings. Yes, only 200. Lakin by then, by then, 200 shillings. Iliku apesa kama lika 500. Laka kama 500. Laka kama 500. Right now. Oh, and look at you now. You went on, wuka sev, wuka sev, wuka sev. Yes. Hey, and Yame, there's nothing you can't start alive from and unaliving from. Yes, yes. Would you advise someone to get into this kind of business? Yes, I would advise someone to get into art business. Yes. Lakin, so long as yeh Daniel Royake, niki tu inam furahisha, wuna yua artist passion, first of all artist passion, manake iko na lots of challenges, na zafkamali, we feel like giving up. Lakin kama seeo passion, you'll give up. Manake kuna times, kuna lower seasons, na kuna higher seasons. Lakin ina other business, kuna akati ikosawa, na kuna akati kochini. So kama wuna ipanya asa business, kuna akati na zafkamali, ina kuhit, ina kuhit thrill. When it hits you real, you give up. Manake unapatra, maybe you are not prepared for it. Yes, yes. Okay, so if you need to, you need to be prepared for it for sure. Yeah. What are some of the challenges that you na face kifanya ikazi ako? Yeah, challenges are, ni wuna zenda a certain place, they really don't understand you, they don't appreciate your art, so unapatra those kind of people wana kuhu, wana kufanya una feel so. Yeah, yeah. They demoralize me, so but over the years ni me learn and kajua where to target my client, so that's why ni me manuva this far, yes. Lakin ni niki anza, ma raya kwaza niki anza, si kwa na ilo what target market naza target, so ili kwa na jipata ni menda kwa places zenye, see the client, tello zenye naza target. So it can demoralize na that's why nili kwa bia kuna times nilena nika chabata after kuka inja for some month ni kainda nika jirudi atena kajuliz ni wape nili kwa seya na kuruudi I've never looked behind. Yeah. Yes. So anya yalazi mo jimotive to especially when you believe in the kind of work that you do. Yes. That is good to hear. Yeah. Yeah, Sanctisana Tom. Sasa siguka ma kuna exercise upa uneza ni pewa niku peintia, I promise to be neat. Okay. So unazashika, agafamu serna pa. Akuna shidaini. Akumunisha kidagu. Yeah. Unafunguza kidagu. This is dinifu, ni kanga. Yeah. Izwekem bani bani kidagu evo chu. Aha. Yeah. Okay. Kuna mchotoa kumunye uneza taka afanya hii kazi tom. Aha. Yes, kuna e. Laki ni villeroa keitataka. Niki naza oke naza mkundisha. Yeah. Ako enayo. Naya buu e badae kama tendelele nao. Nisao. Laki ni aki ona ikue part-time badu nisao. Yeah. Yabata ni kazi nzuuri. Kanyumba ya kumedia za easy art? Niko nazo kada. Bila si mingi kwa sababu. You know, ukua nazo art piya, sunailia badu na nauza piya. Kweili. Yes, so sometimes naza pata ni meka one of the beauty star art. Aha. Klanta me kuja me pata sina stalka, masina any art na menebi anataka piya. Sita kataku e. Te aion tenda ni oze batini onde ingene. Oh, iku zazao ah. Yeah. Nisao, the approximately kwa wataza maju eni wana zata kwa kujapununu ah. Yeah. How much do you sell? The big size, the medium size and the small size? The big size, uh, this size ni 1500. Okay. Kuna inia 500. Alapna kuwana extra large inia si nasai na kwa kaya 3k. Okay. Zinianda zi kipanda kwa depending nasais. O kita kwa kuna extra large na kuna extra extra large badu. Okay, as per order, especially zoku buwa. Ya, so extra extra large yon lazima wache down payment. Kwanza? Ah. Yes. Nice. Ina, na paint, na weka kila mahali? Aha. Ida go. It's okay. That's what you do. Wana apabilema kuwa. So, I guess yon na za continue kwa kwa hapa. Yes, na tumia acrylic paintings. Uh, kitama before ni kiyanzanzan kwa na tumia oil paintings, but uh, they took a lot of time kwa kwa. Oh, yeah. So, acrylic painting nia zikwa zima kuja into the market. Like ni now there's mostly many artists kwa na tumia acrylic paintings. Yeah. Nasa ina onu na pandisha tuapa ju na kwa kwa fasta fasta. Yes, acrylic painting na kwa kwa fasta within some few minutes ina kwa kwa. All right, guys. As you can see, you create opportunities for yourself. Usike tichinu seme akuna kazi kenya. You have to create opportunities for yourself. No na, so ma ku kanyumbani a kathema watu toa ke watakula ni nileo. Maza pesta de brush yabushikan konyeshe. Mhm. Aha. So, that's it. Naka kwa korna ba doh. Yes. Oh, tumia de entaya brush baliza tangi. Tumia seme inibatgani. Dio inaito a helmeted guinefo. Elmented? Elmented guinefo. Jamani. Ama kanga kisweli. Oh, kanga. Shed genikisweli. Jamani kanga inaito aibo. Yes, kwa ikenda kwa kizungu. Yes. Ama botanik name. Jina ina badileka. Oh, yeah. The botanik name is to be different. Yes. Thank you, Kosawa. Kosawa. Chana kumalizi. Yana da badile ni different aibo. Apopeninita Rakebisha. Tomta Rakebisha. Kosawa. As you can see, Tom is going about his job right now. He has some pieces he needs to for order today. Lazi mapeleke. Make sure you support Tom. Tom, wambie, where you're located? I'm located near Naivas, Naivas East Gate. Just opposite Gate to Donhum. Yeah, Donhum. Kwa iba kwa ironda botia Doni? Donhum in Eastland? Yes. Uki shuka topa kwa stage unapata, Tom? Come get yourself some good acts. The first stages you are coming from town. Yes, the first stages you are coming from town. All right, Tomas. Santisana, thank you for inspiring people and showing people they can live in from anything they put their mind into. Thank you. All right, guys. That was it from Ndeget Tom as he calls himself on social media. Make sure you check him out on social media as well. Mwangaliepale. Make sure you order a piece. It is going to be delivered to you. Let's support Kenyan business as well and make sure I don't sit at home. Create an opportunity for yourself. This was my son, Kuchiniya Maji and I was your host, Miss Kishinshi. Until next time, keep it S-Pen bars.