Francis Kahuri became interested in the craft of batik making, taught to him by a neighbor as a youngman. Kahuri eventually learnt how to work with oils on canvas, but the expense of the materials discouraged him, so he continued to make batiks primarily, and with relative commercial success.

In 1984, Ruth Schaffner of Gallery Watatu brought Kahuri into the Gallery Watatu stable, and encouraged him to focus on his oil painting. So began the second phase of his career, where he created much of the work for which he is now known. Images of women and children predominated in Kahuri’s work have been described as “Picasso-esque”. His powerful sense of form and colour, sets figures composed of flat areas of primary colours against textured backgrounds.

Kahuris art has been exhibited in California, Tokyo, Dar es Salaam, Harare as well as countless shows in Nairobi.