Esme Layne | Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year

Esme Layne is a Black British artist and teacher of psychology who has been working in education for over 20 years. Layne’s area of expertise is the teaching of psychology, as this reflects her interest in understanding human behaviour. The interest in understanding human behaviour is extended to Layne’s artistic practice, as an artist her preferred medium is oil on canvas, works include portraiture, figurative pieces and abstract expressionism.

Layne’s interest in art started at an early age, her mother was a painter and she too specialised in oils. Early memories of Layne’s are of the smell of oil paints, the sight of easels and sitting still for inordinate periods of time as a subject of family portraits. In her work Layne seeks to explore the human experience of difficult emotions like trauma and isolation. She feels it is important to acknowledge difficult emotional journeys that are often experienced in the seclusion and privacy of our own heads, but that in fact are common to us all. Layne is currently working on creating an art workshop for schools and community groups that explores a sense of belonging and identity.

Following the success of 100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark, Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage are delighted to launch a new project for 2026; Making the Invisible Visible: Black Women 365 Days of the Year.

Each day will showcase a different woman, whose story has shaped Black British or global Diasporic history; many of whom remain overlooked or under-celebrated in mainstream narratives. This will take the form of a rolling programme of short films, released throughout the year to keep these stories in daily circulation and to create an evolving constellation of leadership, resistance, artistry and enduring impact.